Overview:

Melanie Barcenas scored the first-half game-winner to push the San Diego Wave past Gotham FC, 2-0, at Snapdragon Stadium late Saturday night as the National Women Soccer League resumed play after a month-long break.

Rose Lavelle and her Gotham FC teammates could not penetrate the San Diego Wave net. (Photo courtesy of Gotham FC)

Melanie Barcenas scored the first-half game-winner to push the San Diego Wave past Gotham FC, 2-0, at Snapdragon Stadium late Saturday night as the National Women Soccer League resumed play after a month-long break.

The loss snapped a three-month unbeaten stretch in NWSL action for Gotham FC, which had won five games and drew one since April 4.

“It was really a game of details,” Gotham FC head coach Juan Carlos Amoros said. “We have two very even teams. Obviously they got that goal that gave them the advantage. We will look into it, look into how we could fix or be better in certain moments, but we know against these kinds of teams, we need to make sure that those details are on our side. And unfortunately today, that was not the case.”

Saturday’s result bumped Gotham FC (6-3-3, 21 points) to seventh place, though Amoros’ squad is level on points with sixth-place North Carolina and three points back from second-place Washington.

In San Diego, Gotham FC took 15 shots and had more final third entries and box touches than the Wave, but the hosts proved more clinical in front of goal.

Esther Gonzalez’s early one-touch effort in the third minute skimmed wide after Jordynn Dudley did well to knock a 50-50 ball to González’s preferred right foot. A half-hour later, Dudley had a low effort saved by San Diego goalkeeper Luisa Agudelo, who made her NWSL debut.

Barcenas scored from long range to break the deadlock, with her 25-yard curler caroming in off the post. The goal, right before halftime, stood as the game-winner.

Gotham FC’s best chances came in the second half. Rose Lavelle’s left-footed attempt from the edge of the area required a save from Agudelo in the 75th minute, and Dudley nearly nicked the ball off Agudelo inside the 6-yard box for a late equalizer, with the goalkeeper having to make a last-ditch toe poke away.

“The second half, the team really pushed forward.,” Amoros said. “The momentum was on our side with the chances and the opportunities. Fine margins, decisions, final third – we needed to do better than: It was probably a key moment when we press the goalkeeper and the ball goes from the
goal line to a goal kick. At the end when we were really pushing, obviously there is that situation that cost us the second goal. It’s a long way. Today we lost a battle, but we are ready for the war.”

Trinity Byars added a stoppage-time score for San Diego. The Wave (9-4-1, 28 points) moved four points clear of Washington in the table with the win.

Now Gotham FC turns its attention to the second match of its West Coast road trip, facing Utah Royals FC on Friday, July 10 at 10 p.m. ET at America First Field, with coverage on Victory+.