San Diego Wave FC Okwuchukwu ruled out for rest of NWSL season

San Diego Wave FC has announced that Nigerian forward Chiamaka Okwuchukwu will miss the remainder of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) season.

The club confirmed on Friday that the 19-year-old has been placed on the season-ending injury list due to a lower leg injury, abruptly cutting short her debut campaign in the United States.

Okwuchukwu, who joined the Wave in January from Nigeria’s Rivers Angels, made an immediate and historic impact. She scored just 1 minute and 32 seconds after coming on in her first appearance against Orlando Pride, marking the second-fastest debut goal in NWSL history.

Before sustaining the injury, the Nigerian international had featured in three matches for the Wave, logging 144 minutes on the field and netting her solitary, memorable goal.

While specific details regarding the nature of the injury or the date of her surgery have not yet been released by the club, this setback will undoubtedly require extensive rehabilitation. San Diego Wave FC is expected to provide further updates on her treatment and recovery timeline as she begins her road to recovery.