Trinity Byars' First Pro Brace Rescues San Diego Wave in 2-2 Draw at Kansas City Current

Trinity Byars scored six minutes into Friday night's match at CPKC Stadium. Then she spent most of the next 84 minutes watching the Kansas City Current take her goal, flip the game and start writing the victory speech. Then she scored again.

San Diego Wave FC and the Current drew 2-2 in Kansas City, with Byars bookending the night: a first-time finish in the sixth minute and a scrambled equalizer in the 90th. Croix Bethune and Temwa Chawinga scored nine minutes apart early in the second half to put the hosts in front, but San Diego's late push earned the Wave a point. Per the Wave, it was the first brace of Byars' professional career, and it came in her first 90-minute appearance.

Byars Strikes Early

The opener was a quick, clean move. According to the Wave, Kimmi Ascanio found Gia Corley running down the left, and Corley squared the ball across the top of the six-yard box for Byars, who finished first time. ESPN credited Corley with the assist, her third of the season, per the club. Six minutes in, the Wave had the lead and the ball, and they kept the ball for most of the night, finishing with 57.7 percent of possession.

Kansas City found its footing as the half wore on. Haley Hopkins sent a header narrowly wide off a set piece in the 22nd minute and nodded another wide in the 39th. Bethune then cracked a left-footed shot off the crossbar from outside the box in the 40th minute and sent another just over two minutes later. San Diego's best answers before the break, a long-range effort from Perle Morroni and a Ludmila shot from the middle of the box, both missed in first-half stoppage time. The Wave led 1-0 at the half.

The Turning Point

The second half belonged to Bethune. In the 50th minute she set up Chawinga for a shot that Luisa Agudelo saved at the bottom left corner. Two minutes later, Laney Rouse whipped a cross into the box and Bethune met it with a left-footed volley from the center of the box, burying it in the bottom right corner. It was her third goal of the season, according to the Wave's box score.

Both coaches went to the bench in the 60th minute, Kansas City sending on Vanessa DiBernardo and Rocky Rodríguez, San Diego bringing on Gabi Portilho and Lia Godfrey. A minute later, the Current broke. Bethune pushed forward and found Chawinga in behind, and Chawinga finished with her left foot into the bottom right corner. In nine minutes, a 1-0 deficit had become a 2-1 lead, and Bethune had a hand in both goals.

San Diego Refuses to Leave

The Wave did not panic. Kenza Dali was booked in the 75th minute, and Melanie Barcenas, on for Laurina Fazer in the 72nd, forced two saves from Marisa Jordan inside three minutes, one at the top of the goal in the 82nd and another toward the top left corner in the 84th. Kansas City's defense was doing heavy lifting, finishing with 38 clearances and 21 interceptions.

It finally cracked in the 90th minute. After a set piece, Kristen McNabb had a shot blocked in the middle of the box, and Byars reacted first, poking the loose ball home with her left foot from point-blank range. Kansas City pushed for a winner in five minutes of stoppage time, with Izzy Rodriguez and Elizabeth Ball both having shots blocked, but the points were split.

Star Turns

Byars was the story: three shots, two on target, two goals. The Wave said the double gave her six goals this season and the team lead, which is a nice way to celebrate going the distance for the first time as a pro.

Bethune was the best player on the field for long stretches. She scored, assisted Chawinga's go-ahead goal, hit the woodwork and drew four fouls. The Wave's box score had it as her sixth assist of the season, while Rouse's cross for the equalizer was her first. Chawinga put both of her shots on target and scored her ninth goal of the season, per the Wave's box score. Barcenas gave San Diego real juice off the bench, with both of her shots on target.

Jordan made three saves for Kansas City. Agudelo needed to make just one for San Diego, which says plenty about how clinical the Current were with the few clear looks they created.

Stats That Matter

• Possession: San Diego 57.7 percent, Kansas City 42.3.
• Shots: San Diego 12, Kansas City 9. Shots on goal: 6-3 San Diego.
• Saves: Jordan 3, Agudelo 1.
• Passing: San Diego completed 413 of 503 passes, Kansas City 293 of 367.
• Defense: Kansas City made 38 clearances to San Diego's 17.

What It Means

San Diego moves to 9-2-5 with 29 points, and the Wave said the result extended their unbeaten run on the road to four matches. It came a week after a 2-0 home loss to Angel City FC. The Wave have eight wins, two draws and no losses this season when they score first, per the club, and their 39 road points since the start of 2025 are the most of any NWSL team over that span. The club also noted the Wave have scored eight goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half this season, more than any other NWSL team. San Diego hosts Seattle Reign FC on Sunday, July 26.

Kansas City moves to 8-1-6 with 25 points after a 3-0 loss at the Orlando Pride the week before, making it two games without a win. The Current visit Boston Legacy FC on Saturday, July 25.

Closing Take

This one had more plot twists than a prestige TV finale. Kansas City wrote a terrific second act, flipping the game in nine minutes and protecting the lead for nearly half an hour. Byars, apparently allergic to quiet endings, made sure the final scene belonged to San Diego anyway.

Stats from ESPN's match data. Additional details as reported by SanDiegoWaveFC.com, whose recap did not include postgame quotes.