The Wave will host Boston Legacy at 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25, with two regular-season matches remaining. San Diego sits second in the NWSL standings with 54 points and a 17W-8L-3D record, just one point behind Gotham FC. Boston, meanwhile, sits 12th with 32 points and a 9W-14L-5D record.

With a home quarterfinal playoff game already secured, San Diego will look to finish the regular season strong and maintain pressure on Gotham in the race for the NWSL Shield. A win would give the Wave an opportunity to move into first place, depending on Gotham’s result.

Sunday’s matchup will be just the second meeting between the two clubs. In their first encounter in April, San Diego earned a 1-0 victory on the road, with Ludmila scoring the game’s only goal. The Wave controlled 54% of possession and finished with eight shots, three on target, while Boston also recorded eight shots but failed to put any on target.

San Diego will look to build on that defensive performance at home. The Wave have relied on their ability to limit opponents’ scoring opportunities throughout the season, and keeping Boston’s attack quiet will be important.

Amanda Gutierres Dos Santos and Aïssata are two players to watch for Boston, with both forwards having scored 10 goals this season. San Diego will need to limit their space in the final third and prevent them from creating dangerous scoring opportunities.

Boston brings more than individual attacking talent. The team plays with high intensity and physicality, which could make Sunday’s match a demanding test for the Wave. San Diego has shown that it can feed off an energetic, competitive game, and matching Boston’s intensity could help the home side establish control.

San Diego also received positive news off the field, with Lia Godfrey recently extending her contract through 2029. The extension keeps an important part of the Wave’s squad in place as the team looks to build on its success in the coming seasons. Godfrey’s six assists are the most among NWSL rookies in 2026 and tied for second most in NWSL history.

The Wave will also need to take advantage of their opportunities in front of goal. Their 1-0 win in April showed that even a closely contested match can come down to a single finish. With the postseason approaching, converting chances and maintaining composure under pressure will be important as San Diego looks to keep its momentum going.

For San Diego, Sunday provides a chance to extend the team’s win streak to five and continue its pursuit of the Shield. Sitting just one point behind Gotham, the Wave remain within reach of first place as the regular season approaches its conclusion. Read here to review the Wave’s possible paths to the Shield.

Boston enters the match looking to improve its position after a challenging season. Currently 12th, Legacy will have an opportunity to test itself against one of the league’s top teams and build on the attacking contributions of Gutierres Dos Santos and Aïssata.

With a home quarterfinal already secured, San Diego can turn its attention to finishing the regular season as high as possible. The Wave will look to take advantage of their remaining matches to challenge Gotham for the Shield.

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