San Diego Wave prepare for NWSL playoff opener against Utah Royals

The San Diego Wave have secured the No. 2 seed in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) playoffs after a strong seven-month regular season, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

They will face the Utah Royals, the No. 7 seed, in the quarterfinals, with the match set to take place in San Diego, giving the Wave homefield advantage.

The Wave finished second out of 16 teams in the 30-game regular season, behind only the NJ/NY Gotham FC, last year's NWSL champions.

San Diego's strong finish to the season, with an 8-1-1 record in their final 10 matches, has boosted their confidence heading into the playoffs, but coach Jonas Eidevall emphasized that the playoffs are a new challenge.

The Wave won their previous match against Utah in August 4-2, despite missing their captain Kenza Dali, who expressed excitement about bringing the playoffs to San Diego and acknowledged the advantage of playing at home.

To win the NWSL championship, the Wave must win three playoff games. The team and coach are focused on sticking to their game plan as they begin their title run.