Will Kansas City Current crush San Diego Wave's playoff dreams?

With the regular season in its final stretch, every game has huge implications. This Saturday could shape the course of the Kansas City Current and San Diego Wave seasons. On one side is Kansas City, which has already secured a spot in the playoffs and is currently on the rise with an impressive winning streak, while San Diego is desperately fighting to survive in the competition.

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Kansas City Current enters the match with a lot of confidence. For a team that has only conceded one goal in their last six games – and that was an own goal – it shows how solid the team's defense has been all season.

The star of this team is undoubtedly Temwa Chawinga. She is on fire and has scored 19 goals this season – a number surpassed by none other than Sam Kerr. Chawinga was lethal and could become the first player to score against all NWSL teams with 10 or more clubs in a single season – an impressive feat for a player who seems to reinvent herself with every game.

They appear to have all the cards in hand for another win, as their defense is nearly flawless, led by Kayla Sharples and goalkeeper Almuth Schult. But will Kansas City be able to maintain the level of play against a desperate San Diego Wave team looking for points?

The San Diego Wave's situation is completely opposite to that of Kansas City. After a tough 2-0 loss to the Houston Dash that put them in a very difficult situation, this Saturday's game against Kansas City is pretty much a do-or-die scenario: a loss or even a draw throws them Wave out of playoff contention. As if all that wasn't enough, the team also lost in frustrating fashion to Club América in the Concacaf W Champions Cup, a result that only increased the pressure on the team.

As difficult as it may sound, San Diego has a player who can change the direction of the game: María Sánchez. The forward has been one of the most creative players in the league this season and her role is crucial for San Diego. Of the last 17 goals scored by the team, Sánchez was involved in 10 – either as a scorer or as an assist. Whatever hope San Diego has depends on Sánchez succeeding in crucial moments.

With that in mind, San Diego will have to be near perfect if they want to beat Kansas City on home soil. To withstand the opposition's pressure, the team needs both tactical and emotional discipline, which is at its best this season.