Match Preview: Angel City vs San Diego Wave FC (Summer Cup) | 8.1.24

Thursday, August 1 at 7:30 p.m., Angel City hosts San Diego Wave FC at Cal State Fullerton in the third group-stage match of the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup. The game will be available on CBS Sports Network and Paramount+ in the US; on ESPN and Disney+ in Mexico, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama; and elsewhere on NWSL+. 

Tickets are available here.

Matchup

This will mark Angel City’s second matchup with San Diego this season. The two teams’ last meeting, a scoreless draw at home, was on May 23.

Angel City heads into this match having won their first two Summer Cup games. Their most recent result was a 2–0 win on the road at Bay FC, which saw a Bay own goal forced by defender Megan Reid in the 18th minute, followed by a 54th-minute goal by forward Claire Emslie. The game also saw the professional debut of forward Casey Phair, as well as the first professional assist for forward Messiah Bright, who set up Emslie’s goal.

San Diego have a win and a loss in the tournament, with their most recent result being a 0–2 loss to Club América. Defender Karen Luna and forward Kiana Palacios were the goalscorers in that game.

Tournament Standings

The NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup is new this season as the league has phased out the midseason Challenge Cup contested in 2023. The tournament features all 14 NWSL teams, as well as the six Liga MX sides who earned the most combined points in Clausura and Apertura 2023. Those clubs are Tigres UANL, América, Chivas de Guadalajara, Rayadas de Monterrey, Pachuca, and Tijuana. Unique to the tournament is the absence of draws; games that are tied at the final whistle go straight to a penalty shootout, the winner of which is awarded two points.

The 30 teams have been split into five regional groups, where every team will play every other team once.

More information on the tournament, including a tournament bracket and complete schedule, can be found here.

Of the five group winners, the four with the most points from the group stage will advance to the semifinals. With two wins under their belt, Angel City currently leads their group. The other group leaders are Kansas City, Gotham, and Louisville; Group A is currently tied four ways on points.

An Angel City win or win on penalties on Thursday gives the team a good chance of advancement to the semifinal, to be held next Tuesday, August 6, at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City.

The two semifinal winners will square off in the tournament final at Toyota field in San Antonio, Texas, on October 25.