Rookie Lia Godfrey Strikes Again as San Diego Wave Hand Portland Thorns First Loss 3-1

Lia Godfrey has scored two goals in the NWSL. Both of them won the match.

The rookie midfielder's finish in the 27th minute put San Diego Wave FC ahead for good, Dudinha scored in the second minute and assisted Godfrey's goal, and Melanie Barcenas added a late third as the Wave beat the Portland Thorns 3-1 on Wednesday night at Snapdragon Stadium. San Diego improved to 2-0-1 with 6 points. Portland, which had won its first two matches, also sits at 2-0-1 after its first loss of the season.

Two Minutes, One Goal

The Wave did not waste any time. In the second minute, Gia Corley found Dudinha in the center of the box, and the forward hit a right-footed shot into the bottom right corner. Per San Diego, it was the earliest goal in a Wave match this season and the third-fastest goal in club history. It was also Dudinha's second goal in as many matches.

Portland answered quickly. Reilyn Turner forced Leah Freeman into a save in the fourth minute, and in the eighth, Pietra Tordin pounced on a loose touch in the San Diego half and went at goal. Her first shot from outside the box hit the right post, but the ball came back to her and she finished with her left foot into the high center of the net. 1-1.

The Godfrey Show

From there, San Diego took control of the ball and never really gave it back. The Wave finished with 65 percent of possession, and in the 27th minute, the pressure produced a pinball sequence. Corley forced a save out of Morgan Messner, Ludmila smashed the rebound off the crossbar, and Dudinha corralled what was left and teed up Godfrey, who lifted a left-footed finish into the high center of the goal. 2-1.

Per San Diego, it was Godfrey's second goal in two straight matches, the only rookie in the league to do that this season, and it came in her first start of the year. The club also noted that both of her first two career NWSL goals were game-winners, making her just the sixth rookie in league history to pull that off. That is a pretty good way to introduce yourself.

Portland had a couple of chances before the break, including a Turner header off a corner in the 37th minute, but Messner had to deny Ludmila in the 38th to keep it a one-goal game at halftime.

Messner Keeps Portland Alive

The Thorns made two halftime changes, sending on Sophia Wilson and Deyna Castellanos, who was making her first appearance of the season per the club, and briefly found some life. Isabella Obaze and Marie Müller both forced Freeman into headed saves off Olivia Moultrie crosses in the 54th and 55th minutes.

Then San Diego went back to work, and Messner went into overdrive. She stopped Corley from outside the box in the 64th minute and Ludmila from the left side of the box in the 67th. In the 70th minute, Dudinha hit the right post on a fast break and Messner made two saves on Ludmila in the same sequence, then another on Dudinha in the 71st. Eight saves in all for the Portland goalkeeper. On most nights, that keeps you in a game.

Not this one. In the 82nd minute, Kenza Dali slipped a through ball to Barcenas, Messner saved her first effort, and Barcenas pounced on the rebound from the left side of the six-yard box to finish into the bottom left corner. 3-1. Per San Diego, it was the teenager's first goal of the season and the third of her career.

Stars of the Night

Dudinha did a little bit of everything: a goal, an assist, three shots, two on target and a shot off the post. Godfrey had one shot all night and made it count. Ludmila was the most persistent attacker on the field, firing six shots and putting four on target without finding the net, which is the kind of night that ends with a striker staring at the ceiling.

Dali deserves credit as the conductor. She set up a parade of chances throughout the second half and delivered the through ball for the clincher. On the other side, Tordin's goal gave her four goal contributions in Portland's opening three matches, per the Thorns, who said she leads the team in both goals and assists.

The Turning Point

The 27th-minute sequence decided this one. Portland had absorbed the early blow and leveled the match, and the game had settled into a back-and-forth rhythm. Then the Wave strung together three attempts in a matter of seconds, and Godfrey was in the right place for the third. From that point on, San Diego controlled the ball, the tempo and, eventually, the scoreline.

Stats That Matter

• Shots on target: San Diego 11, Portland 4.
• Possession: San Diego 65 percent, Portland 35 percent.
• Passes: San Diego attempted 565, Portland 294.
• Saves: Messner made 8, Freeman 3.
• Shots: San Diego 18, Portland 15.

What It Means

San Diego opened the season with a 1-0 home loss to the Houston Dash, then won 2-1 at the Utah Royals before this one. Two straight wins, and Godfrey has scored the winner in both. The Wave stay home to host Chicago Stars FC on Saturday.

Portland had opened with a 1-0 win at the Washington Spirit and a 2-0 home win over Seattle Reign FC, so this was the first blemish on the record. The Thorns head home to face the Kansas City Current on Saturday with a quick chance to respond.

Closing Take

Wednesday night in San Diego felt a bit like the start of a coming-of-age movie: the rookie shows up, does something improbable, then does it again before anyone can call it a fluke. Godfrey is two for two on game-winners. At some point, opposing defenders are going to have to start treating the new kid like a veteran.

Stats from ESPN's match data. Match notes as reported by San Diego Wave FC and the Portland Thorns; neither club's recap included postgame quotes.