San Diego Wave suffered its first loss in league play since May 6 after falling 2-1 to rival Angel City FC on June 17 at Snapdragon Stadium.

The Wave came into the match in first place in the NWSL standings. Angel City came in tied for last place with the North Carolina Courage in points and under interim head coach Becki Tweed after Freya Coombe was released from her duties on June 15.

“I think we need to keep the ball better in the second half, a lot of their chances came from our turnovers and I think we need to play forward more,” said San Diego head coach Casey Stoney.

San Diego took the lead in the 57th minute thanks to defender Kristen McNabb’s shot from outside the box that went between the legs of defender Ali Riley and beat goalkeeper Dijana Haračić.

Angel City tied the game in the 69th minute when midfielder Clarisse Le Bihan executed a corner kick that found the foot of teammate Paige Nielsen and the former North Carolina Tar Heel used her left foot to beat goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan as the ball ricocheted off the post.

Angel City kept the pressure on during the remainder of the second half and it eventually paid off in the 88th minute when the visitors took advantage of a turnover near the midfield that forward Scarlett Camberos used to find teammate Mary Alice Vignola who put the ball into the back of the net despite Sheridan’s best efforts.

“We could play forward, we played backward, which allowed pressure moments and to be honest, the goal was a matter of time really, it looked like it from them, so we have to be better,” Stoney added. San Diego Wave is now tied in the standings with 20 points alongside OL Reign and the North Carolina Courage just behind the Washington Spirit with 22 points and the league-leader Portland Thorns with 23. Wave now gets ready for its next match versus OL Reign on June 24 at Snapdragon Stadium while Angel City returns home to face the Houston Dash on June 25.

Photo courtesy: Jerry Leonards