SAN DIEGO (Aug. 23, 2024) – San Diego Wave FC returns to Snapdragon Stadium to host Angel City FC on Saturday, Aug. 24 for the club’s Olympic Welcome Back and annual Rivalry Match, presented by Kaiser Permanente. Kickoff is slated for 1:30 p.m. PT with tickets available here and the match will be broadcast nationally on CBS.

The series between San Diego and Los Angeles holds an overall record of 3-4-3. In the most recent meeting, the Wave fell to Angel City in penalty kicks after a scoreless draw on Aug. 1 a part of the NWSL x Liga MX Summer Cup. In the dying minutes of the match, second-half substitute Melanie Barcenas created multiple dangerous opportunities for the Wave in an effort to earn the game-winner. In the 94th minute, the 16-year-old received a perfectly paced ball through Angel City’s defense from midfielder Savannah McCaskill. Barcenas took a touch to her left foot before firing a shot to the near post that was punched away by goalkeeper DiDi Haracic. Nearly 30 seconds later the midfielder dribbled at the backline and fired a shot that bounced off the crossbar and was cleared away by the Los Angeles defense. At the end of regulation, the match was scoreless and immediately advanced to a penalty kick shootout due to NWSL x Liga MX Summer Cup rules. Los Angeles converted all five of their attempts to walk away with the win. 

Last Time Out
In San Diego’s last match, the club defeated Santa Fe FC 2-0 in the first group stage match of the inaugural Concacaf W Champions Cup at Estadio Rommel Fernández in Panama. Forward María Sánchez tallied the first-ever club goal in Concacaf play only 82 seconds into the match. Forward Alex Morgan played a cross into the box that Santa Fe’s goalkeeper Yenith Bailey fumbled, allowing Sánchez to pounce and secure the first goal of the night. The Wave doubled the lead in the 63rd minute when defender Hanna Lundkvist sent a perfectly placed cross to defender Kristen McNabb who sent a header into the back of the net to secure all three points for the visiting side. 

Angel City is coming off a 7-0 win over the Liga MX Femenil side FC Juárez who they played in a friendly match on Aug. 18. Los Angeles tallied all seven goals in the first half with forward Messiah Bright recording a hat trick and forward Claire Emslie securing a brace. Defender Megan Reid and forward Alyssa Thompson each earned a goal to help the club to a record for most goals scored in a single game.

Players to Watch
San Diego’s Kristen McNabb scored her first goal since June 17, 2023, in the club’s last match on Aug. 20. The goal came in the 63rd minute when the defender perfectly timed her run and beat her defender on the back post to double the lead. It marked McNabb’s fourth Wave FC goal as she previously tallied two in San Diego’s inaugural season and one in 2023. 

Los Angeles forward Messiah Bright helped Angel City to its historic win in their last match. Not only did Bright score her first ACFC goal, but she earned her first professional hat trick which also marked the first-ever hat trick for the club. Bright’s opening goal came in just the first minute of the match, also setting Angel City’s record for the earliest goal. Prior to joining Los Angeles ahead of the 2024 season, Bright was a finalist for the 2023 NWSL Rookie of the Year award for her efforts with the Orlando Pride where she led all NWSL rookies in goals (7).

How to Watch
Saturday’s match between San Diego and Los Angeles will be played at Snapdragon Stadium with kickoff slated for 1:30 p.m. PT. Tickets are available here and the match will be broadcast live on CBS.