The drought is over. After seven winless matches, San Diego Wave FC snapped the streak with an important 3-2 road victory over Utah Royals FC this past Saturday—a timely boost for the club that has a chance to clinch a playoff berth at home this weekend.

Wave head coach Jonas Eidevall praised the team’s resilience in challenging rainy conditions. They faced an early deficit, but managed to stay in the game and score the go-ahead goal in the 72nd minute. “It was really nice to get the W (win),” Eidevall said postgame.

Janni Thomsen opened the scoring for Utah with a left-footed shot from outside the box that bounced once in front of a diving Kailen Sheridan and into the net just nine minutes into the match. San Diego’s Dudinha responded 20 minutes later with a powerful kick that rolled into the bottom left corner of the goal.

In the final moments of the first half, a corner kick from the Wave deflected off Royals defender Kate Del Fava, giving San Diego a 2-1 lead at halftime. Utah soon equalized when a failed clearance in the box ricocheted off a Wave defender. Mina Tanaka’s shot, taken in a crowded area, left the goalkeeper with no time to react.

Veteran midfielder Kenza Dali’s rainbow shot from distance sailed over Mandy McGlynn’s hand and into the net to secure three points for the visiting team. This was her fourth goal in 2025.

Dali makes it’s 3 for SD! 🌊 pic.twitter.com/8Jyog2UkfV

— San Diego Wave FC (@sandiegowavefc) October 12, 2025

Sheridan, the team’s captain, said that the journey for the squad has not been “easy.” She noted that there has been a lot of hard work on the pitch during this multi-month stretch, and the relationships they have built during that time paid off in the 90-plus minutes.

With two regular-season games remaining, San Diego has recorded nine wins, eight losses, and seven draws, totaling 34 points. This currently places them as the No. 6 seed in the standings. This Saturday, they have the opportunity to secure a playoff spot.

The Wave can clinch a playoff berth with a win against Chicago Stars FC. If the match ends in a draw or a loss, they would need Bay FC to either win or draw against the North Carolina Courage.

The Stars hold the worst record in the NWSL, with only two wins and 17 points this season, and they have a negative 18-goal differential through 24 games. Brazilian forward Ludmila has been the lone bright spot for Chicago, scoring 10 goals this season.

We will find out if San Diego advances to the postseason on Oct. 18. The kickoff at Snapdragon Stadium is scheduled for 7 p.m. PST.

Sebastian Sanchez

Sebastian Sanchez was born and raised in San Diego. He recently received his bachelor’s degree in Sports Journalism from Arizona State University. A passionate storyteller who has experience covering the Phoenix Mercury and Suns. He has also written for multiple news outlets, reporting on various sports at the college and high school levels.