SAN DIEGO WAVE
San Diego Wave earned a valuable point at home against OL Reign on Sunday, June 12 at Torero Stadium, which keeps the team in first place of the NWSL standings with a better goal differential than the Chicago Red Stars, both sitting with 15 points.
San Diego dominated the first 10 minutes of play creating several one-on-one opportunities early on including one in the 8th minute that came thanks to a long kick from goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan. Sheridan’s long pass would turn out to be an assist for teammate Alex Morgan who got behind the OL Reign defense and put the ball in the back of the net with a left-footed shot past the outstretched arm of goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce.
This goal was Morgan’s league-leading ninth score of the season tying her for fifth all-time in the history of the NWSL with Angel City FC striker Christen Press, both with 47 goals.
Forwards Sofia Jakobsson and Kelsey Turnbow would have back-to-back opportunities of their own just a couple of minutes later but were unable to extend the lead in either occasion for the Wave.
The visitors tied the game thanks to a quick triangle give-and-go that found forward Jessica Fishlock streaking into the box eventually shooting the ball in the upper corner and past Sheridan despite her best efforts.
The second half saw OL Reign bring in forward Megan Rapinoe as a substitute who added level of energy to her team. The better chances in the final 45 minutes were created by the visitors including a shot that Rapinoe hit off the crossbar on her first attempt of the second half.
The 1-1 was marred by multiple hard fouls in the middle of the field and indecisive officiating that should have seen the referee give out yellow cards to OL Reign players instead of the one given out to Wave coach Casey Stoney who kept advocating for the safety of her players.
The Wave go on the road to play Gotham FC on June 19 as a rematch from May 7 where Morgan’s four goals led San Diego to a 4-0 blowout win.
SAN DIEGO LOYAL
San Diego got back in the win column for the first time since April 30 thanks to a 3-0 shutout of Hartford Athletic on Saturday, June 11 at Torero Stadium.
After Hartford Athletic head coach Harry Watling was issued a red card and ejected in the 23rd minute, San Diego Loyal would capitalize n the 29th minute courtesy of midfielder Charlie Adams scoring off his beautiful left-footed strike from just outside the box that goalkeeper Jimmy Slayton was unable to stop despite getting his hand on it.
The home team extended the lead in the 43rd minute off a breakaway opportunity that saw forward Alejandro Guido get past the coverage finding teammate Thomas Amang inside the box who calmly shot the ball into the back of the net with his right foot from five yards out for the 2-0 halftime lead.
This goal was Amang’s third in the last two games reminding the fan base why he is deserving of the affectionate nickname they have given him “Amangol.” San Diego would close out the scoring in the 83rd minute off a free kick from 35 yards out that found forward Kyle Vassell who was streaking into the box. Vassell, who had a clear one-on-one chance just a few minutes earlier, headed the ball towards goal which got deflected by Hartford’s Rashawn Dally into the back of the net for the 3-0 final.
Loyal next will face the Las Vegas Lights at home on Sunday, June 19. Las Vegas is coming off a dominating 3-0 performance of their own over reigning USL Championship title holder Orange County SC in their previous match.
ALBION SAN DIEGO
Albion San Diego faced Cal United Strikers FC on Friday, June 10 at Canyon Crest Academy falling to the team from Orange County by a score of 3-0. The match saw Albion San Diego create chances and keep the score within one goal for the vast majority of the match until Cal United scored twice more in the final minutes to put the game on ice.
Cal United is on a potentially historic run of 14 games without a defeat, which is more than halfway from the record 27-match NISA undefeated streak set by Detroit City FC last season.
Albion San Diego is in third place of the West Division standings with 14 points after eight matches just behind Bay Cities FC with 18 points after 12 games played and Cal United Strikers with a whopping 28 points after 10 matches. Albion San Diego now goes on a two-game road trip versus Syracuse Pulse on June 15 and Flower City Union on June 18 before its next home game against Valley United on June 24.
Hector Trujillo has been covering soccer starting with the San Diego State University men’s soccer team in 2003 for The Daily Aztec. A graduate of SDSU where he received his B.A. and M.A. degrees, Trujillo has a lifelong passion for playing and writing about the beautiful game.
Photos courtesy of San Diego Loyal, and David Frerker
