Waves playoff hopes remain alive after 2-0 win over Portland at Snapdragon Stadium – San Diego Union-Tribune

An uneven and patchy playing surface was a bummer for Saturday night's Wave game at the $310 million Snapdragon Stadium.

The Wave still got a great result – a 2-0 win over the Portland Thorns, in which San Diego native and crowd favorite Melanie Barcenas, 16, scored the first goal in front of an announced turnout of 15,271.

“I'm just looking forward to getting better and better,” Barcenas told the ION broadcast.

From the right side, Barcenas drove past a defender and placed an 18-yard left-footed shot seemingly destined for the far post net. When the ball deflected into the near post from a Thorns player, Barcenas were awarded their first career goal in 16 games.

It was a deserved breakthrough for Barcenas, coming into the game in the 59th minute.

She has shown rare ball skills since entering the league last year, but lost development time due to a hip injury earlier this season.

Barcenas attributed her goal, which came a month before her 17th birthday, to the space and confidence created by the collaboration of rookie Mya Jones and Maria Sanchez on the first goal of the night six minutes earlier.

Sanchez curled a free kick deep into the penalty area. As Portland midfielder Sam Coffey tried to head the ball away, the 5-foot-11 Jones pushed toward her and the ball bounced off her chest, leading to her second goal.

Barcenas praised interim coach Landon Donovan's guidance and overall leadership.

“Everyone is themselves,” she said after her teammates doused her with cold water. “It’s really exciting, hard work.”

Defensively, Wave star Naomi Girma thwarted Portland's best chance by blocking a 7-yard shot.

Despite a 12-game winning streak this summer, the 12th-seeded Wave (5-10-7) still has a realistic path to the postseason. They are just three points – one win – behind Racing Louisville and Bay FC for the eighth and final playoff spot. They have four games left, starting Saturday at North Carolina.