With the news that 18-year-old San Diego Wave forward Jaedyn Shaw had her contract extended for three more years, the team, led by head coach Casey Stoney, will wrap up UKG Challenge Cup on Saturday, Aug. 5 at Snapdragon Stadium against Angel City FC.

The Wave has already been eliminated from advancing to the Challenge Cup semifinals and will still be without the services of forwards Alex Morgan and Sofia Jakobsson along with defender Naomi Girma and midfielder Emily van Egmond who are representing their respective national teams in the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan is not expected to be in the lineup for the match on Saturday despite that the Canadian women’s national team was eliminated from the World Cup competition on July 31 in a 4-0 loss to Australia.

Angel City FC still has an outside chance of qualifying for the semifinals but needs a resounding victory over the Wave combined with a loss by the Kansas City Current in its game against Racing Louisville, plus Gotham FC not winning either of its two remaining matches. Angel City will be without the services of attacking midfielder Alyssa Thompson who also represents the USWNT.

The last time the two sides met was on June 28 with the team from Los Angeles coming out with a 2-1 victory at BMO Stadium. Angel City is currently four points behind SD Wave in the NWSL standings.

This meeting will be the last in 2023 between the Southern California rivals unless both make the playoffs.

Foto de David Frerker