San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium was buzzing with anticipation on Wednesday night as San Diego Wave FC hosted the Portland Thorns FC in a National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) clash that delivered on every bit of excitement. With both teams coming off strong starts to their seasons, the stakes felt high—and the Wave, seeking their first home win of 2026 and a measure of revenge for last year’s playoff defeat, rose to the challenge in emphatic fashion, notching a 3-1 victory in front of 8,428 fans.
It didn’t take long for the action to kick off. In just the second minute, San Diego’s Brazilian winger Dudinha found herself in space on the left after a pinpoint through ball from midfielder Gia Corley. With Portland’s defense caught flat-footed, Dudinha cut inside and calmly slotted home her second goal in as many matches. The early strike not only electrified the home crowd but also set a new mark as the fastest Wave goal of the season and the third-fastest in club history. “It was a typical Dudinha goal,” Wave head coach Jonas Eidevall said with a smile, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.
But Portland, who had yet to concede a goal in their first two matches this season, responded almost immediately. A miscommunication between Wave center backs Kennedy Wesley and Kristen McNabb in the eighth minute allowed Thorns forward Pietra Tordin to pounce. Tordin’s initial shot ricocheted off the right post, but she was quickest to the rebound, firing home her second goal of the campaign to level the score. The Thorns’ resilience was clear, with Tordin now involved in all four of Portland’s goals this season—two goals and two assists. “We had a tough start to the game, which gave them really good momentum at the beginning,” Thorns head coach Robert Vilahamn reflected. “I like that we came back into the game and scored the equalizer, but overall they were a little bit better than us today.”
The first half continued at a frenetic pace, with both sides trading blows and testing each other’s defenses. San Diego’s midfield trio—Corley, Kenza Dali, and rookie sensation Lia Godfrey—were at the heart of the action, dictating tempo and winning key battles in the middle of the park. “We said before the game that it was going to be a game within the game, so to speak, our midfield against their midfield,” Eidevall explained. “If we talk about our midfield as a unit, by far this performance was the best so far this season.”
The Wave’s regained their advantage in the 27th minute after a relentless spell of pressure. Dali and Corley were involved in the buildup, with Corley’s shot forcing a save from Portland goalkeeper Morgan Messner. The rebound fell to Ludmila, whose attempt crashed against the crossbar. As the ball bounced free, Dudinha showed composure, gathering possession and slipping a perfectly weighted pass to Godfrey, who finished with confidence to make it 2-1. For Godfrey, it was her second goal in as many matches—making her the only rookie in the league to score in back-to-back games this season. Remarkably, both of her first two NWSL goals have been match-winners, a feat achieved by just six rookies in league history.
Portland, undeterred, pressed forward in search of another equalizer. Despite missing key contributors—defender Reyna Reyes and midfielder Cassandra Bogere were both suspended after red cards in their previous outing—the Thorns continued to create chances. Rookie Shae Harvey made her debut in place of Bogere, while Marie Muller returned to the starting lineup for the first time since an ACL injury in February 2025. “Today was a tough game and it’s unfortunate we couldn’t bring the same energy like last game,” Muller commented. “I think the best part today was to be back in the starting 11. It was a long year, so I’m happy to be back on the pitch with my teammates but it would be better if we win.”
San Diego’s defense, anchored by goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan, held strong during Portland’s surges. The Thorns’ best opportunity in the second half came when Isabella Obaze’s header glanced off the left post in the 54th minute. Meanwhile, Messner was doing all she could to keep Portland in the match, making eight saves—including a pair of crucial stops on Ludmila midway through the second half. But the Wave’s attacking persistence paid off late.
In the 77th minute, local teenager Melanie Barcenas checked in for Dudinha, bringing fresh energy to San Diego’s front line. Just five minutes later, Kenza Dali delivered a perfectly weighted ball that sliced through Portland’s back line. Barcenas’ initial shot was saved by Messner, but the rebound landed kindly, and Barcenas made no mistake, tucking away her first goal of the season and the third of her young career. “I thought it was really important that as a game changer come in and boost the intensity in any way that I can, whether it’s attacking or defending,” Barcenas said after the match.
The 3-1 scoreline reflected San Diego’s dominance in possession (65% to 35%) and their ability to create high-quality chances—outshooting Portland 18 to 16, with 11 shots on target to the Thorns’ four. The Wave’s victory not only avenged last year’s playoff loss to Portland but also pushed them to a 2-1-0 record, matching the Thorns’ points total through three matches. “They created some good space and made it messy for us,” Vilahamn admitted. “Another thing is we need to make sure we are a little bit more calm on the ball and dictate more. We are a little bit stressed sometimes, but it’s also logical when you are one or two goals down.”
The Thorns, who had started the season with two shutouts, will look to regroup quickly as they return to Providence Park to face Kansas City on Saturday. They’ll hope to have suspended players available soon and will be without forward Alexa Spaanstra, who was loaned to the Utah Royals until July. Meanwhile, the Wave have little time to rest, with another home fixture against the Chicago Stars FC at Snapdragon Stadium on March 28 at 5:45 p.m. PT. Tickets are already on sale, and the match will be broadcast live on ION.
For San Diego, Wednesday night’s win was a statement—the kind that can set the tone for a season. With Dudinha, Godfrey, and Barcenas all finding the net and the midfield pulling the strings, the Wave look poised to make Snapdragon Stadium a fortress in 2026. The next challenge comes quickly, and fans can hardly wait to see what this dynamic squad will do next.