Photo Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
On Friday night, the National Women’s Soccer League played four games, resulting in wins for San Diego Wave, Kansas City Current and NJ/NY Gotham FC, and a draw between Boston Legacy and Bay FC.
San Diego down Washington in top-of-the-table battle
Entering Friday’s game, both San Diego and Washington had 18 points on the season, tied for second place in the standings. It set up a top-of-the-table clash in which San Diego eventually came out on top with some NWSL After Dark energy.
The Wave came out firing early at home, resulting in a sixth-minute goal from Trinity Byars. It was the first professional goal for the rookie from Texas, coming in her first professional start.
Washington didn’t take too long to equalize as Rebeca Bernal scored off corner kick service from Leicy Santos in the 33rd minute.
But San Diego would have the last laugh as they found a game-winner just before stoppage time. The Wave’s goal was scored in similar fashion to the Spirit’s equalizer, off a corner kick. Kenza Dali sent in the service perfectly to draw the goalkeeper off her line and as she missed the ball she came out to claim, Kimmi Ascanio headed it in. It was Ascanio’s first goal of the 2026 NWSL season.
Goalkeeper blunders gift KC two early goals
The Houston Dash’s winless streak extended to five games after Friday’s 0-3 loss to the Current. Kansas City scored two goals within the first 20 minutes, within two minutes of each other, largely off of uncharacteristic mistakes from Houston goalkeeper Jane Campbell. The first goal came when Campbell tried to grab a cross by Michelle Cooper, but ended up redirecting it into her own net.
The second mistake was not an own goal like the first, but it still should never have gotten to Chawinga. Campbell came out to try and pressure Cooper, who was running onto service in behind by Croix Bethune. Though Cooper’s touch was too far in front of her and bounced directly to Campbell, she couldn’t hold onto the ball. Cooper reacted quickest to the loose ball and crossed it to Chawinga at the top of the six-yard box in front of a now goalkeeper-less net.
Temwa Chawinga has second consecutive multi-goal game
After not scoring in her first three appearances, Kansas City Current forward Temwa Chawinga has now scored five goals in her last two games, following her Friday night brace and last week’s hat trick. Chawinga missed the first four games of the season recovering from the injury that kept her out of last season’s playoffs.
10-player Boston salvages draw against Bay FC
Bay FC extended its unbeaten streak to three matches Friday at PayPal Park, playing to a 1-1 draw with Boston Legacy FC but will be disappointed they didn’t come away with a victory. The first half was scoreless but not devoid of drama.
Boston Legacy attacker Bianca St.Georges was given a red card for the second time this season minutes before first-half stoppage time. St. Georges went in for a tackle on Claire Hutton and saw red for the dangerous, high boot into Hutton’s knee. It is the fifth red card of St. Georges’ NWSL career. Her first red card of the season came in the season opener against Gotham.
The expansion team as a whole leads the league in yellow cards (23) and fouls committed (154), with the next club in each category significantly behind (Bay FC has 17 yellow cards and Utah has committed 112 fouls).
Bay FC midfielder Dorian Bailey broke the deadlock in favor of the home team in the 51st minute with her second goal of the season, putting a left-footed shot over the line.
Boston equalized from the penalty spot in the 64th minute. The penalty was awarded after a lengthy VAR review of a colision between Boston attacker Aïssata Traoré and Bay FC goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz. It was a controversial and questionable call, but for the second game in a row, Amanda Gutierres converted from the spot for the Legacy. The goal ended Bay FC’s all-time best shutout streak at 289 minutes. Bay continued to pour on the chances but could not find a game-winner against the visitors down to 10 players.
Gotham extends Reign’s winless and scoreless streak
It was a rough game for Seattle Reign FC on the same night their head coach celebrated her record 300th game coached in the NWSL and her birthday. After losing 0-2 against visiting Gotham FC, the Reign are now winless and scoreless in five straight matches.
For Gotham, Jaedyn Shaw opened the scoring in the first half before Tierna Davidson added a second-half goal to help the visitors extend their unbeaten streak to five matches. Davidson’s goal was her first since 2019.
One bright spot for the Reign, however, was the return of Jordyn Bugg. The 19-year-old made her 2026 season debut as a second-half substitute in the 72nd minute. The 2025 NWSL Defender of the Year finalist missed the club’s first eight matches due to injury.
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