Club makes history on same night it introduces Catarina Macario to Snapdragon Stadium fans.
Teammates congratulate Melanie Baracenas after scoring a goal in the 2nd half against Chicago Stars at Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday, March 28, 2026. The Wave won 2-0. The San Diego Wave made team history on Saturday night, winning their third game in the same week with a 2-0 victory over Chicago Stars FC.
The Wave have played three games in seven days and come away with nine points, which has them tied for first in the NWSL standings with Seattle, Portland and Angel City.During the three-game win streak, Wave coach Jonas Eidevall has integrated midfielder Lia Godfrey into the starting lineup. She scored a goal in all three matches. In Saturday’s 56th minute, Godfrey received a pass from Dudinha, crossed up her defender, patiently moved to her right, and fired at the perfect moment to score the opening goal and give her team a 1-0 lead. She is quickly proving to be a high-impact, must-start player. When Godfrey was replaced by Melanie Barcenas in the 62nd minute, she received a loud ovation from the crowd. Barcenas came on as a substitute in the match against Portland and sealed the game with a goal in the 82nd minute. On Saturday night, she did it again, this time showing off her flair and leg strength. In the 72nd minute, Dudinha, who finished with two assists, stole the ball from Chicago and passed it to Barcenas, who, while moving to her left, delivered a brilliant backheel to her right to evade two defenders. She then fired a rocket from just outside the box that struck the crossbar and went into the net for a game-clinching 2-0 lead. It also happened to be the 4,000th goal in National Women’s Soccer League history. “I think it just felt really good to get out there to help the team secure a win,” Barcenas said. “Especially with returning from an injury. So it just means a lot, and it means a lot to do it here, and have the support of the fans.” Chicago Stars goalie Alyssa Naeher dives for the ball as a goal from the Wave’s Melanie Baracena goes in the the 2ns half during game a Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday, March 28, 2026. The Wave won 2-0. The Wave have been suffocating teams defensively, and that continued on Saturday night, with Chicago not recording a shot until the 70th minute.Eidevall made some changes in that part of the field. He went with Kenza Dali, Godfrey, Kimmi Ascanio and Laurina Fazer in the midfield. The group was once again effective, controlling over 60% of possession. “I think within the shape and formation that we’re playing in, I think it’s made so that each person can thrive and be successful on the field,” Barcenas said. “I’m hoping that you guys can all see that based off the last couple games, and so I think it’s only up from here.” Eidevall has used a different midfield combination in all four games, but since shifting to a four-midfielder setup over the last two matches, the Wave have dominated possession and created more chances than their opponents. The Wave will look to make it four in a row on Friday, April 3, when they travel to face one of the NWSL’s newest teams, the winless Boston Legacy FC, at 4 p.m. PT.At halftime, the Wave introduced new striker Catarina Macario to the crowd at Snapdragon Stadium.After sharing the moment with her new supporters, a video played showing Macario sitting in a chair with an iPad, where Wave legend Alex Morgan welcomed her to the club.Excess load on transmission line may have caused SDG&E power outage to 103,000 customersAztecs star Miles Byrd to enter NCAA transfer portal, finish career elsewhereTens of thousands of San Diegans gather countywide for third No Kings protestsAfter second trial, jury convicts San Diego County deputy who seriously injured restrained inmate
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