With their win over the Chicago Stars two weeks ago, San Diego Wave FC has officially clinched a playoff spot. This weekend’s away match against the Kansas City Current will determine where they land among the playoff-bound teams. Here’s how things could shake out:
The Setting
Wave FC currently sit in fifth place out of the eight playoff spots in a 14-team league. The top four teams earn home-field advantage for the first round of the playoffs.
The Wave enter the weekend with 37 points, tied with the Portland Thorns, and hold the tiebreaker due to a superior goal differential (+8 to +5). Depending on results, the Wave could finish as high as No. 3 or as low as No. 7.
The Scenarios
Note: The No. 3 Orlando Pride and No. 4 OL Reign play each other this weekend.
If Wave FC win (40 points total):
3rd place if Pride and Reign tie (Wave wins tiebreaker on goal differential with Pride)
4th place if either Pride or Reign win (the other loses)
If Wave FC tie (38 points total):
4th place if Reign lose and both Thorns and Gotham tie or lose
5th place if Reign win/tie and Thorns and Gotham tie or lose
6th place if Reign win/tie and either Thorns or Gotham win
7th place if Reign win/tie and both Thorns and Gotham win
If Wave FC lose (37 points total):
5th place if both Thorns and Gotham lose
6th place if Thorns tie/win or Gotham tie/win (Gotham holds tiebreaker on goal differential)
7th place if both Thorns and Gotham tie/win
The Challenge Ahead
The Wave face a major challenge this weekend as they take on the Kansas City Current, who are coming off just their second loss of the season. Although Kansas City has already secured the top seed, they’ll likely be eager to bounce back heading into the playoffs.
Wave head coach Jonas Eidevall recognized the difficulty of the task ahead.
“It’s no doubt we’re going to one of the more difficult places that you can go in the world to play soccer. We’re going away against Kansas, (and Kansas has) been phenomenal so far this season.”
Despite the ups and downs of the season, Eidevall pointed to the team’s steady improvement over the past year. “I think you need to see how many points the team took last season and how many points the team has taken this season,” he said. “I think it’s quite good growth.”
He’s right. Last season, the team won only six games and scored an average of less than one goal per game (.92). This season, they’ve already won ten, and their scoring average is 1.6 goals per game, higher than any season in Wave FC history.
Sunday’s matchup should provide an intriguing finish to the regular season. While the Wave are still battling for playoff seeding, Kansas City has their position at the top locked in. The key story line may be whether the Current play their regular starters or use the opportunity to give reserves valuable minutes before the postseason. It’s clear, however, that Eidevall and his team expect Kansas City to keep their foot on the gas, even with little on the line for them.
“They are probably going to be really, really motivated for that game as well. So we just need to focus on that game, putting our best foot forward, doing everything we can, and then hopefully we end up as high as possible in the table.”
The Wave’s final playoff position will be decided this Sunday at noon Pacific at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City. Watch on ESPN.