San Diego Wave FC Draw Against Portland Thorns After Late Penalty Heartbreak
San Diego, May 10, 2025 – A dramatic match at Snapdragon Stadium saw San Diego Wave FC (4-2-2, 14 points) and the Portland Thorns FC (3-4-2, 13 points) battle to a 1-1 draw Saturday night. Kimmi Ascanio’s early goal for the Wave was ultimately canceled out by a stoppage-time penalty from Portland’s Jayden Perry.
Ascanio’s Early Brilliance
The Wave surged ahead in the sixth minute, showcasing impressive teamwork and youthful talent. A deflected shot from Gia Corley found Perle Morroni on the left edge of the box.Morroni then delivered a pinpoint cross to the back post, where 17-year-old Kimmi Ascanio dove to head the ball into the net, securing her second goal of the season.
Turning Point: Wesley’s Red Card
The match took a important turn in the 41st minute when Wave defender Kennedy Wesley received a straight red card for a last-defender foul. This reduced San Diego to 10 players for the remainder of the game, forcing them to defend resiliently.
Sheridan’s Heroics
Despite being a player down, San Diego limited Portland’s scoring opportunities. Goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan played a crucial role, making a key save in the 54th minute. She dove low to her left to deny a driven shot from Deyna Castellanos, keeping the Wave in the lead.
Late Drama: Penalty Levels the Score
Portland continued to apply pressure, and their persistence paid off in the dying moments of the game. In the 90+5th minute, a foul inside the box resulted in a penalty kick. Jayden Perry stepped up and converted the penalty, leveling the match at 1-1 and leaving the Wave with a bitter taste of what could have been.
Match Stats at a Glance
- Shots: San Diego 5 / Portland 21
- Shots on Target: San diego 5 / Portland 4
- Corners: San Diego 3 / Portland 4
- Fouls: San Diego 6 / Portland 13
- Offsides: San Diego 2 / Portland 0
- Saves: San Diego 3 / Portland 2
- Possession: San Diego 55% / Portland 45%
Notable Performances
- Kimmi Ascanio: The 17-year-old midfielder scored her second professional goal of the season, continuing her impressive form. She has scored two goals in the last three games.
- Perle Morroni: The defender recorded her second assist of the season, showcasing her playmaking abilities from the back.
- Kailen Sheridan: Made her 150th NWSL appearance, becoming only the fourth goalkeeper in league history to reach this milestone.
- kyra Carusa: Made her first appearance since San Diego’s season-opener on March 16 after recovering from a lower leg injury.
Starting Lineups
San Diego Wave FC: Gk Sheridan ©, D Morroni, D Wesley, D Armstrong, D Lundkvist, M Dali, Mccaskill, M Corley (Leon HT), F Sánchez (McNabb 44 ‘), F Ascanio (Carusa 78’), F Cascarino (Runo 88 ‘)
Portland Thorns FC: GK Bixby, D Perry, D Hiatt, D Reyes (Mackenzie 70’), D Obaze (Hanks HT), M Coffey ©, M Sugita, M Fleming (Linnehan 70’), M Moultrie, F Castellanos (Alidou 79’), F Turner (todrin 70’)
Next Up: Gotham FC
San Diego Wave will travel to face Gotham FC next Friday, May 16. The match will be played at Sports Illustrated Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for 4:30 p.m. PT.Fans can stream the game live on NWSL+.
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- Twitter: @sandiegowavefc
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