San Diego Wave FC defeated Gotham FC 2-0 on July 4, 2026, at Snapdragon Stadium. Melanie Barcenas and Trinity Byars scored the goals for San Diego.

Barcenas scored in the 45th minute. She is 18 years old and will turn 19 in October. Byars scored in stoppage time. Lia Godfrey provided an assist on Byars' goal, bringing her season total to four assists.

Luisa Agudelo, a 19-year-old goalkeeper from Colombia, made her NWSL debut for San Diego Wave FC. She recorded four saves and maintained a clean sheet. Agudelo joined the team in June 2026 from Deportivo Cali on a three-year contract.

San Diego Wave FC controlled 54% of possession during the match. Both teams recorded nine shots. Ludmila's shot hit the right post in the 23rd minute. Tatum Wynalda entered the game as a substitute in the 61st minute.

Barcenas performed a tea-sipping celebration after scoring her goal, which marked her third goal of the 2026 season. Byars' goal was her fourth of the season. "[Winning] at home is always super special to me. Everyone knows I have a very special connection to this community, to this club and fans, being from San Diego," Barcenas said. She added, "It felt really amazing to help my team and put us on the board."

Seven minutes of stoppage time were added to the end of the match. The attendance at Snapdragon Stadium was 10,592. Alex Morgan was in attendance at the match.

Jonas Eidevall, the head coach of San Diego Wave FC, commented on the team's performance. "Let's not get carried away. We've played some great football, we fight great as a team, but it's one game at a time and we need to keep our feet on the ground," Eidevall said.

San Diego Wave FC now has nine wins, one draw, and 28 points in the NWSL standings. Gotham FC has six wins, three losses, and three draws. Gotham FC has allowed five goals in 11 matches played in the 2026 season. Jaedyn Shaw has scored four goals for Gotham FC in the 2026 season. Catarina Macario, who signed with San Diego Wave FC in March 2026, has not yet debuted due to a heel injury. Gotham FC won the 2025 NWSL championship, and Kansas City Current won the 2025 NWSL Shield.