San Diego Wave midfielder Kimmi Ascanio's first-half strike proved to be the difference as Gotham FC suffered a 1-0 defeat to the Wave on Friday night, marking just the second time the team has dropped back-to-back matches under head coach Juan Carlos Amorós since his November 2022 hiring.
The 17-year-old Ascanio netted the game-winner in the 30th minute off a well-orchestrated play by San Diego. The Wave remained dominant throughout the match, holding 62% possession compared to Gotham's 38%.
Missed chances and two saves by Wave goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan left Gotham searching for answers ahead of a critical CONCACAF W Champions Cup Semifinal match in Mexico against Club América of Liga MX Femenil on Wednesday.
Gotham FC: 10 shots, 2 shots on target, 38% possession, 297 passes, 78% pass accuracy, 11 fouls, 2 corners, 1 save
San Diego Wave: 6 shots, 2 shots on target, 62% possession, 492 passes, 87% pass accuracy, 8 fouls, 4 corners, 2 saves
Goals:
• San Diego Wave, Kimmi Ascanio, 30'
Attendance: 7,819
Moment of San Diego brilliance
It was a brilliant play by San Diego Wave forward Delphine Cascarino that saw Kimmi Ascanio score the winning goal for her club.
Following a missed pass by Gotham defender Lilly Reale, Cascarino ran the ball up towards the midfield, bringing a majority of Gotham's players to her in an attempt to block her dribble. With Gotham distracted, the Wave pushed a 2 v 1 along the left flank, leaving Wave defender Perle Morroni to take the pass from Cascarino.
Morroni's initial strike toward the goal was blocked by an onrushing Ascanio; however, Ascanio wasn't fazed. She quickly adjusted to keep the ball in her possession, pushing forward to put one in the top right corner of the net.
"That [goal] probably took a hit on us," said Amorós. "Even when you're doing well, creating chances, and doing the right things, conceding a goal like that can be tough. From there to halftime, even though they didn’t have any more shots, they were better."
This marked Ascanio's first game-winner, making her the second-youngest player in NWSL history to score a game-winning goal in a regular-season match.
Courtesy of San Diego Wave
Missed chances
Gotham showed attacking promise, attempting 10 shots and creating a handful of promising opportunities. The problem came in finishing, extending Gotham's goalless streak to three games.
Forward Ella Stevens came close to scoring in the first half with a back-post header saved by San Diego goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan, while forward Geyse had the best chance of the game with a deflected strike that saw Sheridan throw herself to the left to prevent a goal.
Gotham midfielder Midge Purce had a chance for a goal off a wide chip over the top from teammate Jaelin Howell at the beginning of the second half, but her strike ended up going wide.
"In football, key moments come down to details," said Amorós. "If you put a chance away—like we’ve done in the past—you change the game. Now, we’re in a different stretch again. So, we look internally and make sure we are ready to
score."
Despite the fact that Gotham finished with a higher expected goals total, outshot the Wave, and took more touches in the Wave's box, they were unable to capitalize on key chances. Similar issues plagued the club in their loss to Racing Louisville and the tie with the Chicago Stars.
"It just comes down to us showing consistency and putting the ball in the back of the net, which we haven’t been able to do the past three games," said Howell. "We need to start doing that again. Now, it’s just about finding a way. Once we get one in the back of the net, they’ll start coming again."
g+ GameFlow: NWSL Regular Season NJ/NY Gotham FC v San Diego Wave on May 16, 2025. #NJ/NYvSD ⚽️🤖
— g+ GameFlow (@gameflow.bsky.social) May 17, 2025 at 8:14 AM
[image or embed]
Wave keep control
It looked like an even matchup during the first 30 minutes of play until San Diego took control of the tempo following Ascanio's goal, finishing with 60% possession and dictating the pace of play.
"I think we were doing pretty decently until they scored," said Purce. "We definitely need to have a better reaction and probably a better press. We didn't get out of the press quick enough. I don't think when we were in our mid block or low block, and [we] allowed them to have too much of the ball."
San Diego's group of midfielders effectively shielded their backline, denying Gotham space for passes and relying on defensive performances from Hanna Lundkvist and Trinity Armstrong, who had a blocked shot and an interception. The strong showing from the Wave limited Gotham to just two shots on target over 90 minutes.
Looking ahead
Gotham may not be heading into the CONCACAF W Champions Cup Semifinal with a lot of scoring momentum, but they aren't letting that deter them from looking to put in a winning performance on Wednesday.
"We want to get back in the win column, whether that’s in the league or in the tournament," said Gotham forward Sarah Schupansky. "I’m really excited. I know the team worked hard to get there, so if there’s anything I can do to help finish the job, I’m going to try my best."
Gotham advanced to the Semifinals after finishing runner-up in Group A, going unbeaten in the group with two wins and two ties. Club América won Group B with three wins and a loss.
"We lost 1–0 [today], but who knows, maybe in a week we’re talking about how we lifted the first international competition trophy on this continent," said Amorós. "That’s where our focus is right now."
