Third meets fifth. The home side is rolling, the visitors are banged up but dangerous. On Sunday at Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego Wave FC and Washington Spirit go head-to-head with just one point between them in the NWSL standings.
San Diego is out to prove their hot streak is no fluke. Washington wants to show they can still take control, even on the road. And the recent matchups between these two? As close as it gets.
Wave on the rise, but staying alert
San Diego heads into the match with 23 points from 12 games, sitting in third place. They've won six of their last eight and dropped only one, at home, to league-leading Kansas City. They're also putting up the league's best attacking numbers: 25 goals scored, 20 assisted, averaging more than two goals a game. That’s already better than their 2023 Shield-winning campaign.
Delphine Cascarino is leading the charge. The French playmaker just tied the club’s assist record with eight and has been key in unlocking defenses. María Sánchez and Kimmi Ascanio are in form, and Adriana Leon leads the team with four goals. Cascarino, Dali, and Ascanio have been slicing through backlines and setting the pace.
Spirit slips, but don't count them out
Washington sits just a step behind, in fifth with 22 points. They lost to Portland 2-0 last weekend but still hold the best road record in the league this year, five wins, one loss. They haven’t lost back-to-back away games since 2022.
Ashley Hatch leads the scoring with six goals this season. Behind her, keeper Aubrey Kingsbury is chasing a new milestone. If she keeps a clean sheet Sunday, she’ll be one of just a few NWSL goalies to shut out 14 different teams. That’s a big deal.
Coach Jonatan Giráldez has adjustments to make. Facing a team that controls nearly 59% possession, there’s no room for mistakes in the build-up.
This matchup's always tight
These teams have played six official matches, and balance has been the theme. The last two ended 1-1. Before that, a 2-2 draw. In the last five meetings, Spirit hasn't lost, two wins, three draws. San Diego’s only win came in the very first game between them, back in 2022.
Even in San Diego, Spirit hasn't been rattled. They’ve come away with two draws and a loss. Snapdragon hasn’t exactly scared them off.
But this time, the energy feels different. San Diego’s flying. They’re off to the best start in club history. Jonas Eidevall has shaped the team’s identity, and the results speak for themselves.