Angel City FC vs. San Diego Wave FC: NWSL TV channel, live stream, lineups, preview

The league has quite the NWSL-After-Dark fixture for your Thursday evening. Tune into some NBA basketball at 8:00 p.m. EST and then buckle up for some women's football at 10:00 p.m. on the East Coast. Sounds like quite a fun night to me.

This week's NWSL slate begins in Southern California, in the City of Angels, to be more specific as Angel City FC goes to battle with its rivals from the south, San Diego Wave FC for the first time this season. Heading into the matchup, the two are separated by just a point with Casey Stoney's crew just ahead in eighth place on 11 points.

Becki Tweed's ACFC has won just two out of its five matches with one of those wins coming against the NC Courage on home soil. SD has been on a somewhat similar run of form, coming out on top in one of its last four contests. The most recent defeat came heartbreakingly in the final minutes against Bay FC last Friday evening in San Jose as a Hanna Lundkvist own goal ultimately did the side in.

Historically, nothing has separated the two California outfits in eight total fixtures. Both are 3-3-2 all-time against each other with San Diego netting two more goals. If you don't count the NWSL Challenge Cup, each has two wins apiece across four games. The last time these rivals clashed at BMO Stadium, two goals within a five-minute span in the second half propelled Stoney's team to a two-goal triumph in front of a sell-out L.A. crowd.

The atmosphere is expected to be electric. I mean, it usually is, but ACFC is urging its fans to wear black as part of the club's “Black Out the Wave” promotion presented by PNC Bank. In each of its three home games this season, the L.A. side has brought in over 18,000 people through the gates. That hasn't always translated to success this year. Angel City has the second-lowest point total of any NWSL outfit at home, ahead of only the Houston Dash.

The biggest talking point surrounding this clash is no doubt the return of midfielder Savannah McCaskill to BMO. It'll be the first time McCaskill will meet up with her former club since making that move a little over 120 miles south within the Golden State. In eight starts for her new club, the 27-year-old has not yet found that form we were used to seeing in ACFC colors. The South Carolina native had 16 regular season goal involvements in two seasons with the L.A. club after coming over in a trade ahead of its inaugural campaign.

How will she be received? That's the question. While we don't have the answer now, the move should add even more fuel to an already fiery rivalry.

ACFC will be hampered defensively with the absence of Sarah Gorden who will miss out on Thursday night due to an ankle sprain she suffered the game away at Washington. Tweed spoke to the media regarding the injury, expressing the fact that she is day to day/week to week, and it is nothing that the club is extremely worried about. Her recovery pace and composure in distribution are going to be sorely missed.

Madison Curry went into the center-back role alongside Megan Reid following the injury in the first 15 minutes of the loss to the Spirit, something we could see again. The problem could have been easily patched up if the club hadn't sent one of its most reliable defensive assets, Paige Nielsen to the Space City.

The Wave will be without three players per the latest NWSL availability report including two starters from the most recent league match, Kennedy Wesley, and Christen Westphal. One of its three players with multiple goals this season, Makenzy Doniak is the other listed as of the time of writing.

Predicted starting XIs for Angel City vs. Wave

Angel City FC (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: DiDi Haracic
Defenders: Megan Reid, Madison Curry, Jasmyne Spencer, Gisele Thompson
Midfielders: Raquel Rodríguez, Kennedy Fuller, Clarisse Le Bihan
Forwards: Sydney Leroux, Alyssa Thompson, Claire Emslie

San Diego Wave FC (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Kailen Sheridan
Defenders: Naomi Girma, Abby Dahlkemper, Kristen McNabb, Hanna Lundkvist
Midfielders: Kimmi Ascanio, Danielle Colaprico, Savannah McCaskill, Maria Sanchez, Jaedyn Shaw
Forward: Kyra Carusa

How to watch Angel City FC vs. San Diego Wave FC in the NWSL regular season

• Date: Thursday, May 23
• Start Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
• Location: BMO Stadium (Los Angeles, California)
• TV info/Live Stream: CBS Sports Network

Prediction: Angel City FC 2-3 San Diego Wave FC