Nov 3, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; San Diego Wave FC forward Jaedyn Shaw (11) and Racing Louisville FC forward Janine Beckie (16) battle for control of the ball during the second half at Lynn Family Stadium. Mandatory Credit: EM Dash-Imagn Images
A pair of first-half goals propelled the San Diego Wave past Racing Louisville 3-1 on Sunday to end the NWSL regular season.
In what was scheduled as a home game for the Wave (6-13-7, 25 points), field conditions changed the venue to Louisville, but San Diego still played as if it had home-field advantage.
Jaedyn Shaw, Maria Sanchez and Savannah McCaskill found the back of the net for the Wave, while Bethany Balcer responded for Louisville (7-12-7, 28 points).
Louisville goalkeeper Katie Lund made a spectacular save from close range in the second minute that allowed San Diego to get a corner. On the set piece, Shaw received the short corner and sent a cross towards the goal. The ball went over everyone, including Lund, and into the corner of the net to put the Wave up 1-0.
Then, in the 22nd minute, San Diego got a free kick three feet from the box and Sanchez stepped up to take the shot. Sanchez sent a low, curling shot past the Louisville wall, hitting the inside of the left post and crossing the goal line for a 2-0 lead.
In the 58th minute, Louisville had a chance that was negated by an early whistle. After San Diego passed the ball to goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan, Janine Beckie was recovering from an earlier play and intercepted the pass. The referee whistled for an incorrect offside and right after Beckie was brought down by Sheridan. With the early whistle, no VAR was able to correct the play and Beckie received a yellow card for disagreeing when arguing with the referee.
Louisville would cut the deficit to one 10 minutes later when Balcer took a rebound off a Sheridan save and buried it in the net.
The comeback was short-lived as McCaskill, coming on as a second-half substitute, headed in a cross from close range, securing the victory in San Diego’s final game of the season.
–Field level media
