Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images
Do you remember when the San Diego Wave won the National Women’s Soccer League Shield?
It’s hard to believe that the first expansion team ever to go top of the league in their sophomore campaign did so only 12 months ago. At the time, the team counted multiple United States stars past, present and future in it ranks. Their head coach, Casey Stoney, had one of the best tactical reputations in the women’s game. Their stadium could host more than 30,000 fans on multiple matchdays. There was every reason to believe that the Wave were poised to consistently join the NWSL’s elite.
Those triumphs are a distant memory. Even the joy of serving as the first example of the explosion of NWSL franchise valuations — when Ron Burkle sold the club to the Levine Leichtman family for up to $120 million — was short-lived following Angel City’s sale this summer. The Wave struggled for results early in the 2024 season, even though their underlying record suggested some better performances than their raw points total indicated. Regardless, by late June, they sat only one point below the playoff line.
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