Snapdragon Stadium | San Diego, California – Saturday, April 29 at 10:00 PM ET
Players to watch:
San Diego stars Makenzy Doniak and Sofia Jakobsson scored off the bench in the Wave’s win over Angel City. It was just the sixth time in league history that a team had multiple reserves score in the same regular season game and the first time since the Courage in 2019 against the Pride (Jess McDonald and McKenzie Meehan). In addition, those goals were the first of the season for Doniak and Jakobsson. The Wave are led in goals by forward Alex Morgan with three, though the U.S. National Team star has not scored in the club’s last two games.
Orlando defender Megan Montefusco completed 70 of her 82 pass attempts in Orlando’s 2-0 loss to Kansas City over the weekend. It was the second time Montefusco has completed at least 70 passes in a match for the Pride (also in August 2022), something no other Orlando player has done since the start of the 2018 season. Though due in part to the attacking consistency against the opposition, Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhousesits second in the league in saves (16) despite playing just two games. The only other players to have registered multiple saves in two or fewer games are the two other shot stoppers to have featured this year for Orlando, goalkeepers Kaylie Collins and Carly Nelson.
Match facts: San Diego Wave FC faces the Orlando Pride on Saturday night in another exciting contest at Snapdragon Stadium and on CBS Sports Network. The Wave, who bounced back after a loss to OL Reign with a 2-0 win over Angel City, will look to add to Orlando’s trouble as they remain just one of two winless sides through four games this year (Louisville).
San Diego followed up a 1-0 win over Portland in the Challenge Cup with a 2-0 win over rial Angel City on Sunday. It is the second time in team history the Wave have delivered consecutive shutouts wins (in all competitions), also doing so in their first two regular season games in NWSL play in May of last year. In the league thus far, San Diego has won three of its four contests, picking up wins against Chicago and North Carolina in its first two games of the year.
On the flip side, the Pride are winless in their last 10 regular season games (D1 L9) dating back to last season, allowing multiple goals in all 10 of those matches. It is the first time in NWSL history that a team has allowed two or more goals in 10 consecutive matches in league play. In addition, through four games, Orlando has scored just one goal as forward Messiah Bright pulled one back for her squad in a 2-1 loss to Angel City. Outside of that, Orlando failed to score in its other three matches while being outscored 8-0 in those games.
Saturday will be just the third all-time meeting between the Wave and the Pride. Meggie Dougherty Howard, who is now on the Wave’s roster but is yet to play this season due to injury, scored in both of the fixtures last season for Orlando.
