**San Diego, California** – San Diego Wave FC continue its dream season as an extra time winner from forward Alex Morgan became enough to lift the club over the Chicago Red Stars on Sunday night at Snapdragon Stadium and book a trip to Portland to face Thorns FC next weekend. Chicago would take the lead after 10 minutes before a second half equalizer by San Diego eventually sent the game to extra time where the hosts would wrap the contest up via Alex Morgan’s late goal.
Similar to the other quarterfinal, a quick start between the two sides saw Chicago end up opening the scoring after an error from San Diego goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan gave away the first goal after failing to properly distribute the ball just outside of her penalty area. Sheridan was in possession as the Wave moved the ball throughout the back, but a short back pass in no one’s land saw the ball instead fall to the feet of Chicago attacker Yuki Nagasato outside the box. From there, Nagasato immediately lifted the ball over Sheridan, who had no shot as producing a save, and Chicago held a valuable one-goal advantage early on.
The rest of the first half produced relatively few quality opportunities between the two sides, though San Diego mustered a late blitz just before the break that nearly brought them level. First, in the first minute of added team, a ball swung in from the right side to the center saw teammates Jaedyn Shaw and Alex Morgan connect, with Morgan’s header well held by Chicago goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, though she would have been bailed out by a raised offside flag in the end.
Then, in the fifth minute of added time, San Diego had great look on goal via a corner kick which resulted in a chance for forward Taylor Kornieck in front of the face of goal. As the set-piece delivery came in via Kelsey Turnbow, Kornieck rose to meet the ball and powered a drive of a header toward goal that required the ups of Nagasato to prevent the equalizer as the Red Stars goalscorer headed the ball just over the crossbar from a few yards out.
At the break, and despite San Diego’s best efforts toward the end of the first half, the Chicago Red Stars led by a single goal from Nagasato.
Into the second half, the first great chance in front of goal that either side produced came for San Diego in the 67 ^th minute, and it resulted in the hosts’ equalizer. Midfielder Sofia Jakobsson drove with the ball down the left side of the field and attempted a cross into the area for Morgan. The Red Stars defense saw the ball briefly away, but a muffed clearance fell to the feet of defender Emily Van Egmond, who volleyed home from just a few yards out to send the home crowd into a frenzy and bring San Diego level.
As the half wore on, the hosts San Diego looked the more likely of the two sides to break the deadlock as Chicago goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was forced into action a few times. Most notably, an opportunity in front of goal for the forward Kornieck resulted in a deflected shot nearly wrongfooting Naeher, but the goalkeeper was able to adjust in time to get down and make the save.
Despite eight minutes of added time to close regulation, the two sides would advance to two periods of extra time at 15 minutes per half as all of Snapdragon Stadium held their proverbial breath.
San Diego came out the more attacking of the two sides and produced the lion’s share of the chances in those first 15 minutes with Morgan striking the post with a headed effort just two minutes into the restart. However, Chicago’s Morgan Gautrat then hit the post on the other end via a corner kick delivery in the 102 ^nd minute to put fear back in the hearts of the Wave. A chance in the 104 ^th minute of added time for San Diego’s Amirah Ali then became the closest the two sides were separated, but Ali’s strike against a tired Red Stars defense only saw her hit the side netting from the right side of the box. Ultimately, an exciting first period of extra time saw the pair remain locked at one-all.
However, into the second half, San Diego’s persistence paid off with who else but the forward Alex Morgan to separate the two sides with a shot across goal that landed in the side netting in the 110 ^th minute and beat Naeher to ignite San Diego supporters everywhere. Following a corner, midfielder Sofia Jakobsson played a ball back for Morgan down the left line of the 18-yard box that created space for the forward. Morgan then fired a shot across the face of goal that Naeher didn’t deal with properly and the ball ended up nestling into the far bottom corner and in to lift her side in front.
Chicago would continue to attempt to peg back, but the visitors’ best efforts would not end up being enough as San Diego’s dream expansion season continues with an appearance in the NWSL Semifinals. The Wave now advance to face Portland Thorns FC in Portland next Sunday, October 23, with kickoff scheduled for 5 P.M. ET on CBS Sports Network.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights