A goal by 17-year-old forward Kimmi Ascanio in the 30th minute was all that San Diego Wave needed to defeat Gotham FC 1-0 at Sports Illustrated Stadium on Friday, May 16 moving the team into sole possession of second place in the NWSL standings.

This was the third goal of the season for Ascanio all of which have come in the last four games and she has quickly become one of the main reasons why the Wave has gone undefeated over its last five matches.

San Diego controlled much of the tempo against Gotham by limiting the home team to few quality scoring chances. On the few occasions that the Wave backline was compromised, goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan was up to the task making key interventions to claim her second clean sheet of the season.

San Diego dominated the time of possession as well with 62% compared to the 38% by Gotham while both sides created two shots on goal each.

The Wave has exceeded expectations so far this season with most soccer analysts having doubted its ability to field a playoff-contending side after losing key players like defender Naomi Girma, forward Jayden Shaw, and forward Sofia Jakobsson.

Head coach Jonas Eidevall has gotten standout performances not just from Ascanio, but also from forward Adriana Leon, midfielder Delphine Cascarino, and veteran Savannah McCaskill among others. This has helped place the team get above of all others except for powerhouse Kansas City Current, which has outscored opponents 19-6 over the first nine matches. The Wave will host the North Carolina Courage at Snapdragon Stadium on Sunday, May 25.

(Photo courtesy of San Diego Wave)