NWSL: Bay FC comes up short against San Diego in its first match ever

Maya Doms scored the first goal in Bay FC’s history on Tuesday afternoon as the new Bay Area women’s soccer team played its first-ever match against San Diego in the Coachella Valley Invitational.

Good first impressions, though, weren’t limited to Bay FC’s side.

When all the pieces come together#BayFC #WeCameToPlay @MayaDoms pic.twitter.com/0oPhe1gVG1

— Bay Football Club (@wearebayfc) February 21, 2024

San Diego’s Elyse Bennett also scored a goal and assisted on the game-winning goal in her first game with the Wave, which handed Bay FC a 2-1 loss at the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio. Bennett, the daughter of former Green Bay Packers star Edgar Bennett, set up Amirah Ali’s winning goal at the 78-minute mark.

Bay FC had tied the match at 1-1 eight minutes into the second half when Doms one-timed a corner kick into the net from 10 yards out to set off an exuberant celebration.

“I got a little too excited for a scrimmage, maybe .. but it felt really good,” said Doms, a former star midfielder at Stanford who was the eighth overall pick in the recent NWSL draft.

Bay FC will be back in action at the Coachella Valley Invitational on Saturday, when the Bay Area squad faces Angel City at 1 p.m.