USYNT star Jaedyn Shaw scores for San Diego Wave on NWSL debut

Shaw wasted no time before scoring her first pro goal

Jaedyn Shaw heard the hype, and was ready to deliver, bagging a goal on her NWSL debut for San Diego Wave FC.

Given her first start, Shaw finished off amid some chaos in the box to give the Wave a 1-0 lead in the 27th minute. Katie Johnson broke into the box but, after drawing Alyssa Naeher and two Chicago Red Stars defenders, laid the ball over to the right for Shaw.

There was still work to do. Shaw showed the composure to take a touch and shake a defender, giving her an open net to shoot at, before calmly guiding the ball into the empty net before Naeher could recover.

Shaw’s path to this point has been a winding one. The 17-year-old Texan spent most of 2022 training with the Washington Spirit, who spent a good while trying to find a way to sign her. However, NWSL rules left no avenue to do so, and Shaw was placed in the league’s discovery process.

San Diego were atop the discovery list, and selected Shaw. Washington began negotiations, and Pro Soccer Wire was told that the Wave’s asking prices included $250,000 in allocation money, or $150,000 and a first round pick in the NWSL College Draft. In the end, the talks never progressed, and Shaw signed with San Diego.

Shaw will not be able to immediately build on her first goal, at least in NWSL play. After Saturday’s game, she will be off to join the U.S. under-20 national team at the U-20 World Cup in Costa Rica. Tracey Kevins’ side will play Ghana, the Netherland, and Japan between August 11-17, and a run to the final would see their tournament go on until August 28.

Check out Jaedyn Shaw’s first NWSL goal

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