San Diego’s Six-Goal Showcase Routs Red Stars, Rekindles Postseason Hopes at Snapdragon
On a brisk Sunday evening in San Diego, with the Pacific air humming and Snapdragon Stadium alive with anticipation, the San Diego Wave delivered a performance as emphatic as any in their young NWSL tenure, dismantling the Chicago Red Stars 6-1 and reigniting their bid for a late-season surge up the standings.
The tone was set early—so early, in fact, that much of the capacity crowd was still finding their seats when Delphine Cascarino raced onto a threaded pass in the seventh minute, coolly slotting home to give the Wave the lead. For Cascarino, recently in ferocious form, it was another statement of intent—her third goal in three matches—and for Chicago, a sense of looming dread shadowed the remainder of the half.
If the first goal rattled the visitors, the second—summoned just 11 minutes later—completely unmoored them. The Wave pressed high and worked the ball wide with menace, finding space behind Chicago’s beleaguered back four. The scorer’s name may not have been emblazoned across headlines before, but the finish was pure confidence: a curling effort that left Chicago’s keeper grasping at thin air.
As halftime approached, San Diego pressed their advantage with clinical precision. Kristen McNabb, rarely the goal-getting protagonist, made her mark with a powerful drive in the 44th minute, capping a first half that crackled with attacking purpose and ended any pretense of Red Stars resistance.
The teams entered the break with San Diego up three, and for Chicago, who have spent the season mired at the foot of the NWSL table, the prospect of a comeback seemed distant. The Red Stars have managed just two wins in 24 matches this campaign and arrived in California without a victory in their last five. The cracks that have cost them points all year widened beneath the Wave’s relentless onslaught.
San Diego was not content to merely manage the scoreboard after intermission. Another second-half goal—this one in the 58th minute, delivered through quick interplay and ruthlessly dispatched—pushed the advantage to four and sent a clear message to the rest of the league: this is a Wave side keen on peaking at the critical moment. The home crowd, momentarily sated, then found fresh voice.
To their credit, the Red Stars never quite capitulated, and their efforts were briefly rewarded in the 71st minute when Bea Franklin broke through, latching onto a loose ball inside the box and finishing with composure past the outstretched arms of San Diego’s netminder. For Franklin, whose late goals have been a rare bright spot in a dim campaign, it was another reminder of her skill—but little more than consolation on a night when silver linings were scarce.
San Diego responded with the same ruthlessness that had defined their evening. Kenza Dali, who has emerged as one of the team’s most creative forces, capped off the performance with an 83rd-minute strike. Her goal, a low, driven shot from the edge of the area, brought the tally to six and set a new high-water mark for the Wave’s firepower this season.
The aftermath left little doubt about the implications. With the win, San Diego leapfrogged to 34 points, solidifying their grip on sixth place and positioning themselves on the cusp of the playoff conversation as the regular season draws to a close. Their record—9 wins, 7 draws, 8 losses—reflects a campaign at times uneven, but the recent uptick, with back-to-back victories and a resurgent attack, has transformed the outlook inside Casey Stoney’s dressing room.
Contrast that with the plight of the Red Stars, who remain anchored in 14th, now with 11 losses and a goal difference further dented by tonight’s rout. A team once defined by resolve and competitive edge finds itself staring down a winter of hard questions, winless in their last six and running out of time to salvage pride, let alone points.
While head-to-head history has often favored tighter battles—recent clashes between San Diego and Chicago have rarely offered such a lopsided ledger—this evening’s performance underscored a broader gulf in ambition and execution. The Wave, who weathered a midseason slump with three losses and a draw in five matches before this week, have rediscovered their stride at a decisive juncture.
The stakes only grow from here. San Diego’s next fixtures will determine whether this resounding victory serves as the launchpad for a deep postseason run or as a solitary highlight in a season of near-misses. For Chicago, the final matches are about rebuilding confidence, blooding young players, and seeking any momentum to carry into 2026.
But on this night, beneath the glare of Snapdragon’s floodlights, the message was unmistakable: the Wave are rising. The Red Stars, battered and searching for answers, were left to watch the tide roll in.