Match Preview: The San Diego Wave are off to an exemplary start to the season. After a needed bounce-back win in Los Angeles last week, they now play host to one of the hottest teams in the league: the Washington Spirit.

SAN DIEGO — Snapdragon Stadium will see a couple of the hottest teams in the NWSL this Friday night, between the San Diego Wave and Washington Spirit, with kickoff slated for 7:00 PM PST. Despite the Wave splitting its contests against the current leaders in the Portland Thorns, its Friday night matchup against Washington might prove to have more at stake.

Riding a five-match win streak, the Spirit are looking as stout as ever, and they’re led by one of the most versatile playmakers in the league: Trinity Rodman. Both the Spirit and the Wave find themselves one point back of the league lead after Portland’s 3-1 loss to Racing Louisville last week.

After back-to-back losses to the Portland Thorns and Bay FC, San Diego performed as a top team would with a gritty 2-1 win over Angel City. That win was on the back of Dudinha, who scored and assisted Mimi Van Zanten’s game-winning header (and first career goal!).

Stopping the Spirit

Finding three points against a team as tough as this will not be easy for the Wave. Washington has a dangerous mix of stellar defense and explosive offense. They have allowed just six goals this season, and the second fewest shots on target in the league. The good news? San Diego has the number one spot in that category, with just 22 so far.

OTRO GOL PARA CLAUDIA 🙌 pic.twitter.com/WvhmqAG8Bn

— Washington Spirit (@WashSpirit) May 11, 2026

Trinity Rodman, Leicy Santos, Sofia Cantore, and Claudia Martínez all have three goals for Washington thus far. Rodman has another three assists to go along with it, and has a presence that opens lots of opportunities for her teammates. An extremely talented front line overall means San Diego has to bring their best in every aspect of defending.

Rodman has proven both on the NWSL pitch and internationally that she is a force of nature. She can beat defenders in a multitude of ways, and has the explosive speed to score on crosses that other attackers simply couldn’t touch. Rodman plays with confidence and is surrounded by other extremely talented players whose synergy has been on full display these past five matches.

Washington’s transition attack is superb, which forecasts a lot of pressure on the Wave’s interior. Lia Godfrey, Kennedy Wesley, and Kenza Dali will all be critical to not only creating opportunities but snuffing out what the Spirit puts together.

What to expect from the Wave

Coach Jonas Eidevall is back at the helm after serving a one-game suspension in the Bay FC loss. The interim boss, Becki Tweed, did a good job getting the team back on track against her own former club.

To knock the red-hot Spirit off their win streak, a balance of aggression and control will be required. Kimmi Ascanio has been stellar at inducing attacks. Dudinha has been an absolute force that can change the momentum of a game in an instant. Dali and Wesley have provided structure to every phase of the game.

1 v. (every)1 pic.twitter.com/AJDZ7QNZjp

— San Diego Wave FC (@sandiegowavefc) May 12, 2026

Arguably, the most important factor in San Diego’s success has been the presence of its substitutions. Melanie Barcenas is surely hungry to find another second-half goal, and Gabi Portilho is ready to finally cash in on an opportunity.

Having a home crowd is huge in a game with implications like this, where three points put you back on top of the league. The first Wave faithful in attendance will be treated to aloha shirts to commemorate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander month, as well.

Nate Tubbs

Nate Tubbs is a recent graduate of Journalism at San Diego State University. In his time at SDSU, he wrote and photographed several different sports for Aztec Link, the school’s NIL collective. He also co-hosted a weekly podcast featuring Aztec athletes, sharing their stories and goals for the season. Tubbs is passionate about photography, storytelling, and most of all, San Diego sports.