San Diego Wave FC loses 1-0 to Orlando Pride marking their second home loss in a row leaving them equal on points with two other teams and one more match played. The story of the match, again like last week, involves frustration with the officiating.

Star goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan was given a red card following the match during a discussion with the referees and head coach Casey Stoney a yellow in her defense of Sheridan.

“I’m gutted because the players, the clubs, and the league deserves better.” Stoney said of the officiating.

Neither team had given the other many chances offensively with very few successful shots on goal by either team in the first 22 minutes. Wave FC forward and captain Alex Morgan created and had many goal scoring opportunities but none clear enough to score.

Orlando, however, with less possession and only four shots in the first half, managed to force a mistake by San Diego inside the box.

Pride forward attempted a cross inside the box that hit a running Kaleigh Riehl in the arm which was immediately called for a penalty. “If that’s handball then the game is dead,” said Stoney of the play explaining that she was in a completely natural running motion saying she could not pin the players arms to their sides.

While Sheridan leads the NWSL in career penalty kick saves she was unable to continue her two game penalty save streak allowing Meggie Dougherty Howard to send it to the left just past her hands making it 1-0 in the 23rd minute of the match.

With many scoring chances for San Diego nothing came of it during the first half, and again in the second half.

There was an amazing shot in the 59th minute of the match during a free kick where the set piece moved the ball to the left ready to be knocked in by Alex Morgan. Morgan, taking the shot, nearly bent it in for what could have been an amazing goal but instead hit the left post leaving it at 1-0.

“We’ve had enough chances to win the game twice over and we haven’t taken those chances,” Stoney said.

San Diego Wave plays its final home game at Torero Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 20, before moving into the newly constructed Snapdragon Stadium. They will face off against Houston Dash, who they are equal on points in the NWSL table meaning a win could give them second place or a loss or draw creating a difficult path toward a first round playoff bye.