San Diego Wave Fight Back From 2-0 Down in Thrilling Win Over Racing Louisville

San Diego Wave FC faced Racing Louisville FC at Snapdragon Stadium Friday night for their final match up of a three game run at home. Gia Corley, Kimmi Ascanio, and Kenza Dali returned to the pitch after being unavailable the last two weeks.

Head coach Jonas Eidevall made no changes to the starting XI from last week. Laila Harbert, Laurina Fazer, and Lia Godfrey earned the start again in midfield, and their success last week against the Utah Royals likely influenced Eidevall's decision.

To win the match, the Wave needed to control transitional moments and be clinical in finishing. Though the Wave started slow, their comeback from a two goal deficit was reminiscent of their victory over Denver Summit FC in April.

The First Half

The Wave put pressure on early

Both trying to exploit transitional moment. While the Wave calmly closes down the threat, Racing Louisville look a little more fearful.

In one such moment, Laurina Fazer earned the ball back from Louisville. She sent a perfectly aimed ball across the pitch to Ludmila, who deflected the ball to Lia Godfrey. Godfrey found Barcenas who fired a curling shot toward the goal, but into Louisville goalkeeper Jordyn Bloomer's arms.

The Wave capitalized on early ball control and pressed further up the pitch. With the home team hovering around their attacking third, Louisville saw space behind the defense toward their goal.

Kayla Fischer found Lauren Milliet in the center of the box, with no defender between her and goal. She shot the ball, and Sandra Paños couldn't block the shot.

Louisville took the early lead.

The Wave pushed forward, hoping to find an equalizer quick and regain control of the momentum. Ludmila and Mimi Van Zanten both fired shots toward goal, but Ludmila was too high and Van Zanten too far left.

The referee awarded Louisville a free kick in a prime location on their left side of the box. They crossed the ball into goal, and it ricocheted through the crowd, off former Wave player Taylor Flint, and into the net.

Louisville doubled their lead, and the Wave needed to catch up quick.

Trinity Byars carried the ball the entire length of the pitch, and passed to Van Zanten who made her own run into the box. The pass was just a little too slow, and the Louisville goalkeeper collected it before Van Zanten's arrival.

Byars tried again, this time curling her run from the left across the top of the box, before she found space to fire the ball toward goal. The goalkeeper barely made it in time, but denied the Wave their goal.

Ludmila tried her luck against three defenders and the goalkeeper, but the pressure from the opposition prevented her goal.

Lia Godfrey took her turn firing a shot. It was just inches away from being on target, but flew over the net.

The half continued with the Wave mostly in control, but unable to finish in front of goal. In the closing minutes, Kennedy Wesley, Melanie Barcenas, and Mimi Van Zanten all attempted to score, but couldn't get past the Louisville defense.

The referee blew the whistle, and the Wave left the pitch for half time, with a two goal deficit waiting for them when they returned.

The Second Half

Head Coach Jonas Eidevall brought on Kimmi Ascanio for Laurina Fazer at the break. The change shifted the midfield focus toward the attack, and the Wave needed a goal quickly.

Trinity Byars cut into the Wave's deficit just two minutes into the half with a shot through three defenders into the back of the net. The Wave trail Louisville 2-1, but are on their way back.

Shortly after, Ludmila crossed into the box looking for Byars again. The Wave cycled the ball through the attack, and Kimmi Ascanio shot on goal. The goalkeeper handed the ball back to her, she shot again, but it was just high.

Ludmila forced a save from Bloomer with a shot from distance into the top of the box. The Louisville goalkeeper had to fly through the air to get a piece of Ludmila's shot and deflect it from goal.

Louisville finally got the ball back, and earned two corners in their attacking stint. The corners were collected neatly, and the threat neutralized.

Ludmila took off running again with the ball, but was brought down by former Wave player Quincy McMahon. The tackle earned a yellow card from the referee, and the Wave earned a free kick just outside the box.

Much to the approval of the home crowd, Eidevall brought on Kenza Dali in place of Laila Harbert. Eidevall often relies on Dali's confidence and experience, and tonight would be no different.

Ludmila shot from left side of the box, but her shot was just wide.

Ludmila took another chance, and this time her shot is deflected by the goalkeeper earning a corner. The cross was pulled from the air quickly, and Louisville got their possession back, but the Wave made quick work of their attack.

Eidevall replaced Lia Godfrey with Gia Corley, freshening up the attack for the final fifteen minutes of the game. The Wave, still down a goal, needed as much speed and creativity as they could get to turn the game around.

Corley found herself on the receiving end of a pass, and shot at goal just moments after arriving on the pitch. Her shot was deflected, but earned a corner for the Wave.

Dali crossed the ball into the box, and Ludmila threaded the ball to Byars. Byars tapped the ball in, earning her second goal of the night and leveling the score.

Just moments later, after an error from Racing Louisville, Dali found herself with the ball at her feet in front of goal. She took advantage of the confusion, and fired into goal and putting the Wave in front.

For the second time this year, the Wave recovered from a two goal deficit to take the lead. The Sirens, and the rest of the stadium, exploded with cheers.

Eidevall made his final round of substitutions for the night, replacing Barcenas and Byars with Adriana Leon and Gabi Portilho. Two sets of fresh legs in the front three gave the Wave the chance to focus on scoring in the final minutes of the match.

The clock ticked on, and the stadium held their breath hoping Louisville didn't find their equalizer. A corner in the first minute of added time was the closest chance the visitors had.

Just before the whistle blew, Ludmila broke free behind the defense. In front of goal, she fired the ball to the right. The ball collided with the right goal post, preventing the Wave from scoring their fourth goal.

Finally, the whistle blew three times, and the Wave earned all three points after three goals in the second half.