Morgan hangs up cleats as her send-off ends in a 4-1 Wave loss to Courage

SAN DIEGO -- A scorching Sunday night in San Diego didn’t stop 26,516 fans from being seeing Alex Morgan’s final appearance in her professional playing career. 

Last Thursday via social media, she announced her decision to retire after Sunday's game against the North Carolina Courage being her final match. 

Despite the night dedicated for the career of the two-time World Cup champion, the 12th-place Wave (3-9-7) fell 4-1 against the fifth-place North Carolina Courage (10-8-1) at Snapdragon Stadium lowering the club’s chances of playoff contention with only seven matches remaining in the NSWL season. 

It didn’t take long for the fans to see action on Bashor Field as the Courage got off to an early lead with forward Haley Hopkins looping a header to the right side of the goal over diving Wave FC goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan as the Wave went down a goal within the first four minutes. 

An 8-minute penalty opportunity for the Wave looked to be the sending-off moment for Morgan as she placed and stood over the ball looking to equalize the match. 

But her moment would have to wait as Courage goalkeeper Casey Murphy saved her left-footed penalty attempt pushing wide and over the bar maintaining a 1-0 North Carolina lead.

The wait for an equalizing goal didn’t take long as in the 13-minute, Wave defender Kennedy Wesley rifled a header into the top right corner of the goal leveling the game at 1-1. Serves came from a corner kick by forward María Sánchez. 

Wesley claimed her first goal of the NWSL season.

Later that 13-minute, Morgan received her sending-off moment getting taken off the pitch for her final time with her teammates congratulating her and the fans at Snapdragon Stadium giving her a loud standing ovation. She took her cleats off in the middle of the pitch as her accomplished career came to an end. 

At the 21-minute mark, the Courage reclaimed the lead from another corner kick. Courage defender Feli Rauch put her team back in the lead with a header that found the back of the net putting the scoreline at 2-1.

North Carolina tacked on another goal at the 45-minute as a through ball into the box found the feet of Courage forward Bianca St. Georges as she fired a shot past the Wave goalkeeper‘s left-sided near post leaving the score 3-1 at half-time.

The second half saw the Wave go down to ten players at the 60-minute mark as a Red Card was shown to Wave’s Sheridan after VAR deemed her outside-the-box challenge on Courage’s St. Georges as a goal-denying opportunity. The Wave brought on Hillary Beall to fill in as the woman between the sticks. 

An added-time Courage counterattack saw midfielder Meredith Speck put the ball in the empty net with the Wave goalkeeper out of position to make a save. As the buildup play was initially called back for offsides, VAR took another look at the play as the ref gave the goal and the match concluded with that 4-1 scoreline. 

Wave FC coach Landon Donovan said it was a tough week on the players.

“It's been a hard, emotional week for the team and I think we saw it a little bit in the performances today,” Donovan said. “I think they get wearied on them a bit.”

“I feel like I did everything that I could have,” Morgan said. “I left everything on the field. I did everything I ever wanted to and more. 

"And with this decision, I feel so at peace because I am ready to start a family. I am ready to hang up the boots and allow the next generation to flourish and relish in the spotlight.”

Despite the loss, Morgan got the opportunity to speak to the crowd as she thanked her friends, family and fans for the memories and support. The majority of the fans at Snapdragon Stadium stayed to chant her name for the final time in her professional career.

Donovan said he marveled at the impact Morgan has made throughout her career.

“For the sport of soccer in this country, for women's sports and for women I think it’s unmatched,” Donovan said. “It's been an honor, truly an honor to see her and get to know her in person over the last four weeks.”

Morgan said her next step is to be a fan of the San Diego Wave.

“It’s to continue to advocate for players and to drive the standard of this club of the NWSL," she said. "It's to be a fan on the international stage of the U.S. women's national team.”