NWSL chaos reigned this weekend, as No. 9 Angel City upset SoCal neighbor No. 1 San Diego in Saturday's ACFC vs Wave 2026 Rivalry Week kickoff.
LA defended out the win after midfielder Maiara Niehues and fellow Brazilian Ary Borges combined for two quick first-half goals. The tally marked Niehues’s fourth in as many games.
“I feel like a win, and a win in San Diego, is amazing,” ACFC captain Sarah Gorden said. “But a shutout is really important for us.”
Angel City’s victory was dampened by a potential roster blow, as star forward Jun Endo exited the second half with a non-contact injury less than a year after returning from a 2024 ACL tear.
“Gruesome scenes in San Diego with Jun Endo down screaming and grabbing her knee from a non-contact injury,” ESPN’s Jeff Kassouf wrote on X. “Hopefully, somehow, it isn't as bad as it looked.”
The Wave will look to regroup against No. 6 Kansas City on Friday at 8 PM ET (Prime). Later, ACFC rides momentum into Saturday’s 6:30 PM ET match with No. 15 Chicago (ION).
