Houston, we have a problem.
A problem for Houston, that is.
The San Diego Wave FC takes down the Houston Dash 1-0 in their inaugural regular season game Sunday evening at the PNC Stadium.
Houston and San Diego were about to the night with a 0-0 draw on Sunday, until Mia Gyau delivered a cross into the box in the 86th minute, which was then headed by Katie Johnson directly to the right foot of Jodie Taylor for a late game-winning goal.
It was a back and forth battle that could have ended as a victory for either team, but the Wave left PNC Stadium with a well-deserved win over the home team, in a game that Wave FC coach Casey Stoney says was impacted by the energy provided by the substitutes.
Coach stoney said after the match, “It’s incredible that the players are coming off the bench and making an impact in the way that we want.”
Wave FC Forward Sofia Jakobsson says that they didn't apply the pressure they wanted in the first half of the match, which permitted the opponent to find clearer chances early on. But the Swedish international says that they made sure that they switch that around in the second half of the game.
“In the first half we didn’t quite get pressure on the ball like we wanted to and we allowed them to play through us and make it a bit too easy for them,” she said. “Come second half, we changed a few things.”
Up to six Wave FC players stepped foot into the pitch in their NWSL debut Sunday night, including Naomi Girma, Belle Briede, Kelsey Turnbow, along with subtitutes Marleen Schimmer, Amirah Ali, and Mia Gyau who paved the way for San Diego's game-winning goal.
The San Diego Wave makes their way back home to play their inaugural regular season home match this weekend, where they will host Gotham FC at Torero Stadium at 7 p.m this Saturday.
