After a two-game cool-off from an extremely hot start for the San Diego Wave, Angel City FC became the target for a bounce-back performance.

SAN DIEGO — Sitting at the top of the table early in the season puts a target on your back and mounts more pressure on every passing game. This pressure manifested in back-to-back losses to Portland and Bay FC; San Diego failed to score in both contests. The Wave has been held scoreless in each of their three losses.

But that means when San Diego scores, they win, and there is one player in particular who has been instrumental in orchestrating goals.

Maria Eduarda Rodriguez Silva, better known as Dudinha, was acquired by the club in the middle of 2025 and has since become an attacking essential. Dudinha started her career as a futsal player in Brazil, and that indoor style still shines through in her game. Her attack has speed and swagger, ebbing and flowing between the two based on the situation.

Putting Angel City on skates

Angel City FC hosted the Wave on Saturday, looking to make a bounce-back of their own. After starting the season with three straight wins, they dropped a close game to Orlando and had the misfortune of the three best teams in the league waiting for them.

The game went scoreless into the second half, but Dudinha was prepared with the answer. Dancing through the left side, she matriculated into the box and got a strong shot off. Angel City’s Sarah Gorden rushed in to help, but would ultimately deflect Dudinha’s shot straight into the back of the net.

DUDINHA VS THE WHOLE CITY OF LA! pic.twitter.com/xAQInzMjqN

— San Diego Wave FC (@sandiegowavefc) May 10, 2026

Now in the 80th minute, Angel City fought back to equalize, and Dudinha finds herself in another position to do some damage. Learning from a cross that got snuffed ten minutes prior, she put some extra mustard on her crossed ball to find a flying Mimi Van Zanten.

Van Zanten’s header finish was her first goal, and Dudinha’s league-leading fourth assist.

THE SAN DIEGO GAME WINNER IN LA 🌊 pic.twitter.com/nLQfdccRf6

— San Diego Wave FC (@sandiegowavefc) May 10, 2026

Braziliance on the front lines

San Diego has come up with something that fans were concerned would lack this season: character and identity. The Wave saw some key players move in the offseason and leans on its young talent, but with veteran leadership from Kenza Dali and Kennedy Wesley, there is visible chemistry that’s formed on the team.

We have talked about the impact of Lia Godfrey as a rookie, making high-level contributions. There is much to be explored about the effects of Kimmi Ascanio and Melanie Barcenas. The structure that Dali and Wesley provide is also worth expanding. Of all these, though, perhaps most impressive is the impact of the Brazilian players San Diego features.

As mentioned, Dudinha’s four assists are the best in the NWSL. Pairing three goals with that, the 20-year-old finds herself on the podium in goal contribution across the league.

It isn’t just the stat sheet that tells this story; it is the intangibles. The pressure she creates. The looming danger that lives in the defenders’ heads as she lurks on the left side. Maneuvering around the pitch or lining up elsewhere as coach Eidevall sees fit, Dudinha makes her presence felt.

More and more talent

Her fellow countrymen on the team are Ludmila and Gabi Portilho, both dangerous players in their own right.

Ludmila has as many shots on target as Dudinha (10), which is tied for fifth most in the league. While only one of those has converted into a goal, several turned into narrow misses or great saves. The 31-year-old has an Olympic pedigree and was hugely successful at Atletico Madrid and the Chicago Stars.

DON'T LET LUDMILA LOOSE 🔥 pic.twitter.com/MgqV3hbhiZ

— San Diego Wave FC (@sandiegowavefc) April 4, 2026

This is Ludmila’s first year with San Diego, and her impact has steadily increased over the first nine games. Last season with Chicago, she scored a hat-trick in just over 10 minutes of play, the fastest in league history.

Gabi Portilho has had the quietest season of the three, but is still a key part of one of the Wave’s biggest strengths: substitution depth.

Portilho also features for the Brazilian national team, where she has scored four goals in 28 appearances. The combination of Portilho and Melanie Barcenas on the substitutions rivals the frontlines of many teams’ starting front, and both play the role with humility.

With three shots on target so far this year, Portilho is still hunting her first contribution, but supporters can see that it is only a matter of time.

Between Portilho and Ludmila, both players have huge upsides that have yet to be put on full display for San Diego. That is no fault of theirs, but a testament to how widespread the scoring potential is on this team.

O quarto brasileira

The Wave’s record-breaking signing of Catarina Macario also marks the fourth Brazilian addition to the roster. With her San Diego roots and reputation of excellence on the USWNT, she represents a potential golden fit for the Wave.

The questions surrounding when she will debut with the club remain unanswered due to a heel injury. Once that announcement is made, more are sure to follow.

Will she be at the top of her game? How much will she be playing? Will there be enough time for her to reach peak form by the playoffs?

When healthy, Macario has shown that she is capable of creating shots and opportunities for teammates at a high level. Having another experienced mind to pair with Dali is another exciting prospect.

Regardless, the club has a lot going in its favor as it heads into the tenth game of the season. This gives them the luxury of not needing to ask too much out of Macario, so she can find her footing more comfortably.

If San Diego is to make any moves at the trade deadline, it’s more likely to be on the defensive end. The excess in talent on the attack could lead to someone getting moved as well.

With 18 points, San Diego Wave FC finds itself tied for second with Washington Spirit, just one point behind Portland. Coincidentally, they will be hosting the Spirit on May 15 with a chance to return to the number one spot in the NWSL.

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.