San Diego Wave FC secured second place in the 2026 NWSL regular season by defeating Bay FC 1-0 on November 1, 2026, at PayPal Park in San Jose, California. Defender Mimi Van Zanten scored the lone goal in the ninth minute, assisted by midfielder Kenza Dali.
The victory propelled San Diego Wave FC to an 18-8-4 record with 58 points, extending their unbeaten streak to seven matches, including six wins, and improving to 15-0-3 when scoring first this season. The Wave earned home-field advantage for the upcoming playoff quarterfinal match.
Defenders Kennedy Wesley and Kristen McNabb anchored the backline, forming the most-used center back pairing in the NWSL this season. Wesley became the club’s first Iron Woman by playing every minute of all 30 regular season matches, while McNabb appeared in all 30 matches. Goalkeeper Sandra Paños recorded four saves and earned her fourth shutout of the season.
San Diego Wave FC will host the No. 7 seed Utah Royals FC on November 6 at 7 p.m. PT in the NWSL Playoff quarterfinal at Snapdragon Stadium, aiming to build on their strong finish to the regular season.
CSB Take
San Diego Wave FC’s defensive stability and timely scoring helped secure a crucial second-place finish in the NWSL regular season. Mimi Van Zanten’s decisive goal and Kenza Dali’s record-setting fourth game-winning assist highlight emerging key players. The ironclad defense of Wesley and McNabb, alongside Sandra Paños’s reliable goalkeeping, lays a strong foundation for the playoffs. Hosting the Utah Royals FC offers the Wave a prime opportunity to leverage home advantage in their quest for an NWSL championship.
Source: Original report
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