SAN DIEGO (June 6, 2024) – San Diego Wave FC (3-4-3, 12 points) returns home to face Orlando Pride (8-0-3, 27 points) at Snapdragon Stadium on Friday, June 7. The match will be broadcast on Prime Sports with kickoff slated for 7 p.m. PT. Tickets are available here.
The series between San Diego and Orlando currently sits in the Pride’s favor with the record-holding 1-3-1 heading into the sixth matchup and the second of 2024. In the most recent meeting, the Wave fell 1-0 to the Pride on April 19 at INTER&Co stadium. Orlando earned their game-winner in the 26th minute when midfielder Kerry Abello’s cross fell on frame and was pushed away by San Diego goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan, but the ball landed at the feet of forward Summer Yates who finished the rebound.
Last Time Out
In San Diego’s last match, the team played Angel City FC to a scoreless draw. The Wave started the first half testing Angel City’s defense, creating 13 shots with four shots on goal but the best chance of the game came in the dying minutes when forward Jaedyn Shaw’s inswinging set piece into the box found the head of midfielder Emily van Egmond. The Australian international hit a header that was saved and bounced off the crossbar before falling to the head of forward Alex Morgan that was saved by Angel City’s goalkeeper to keep the game level.
Orlando is coming off a historic win over the Portland Thorns where they earned their eighth consecutive win and set the record for longest winning streak in NWSL history. The Pride defeated the Thorns 2-1 with both goals coming from forward Barbra Banda. Banda’s first was a rebounded header made in the 30th minute and her second goal came just 10 minutes later when she received a perfectly paced ball from Marta and took a touch around the goalkeeper to secure her eighth goal of the season.
Players to Watch
San Diego goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan enters this week’s match just two saves away from making her 500th regular season career save and becoming just the third player in NWSL history to reach the milestone. On her journey to 500, the Canadian goalkeeper has earned 21 shutouts and won the 2022 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year award after the Wave’s inaugural season. Sheridan also currently leads the league in clean sheets (4) this season.
Forward Barbra Banda scored her seventh and eighth goals of the season for Orlando in their last match against Portland. Her first goal against the Thorns was headed into the back of the net, counting as her fourth header scored on the year, which is more than any single NWSL team has as a collective. Her second goal of the match made for her third brace this year, which tied the Pride’s record for most braces in a single season.
How to Watch
Friday’s match will be played at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. The match will be broadcast live on Prime Sports at 7 p.m. PT and tickets are available here.
