Big weekend for San Diego women’s soccer

The San Diego Wave will look to turn its lackluster season around as it travels to Portland on Friday at Providence Park. After winning the Supporters’ Shield last year with the best regular season record, San Diego has not tasted victory in its last eight matches and is coming off a 3-0 home defeat to the Chicago Red Stars on June 28.

That was the first game since Casey Stoney was dismissed as head coach a few days prior with Paul Buckle being named as interim immediately after. The Wave will be facing a team in Portland that is winless over its last three games but sits in fifth place in the NWSL standings.

The Thorns and the Wave played each other twice during the 2023 regular season with San Diego coming out victorious 2-0 in the second meeting after the sides settled for a 1-1 draw in the first. San Diego has nine games left this as it tries to get back into playoff contention and reach, at least, the eight-seed that is held by Bay FC, which would guarantee a third-straight postseason birth.

SAN DIEGO STRIKERS

The San Diego Strikers earned another trip to the WPSL playoffs and will play FC Premier Women on Saturday at San Diego Mesa College. The team, led by head coach Ray Taila, earned its spot after finishing in second place in the Plymouth Division with four wins, three losses, and one draw. The Strikers outscored opponents 18-9 over its eight regular-season matches led by the efforts of forward and leading scorer Kiera Bocchino.

“This team is way stronger than last year,” she said. “Last season we had trouble putting goals away and finishing. We made some connections and got more growth. That helps build  team spirit and team comradery.”

This will be the first meeting between the Strikers and FC Premier Women, which finished with four wins, one loss, and three draws. The Strikers will try to avenge and leave behind the defeat at the hands of Miss Kick FC at Mission Bay High School, which brought to an end its 2023 season in controversial fashion.

Photo by David Frerker