It was the 15th minute of Sunday’s match versus the North Carolina Courage when soccer legend Alex Morgan stepped off the pitch for the final time to a standing ovation from 26,518 adoring fans at Snapdragon Stadium.

Despite the final score ending up being a dominating 4-1 victory by the visitors, which put a dent in San Diego Wave’s playoff chances, the vibe felt more like when Lou Gehrig retired from baseball with his famous farewell “luckiest man” speech on July 4, 1939, at New York Yankee Stadium.

After falling behind in the fourth minute on a goal from forward Haley Hopkins, the Wave got a chance to tie the match in the ninth minute after a penalty kick got called on North Carolina. It looked like the soccer gods had scripted the scene as Morgan stepped onto the spot that would have sent the fans into an utter state of euphoria, but goalkeeper Casey Murphy had other plans as she blocked the penalty kick conversion with a well-timed lunge to her right.

The Wave ended up tying the game moments later when rookie defender Kennedy Wesley headed in a ball off a perfectly-placed corner kick from midfielder Maria Sanchez, but the Courage would put the game away with two more goals before halftime and one in second-half added time.

The Wave was already down to 10 players once goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan received a red card in the 60th minute for making contact just outside the box with midfielder Bianca St-Georges. The match was the first simulcast women’s sporting event broadcast on national television. It marked Morgan’s 63rd appearance for the Wave, commemorated by a number 63 jersey given to her during a pregame ceremony. Morgan finished her career with 150 regular season appearances in the NWSL while scoring 60 goals and 23 assists.

San Diego Wave now travels to take on the  Utah Royals on Sept. 14.

Photos by San Diego Wave