San Diego Wave FC kicked off the 2025 season in an exciting match against Angel City FC at BMO Stadium this past Sunday, featuring debut appearances from four of the Club’s newest signings – forward Adriana Leon, defender Trinity Armstrong, and midfielders Gia Corley and Kenza Dali.
Corley made an immediate impact in the match, scoring the Wave’s only goal just five minutes into the game. With the goal, the 22-year-old became the first player since Jaedyn Shaw in 2022 to score in her Wave FC debut. Additionally, she joined an elite group as only the sixth player in NWSL history to score within the first five minutes of their debut and the fourth to do so as a starter.
Dali made her NWSL debut for San Diego in Sunday’s match, playing all 90 minutes. Before signing with the Club from Aston Villa in January, the French international scored a total of 113 goals for Europe’s most elite teams – Olympique Lyonnais (66 goals), Paris Saint-Germain (36 goals), Aston Villa (six goals) and West Ham United (five goals).
Dali shared her thoughts after the match on the differences she noticed in her first game in the NWSL compared to the top leagues in Europe where she has spent the majority of her career.
“The game is really transitional here. If you lose the ball in the last 30 meters, the opponent, in one pass, is already in front of your keeper. The pace is really different,” said Dali. “In England, there’s a little bit more possession, and I feel like in America, you’ve got unbelievable wingers; they all have pace and skill. That’s the massive difference I felt today.”
In a historic moment for the club, three 17-year-old players simultaneously took the pitch for San Diego for the first time. Trinity Armstrong, Melanie Barcenas, and Kimmi Ascanio all entered the match as second-half substitutes, with Armstrong making her official NWSL debut as a rookie from the University of North Carolina.
Canadian international Adriana Leon also made her first appearance for the Wave in the second half, coming on as a substitute in the 65th minute. The forward signed with the Club nearly one month ago from Aston Villa and made an immediate impact in the offensive efforts, helping San Diego outshoot Los Angeles 16 to 10.
The Wave will welcome fans back to Snapdragon Stadium this Saturday, March 22 in the Club’s 2025 Home Opener, presented by PNC Bank, facing the Utah Royals at 7:00 p.m. PT. The first 10,000 fans will receive a limited edition Wave FC baseball jersey, courtesy of PNC Bank. Tickets can be purchased here.
