San Diego Wave (Home)
North Carolina Courage are in better form than San Diego Wave heading into this match with three wins and two defeats in their last five matches, while the home side have won two, drawn one and lost two in the same period.
North Carolina Courage (Away)
North Carolina Courage are in better form than San Diego Wave heading into this match with three wins and two defeats in their last five matches, while the home side have won two, drawn one and lost two in the same period.
Head-to-Head
- These two sides are tied on 39 points after 23 games in NWSL 2026, but the 3rd-placed Courage sit three spots above the fifth-placed Wave so this match is a significant game in the race for the playoffs.
- San Diego won the same matchup 5-2 at Torero Stadium in NWSL 2025 and have taken two of their last three meetings on home turf, so our prediction of a 2-1 away win might be the least worst bet of the three outcomes on offer here.
- The game will be close and competitive with San Diego having a structured 4-3-3 that can press together and release one or more players on the break.
- The Courage have 21 away goals in 11 games, but we're not sure that either team will manage to keep the other out as both sides are more comfortable in the attacking third than defending their own goal.
Key Players
- Trinity Byars has scored four of the Wave's eight goals in their last five games.
- Ashley Sanchez has seven of the Courage's 14 goals across their last five.
Betting Insights
- San Diego have a solid home record, but North Carolina have a slightly superior away record than the Wave do at Torero Stadium so the odds may have this game the wrong way around with the hosts just under even odds at 2.04, the visitors at 3.05 and the draw at 3.54.
- Over 2.5 goals at 1.6 and both teams to score at 1.5 should make this an entertaining game with momentum swings, rather than a cagey affair, given the structure of San Diego's play and the vertical punch of the visitors.
Prediction
We like a 2-1 away victory for the Courage, as the game should be close and competitive and both teams are more comfortable in the attacking third than defending.