Photo Credit: Russell Lansford-Imagn Images
The San Diego Wave became the second team to qualify for the 2026 National Women’s Soccer League playoffs with a 2-1 road win over the Orlando Pride on Thursday. This is the fourth time the team has qualified for the playoffs in its five seasons.
Lia Godfrey opened the scoring in the fourth minute after Trinity Byars saved the game and placed her inside the box. It was Godfrey’s sixth goal of the season (second most among rookies in the NWSL this season), while Byars recorded his 13th goal contribution of the year (second most in Wave FC history behind Alex Morgan’s 17 goals in 2022).
Gia Corley made it two in the 22nd minute, grabbing a close-range rebound to score in back-to-back games and her third in her last four games this season.
The Pride reduced the lead shortly after the break when Barbra Banda was fouled inside the box. Banda stepped up to the spot and calmly slotted his effort into the bottom right-hand corner to score his season-leading 17th goal, extending his own club record for goals in a campaign.
San Diego’s win snapped a five-game winless streak against the Orlando Pride in a league matchup on August 25, 2023. They have beaten the San Diego Pride just once in their previous seven meetings.
Despite the loss, Orlando remains barely in playoff contention thanks to the Seattle Reign losing to the North Carolina Courage on the same night.
