LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 16: Claire Emslie #10 of Angel City FC blocks a defender during a game between San Diego Wave FC and Angel City FC at BMO Stadium on March 16, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Eric Brown Jr./ISI Photos/Getty Images)
Women’s soccer is back in San Diego on Saturday night.
The San Diego Wave FC play their first home game of the 2025 season against the Utah Royals on Saturday night at Snapdragon Stadium at 7 p.m. PT. The Wave had a 1-1 draw against Angel City FC at BMO Stadium. Midfielder Gia Gorley scored their only goal.
Utah also had a 1-1 draw against Bay FC in their season opener at America First Field. Newly-added free agent Bianca St-Georges scored their only goal.
San Diego suffered several key departures this offseason. Former Wave and U.S. national team captain and striker Alex Morgan retired. Forward Jaedyn Shaw, who scored the most goals as a teenager in NWSL history in the 2023 season, was traded to North Carolina Courage FC for $450,000 ($300,000 in allocation money, $150,000 in intraleague transfer fees). Center-back Abby Dahlkember was traded to Bay FC for $50,000 in allocation money.
Star center-back Naomi Girma was transferred to Chelsea F.C. of the WSL (Women’s Super League) in England for approximately $1.1 million, the biggest transfer in women’s soccer history. Girma was the 2023 NWSL Rookie of the Year, a two-time NWSL Defender of the Year, one-time NWSL Best XI First Team and one-time NWSL Best XI Second Team in her two-year tenure in San Diego.
San Diego went through three coaching changes throughout the 2024 season. After a seven-game losing streak, then-head coach Casey Stoney was fired. Former 2022 interim Wave assistant coach Paul Buckle was named interim head coach, a position he held for two months. He was replaced by former U.S. men’s soccer star Landon Donovan as interim head coach.
The Wave are now led by new head coach Jonas Eidvall. San Diego is looking to return to the playoffs, after missing the postseason last year with a 6-17-13 record. They previously made a run to the semifinals in 2023.
The Royals had a coaching change in the 2024 season too. Utah was coached by 2015 World Cup winner and two-time gold medalist Amy Rodriguez. Rodriguez was relieved after a 2-11-2 record 15 games into the season. She was replaced by assistant coach Jimmy Coenraets, who became interim head coach.
Jimmy Coenraets was promoted to full-time head coach on October 24, 2024. The Royals are looking to improve on a 7-4-15 record and non-playoff appearance from last season.
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