Both teams are currently in playoff contention on 39 points each, with Courage ahead with a goal difference of +13 compared to San Diegos +6, meaning a big 3 points are on the line. The Californian team currently sits 5th with Courage in 3rd. The Courage are currently the highest scoring team in the league, with 46 goals, San Diego sit far behind with just 32 in their 39 games. However, the Wave have conceded 7 goals less than Courage at 26 and 33, respectively. The teams from opposite US coasts last faced each other this time last year, in August 2025. The game ended in a 0-0 draw, with the San Diego team dominating in possession and, as a result, were the team with more chances at 18 shots (just 3 on target), compared to Courage with 6 shots and 2 on target. Prior to this, in May of the same season, was a goal-filled 5-2 victory for the Wave at home in San Diego. The game started with a Feli Rauch header across the goal to the far post before bouncing into the net in the 12th minute to finish off a superb Ryan Williams assist to put Courage a goal ahead. Wave found their way back into the game with a goal of their own in the 25th capitalising on sloppy defending from the Courage side who now found themselves needing to score another. The wave then found themselves ahead in the game when another Courage defensive error made it easy for Adriana Leon to capitalise and send the crowd erupting into a chorus of cheers. Courage started the second half even faster than the first with the Wave making a defensive error of their own in the 52nd which Manaka easily pounced on. The Wave were quick to re-establish their 1 goal lead just 2 minutes after following a short corner routine which resulted in a Kenza Dali header across the goal with Kristen McNabb fishing off a simple team goal. Just 5 minutes later Wave scored a fourth with Adriana Leon capitalising on Casey Murphy being off her line to score her second of the game. The final goal came from a Maria Sánchez shot inside the box, and another bad spell of defence for the Courage side. Courage come into this game after scoring 14 in their last 5 games, with 8 of these coming from Golden Boot leader Ashley Sanchez. In this 5-game period they have 2 losses and 3 wins, with their most recent game being a 6-0 win away from home against Chicago Stars, who sit struggling at the bottom of the table. Similarly, the Wave have 2 wins, a draw, and 2 losses in their last 5 games, most recently a 1-0 loss to 8th place Seattle Reign. Wave have scored just 8 in this period, with Trinity Byars scoring half of these. Player to look out for is definitely the Golden Boot leader. Ashley Sanchz scored her first career hattrick in her teams 6-0 victory and has 4 braces in the season so far. The American had just 26 goals in her first 6 seasons in the NWSL and has reached a total of 18 in this, her 7th, season. She has also beaten the single-season goal tally for an American in the NWSL and is closing in on Temwa Chawingas 2024 record of 20 goals in a season. With a big 3 points on the line and both teams looking to better their chance for playoff football, and optimising their league position, its sure to be an entertaining matchup.