After a convincing 2-0 win over Santa Fe FC in the inaugural Concacaf W Champions Cup at Estadio Rommel Fernández in Panama on Tuesday, the San Diego Wave now get back to NWSL play by taking on rival Angel City FC on Saturday afternoon at Snapdragon Stadium.

This will be the first league match for recently signed interim head coach Landon Donovan and the first for the team since July 5 when it fell 1-0 to the Portland Thorns at Providence Park.

“We don’t do anything just to do it and we’re very intentional about everything we do,” said Donovan. “To me, it makes no sense to ever train unless it applies to what you’re going to try to do in the game.”

Despite not having won a league match since May 8 in its 2-1 home win over the Utah Royals, San Diego is still in playoff contention. The last time San Diego and Los Angeles faced each other was on Aug. 1 in the NWSL vs Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup with Angel City coming out victorious on penalty kicks.

“Every game is going to be different,” Donovan added. “We’re trying to build something that is sustainable and just go back to it next week.”

San Diego will play its next three matches at home and hopes to be back among the top-eight seeds before going back on the road for a game versus Utah on Sept. 14. The Wave sits in tenth place but just three points behind Bay FC, which holds the last playoff spot.

San Diego is the current NWSL Supporters’ Shield holder after finishing with the best regular season record in 2023 and hopes to make a third-straight trip to the postseason.

Foto de David Frerker