San Diego Wave FC lacked finishing in their season-opening loss to Houston Dash, falling 1-0 at Snapdragon Stadium. Despite generating many offensive opportunities, the Wave could not find the equalizer. Former Wave forward Makenzy Robbe scored in the final moments of the first half, which proved to be the game-winner. Houston was content with the lead and essentially parked the bus to secure the three points. The Wave attack had 19 shots, nine of them on goal, and held possession for 70.5% of the 90 minutes. Houston's goalkeeper, Jane Campbell, was incredible tonight with nine saves. Kenza Dali, Wave co-captain and midfielder, said Campbell was the player of the match tonight. San Diego Wave FC's head coach, Jonas Eidevall, said postgame that there are details that can make a huge difference and the team could have created more chances. The Wave won 10 games in the 2025 season, reaching the quarterfinals, but were eliminated by the Portland Thorns in extra time. DiDi Haracic got the first start in goal for San Diego. The Wave attack featured three Brazilians with Ludmila, Dudinha, and Gabi Portilho. Dali, Laurina Fazer, and Gia Corley headlined the middle. Kristen McNabb and Kennedy Wesley were the starting center backs, with Perle Morroni and Amelia Van Zanten on the perimeter. Houston is coming off a disappointing season in which it won just six matches. However, they did win five matches in the second half of the year, and hope to carry that momentum. Entering the match, San Diego held a 5-2-1 record over the Dash. As the ball began to roll on the 2026 NWSL season, San Diego was in control of the slow start. The first scoring opportunity came in the 9th minute of the match. Campbell, Houston's captain, blocked Dudinha's dangerous shot, and Malia Berkley had a goal-line clearance. Three minutes later, Ludmila's shot from the side of the box sailed over the top right corner. San Diego's top two attackers were active early. Haracic was tested early, and she responded with a big-time save. Houston's Linda Ullmark had two opportunities inside the box, one of which hit the left post, and the other was blocked. Kate Faasse had a point-blank opportunity, but Haracic stood strong in front of the net to deny the shot. An elite defensive play. San Diego dictated the pace of the first half with 67.3% possession and four shots on goal. The backline was holding up strong until the final moments before the break—a play that decided the outcome. Houston's Maggie Graham jump-started a fast break and completed a very long pass to a sprinting Robbe. The placement of the pass could not be any better. Robbe's sliding kick rolled past Haracic and into the bottom left corner. Eidevall said about his message to the team that they can't think about the past too much. The Wave will look to bounce back from this loss in their next match.