SALT LAKE CITY (Oct. 11, 2025) – San Diego Wave FC (9-8-7, 34 points) earned a 3-2 victory over Utah Royals FC (5-12-7, 22 points) on Saturday night at America First Field. After a nearly one-hour weather delay, San Diego overcame an early deficit to secure three crucial points with two matches remaining in the regular season.
Utah struck first just nine minutes into the match when the Royals’ carried the ball down the right flank before Janni Thomsen fired a shot from distance that slipped past Wave goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan to open the scoring.
San Diego responded in the 30th minute through Brazilian forward Dudinha, netting her second goal of the season. After cutting across the middle, Delphine Cascarino played a perfect pass into Dudinha, who took a touch toward goal and finished with a low-driven shot to level the match at 1-1.
The Wave continued to apply pressure, with Cascarino forcing a strong save from Utah goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn that was tipped over the crossbar resulting in a corner kick. It was Kenza Dali who delivered the inswinging corner into the box that found Kristen McNabb. Her redirected effort deflected off a Royals defender and into the net to give San Diego a 2-1 lead before halftime.
Just after halftime, Utah leveled the match when the team’s leading goal scorer, Mina Tanaka, capitalized on a loose ball following a throw in to make it 2-2.
After dominant play on the right-hand side by San Diego, Dali produced a moment of brilliance, floating a shot from 20 yards out over McGlynn’s head which proved to be the game-winner.
With the win, San Diego moved into sixth place in the NWSL standings, sitting above the playoff line.
Next Match: San Diego Wave FC returns to Snapdragon Stadium for the final regular season home match of 2025 to host Chicago Stars FC on Saturday, Oct. 18 in the Club’s annual Fan Appreciation Night, presented by PNC Bank. The match is set to kick off at 7:00 p.m. PT with tickets available here. The match will be broadcast live on ion.
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Notes:
- Forward Dudinha scored her second goal of the season after signing with the Club in July.
- Forward Delphine Cascarino assisted her league leading sixth goal of the year.
- Midfielder Kenza Dali scored her fourth goal of the season, tying for the team lead with Kimmi Ascanio, Adriana Leon, and Cascarino.
- Forward Makenzy Robbe made her 150th NWSL appearance in tonight’s match.
- Defender Hanna Lundkvist made her third assist of the season.
- 19 of San Diego’s 32 goals have involved a French player.
- San Diego earned its first win since August 16 against Bay FC.
- The Wave snapped Utah’s eight game unbeaten streak.
- With the win, San Diego moved into sixth place in the NWSL standings, above the playoff line. The Wave now sit just one point shy of a tie for fourth and two points off a tie for third with two regular season matches remaining.
Scoring Summary:
UTA – Thomsen (3) (Rábano, 2) 9’
SD – Dudinha (2) (Cascanio, 6) 29’
SD – Del Fava (Own Goal) 45+2’
UTA – Tanaka (6) 54’
SD – Dali (4) (Lundkvist, 3) 72’
Misconduct Summary:
UTA – Lacasse (Caution) 21’
SD – Lundkvist (Caution) 22’
SD – Fazer (Caution) 32’
UTA – Monaghan (Caution) 59’
UTA – Nagai (Caution) 63’
UTA – Foederer (Caution) 73’
UTA — Jimmy Coenraets (Caution) 81’
San Diego Wave FC: GK Sheridan ©, D Morroni, D McNabb, D Wesley, D Lundkvist, M Dali, M Fazer, M Corley (Acanio 85’), F Cascarino (Robbe 69’), F Leon (Carusa 69’), F Dudinha (Fusco 84’)
Subs not used: GK Haračić, D Beall, D Arias, D Harrison, D McMahon
Utah Royals FC: GK McGlynn, D Rábano (Pogarch 50’), D Tejada, D Del Fava, D Thomsen, M Nagai (Foederer 64’), M Zornoza, M Lacasse (Mozingo 82’), F Tanaka, F Monaghan ©, F Solórzano (Prasnikar 64’)
Subs not used: GK Jackson, D Pogarch, D Flynn, D Gogal, M Boyan, F Kizer
Stats Summary: UTA / SD
Shots: 4 / 6
Shots on Target: 4 / 4
Corners: 4 / 10
Fouls: 12 / 9
Offsides: 0 / 3
Saves: 2 / 2
Possession: 42% / 58%
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source sandiegowavefc.com ’
