NWSL match previews: North Carolina Courage host Washington Spirit

As the NWSL prepares for Matchweek 12 on Saturday, the North Carolina Courage will face the Washington Spirit, while the San Diego Wave will take on Angel City FC. All four teams are in playoff contention, making these matches critical. Key players will be missing for each side: the Courage will not have Payton Crawford, Natalie Jacobs, Sydney Schmidt, and Lauryn Thompson due to injuries. The Spirit will be without Ashley Hatch, Aubrey Kingsbury, and Casey Krueger, all on maternity leave. The Wave's lineup misses Dudinha, Cat Macario, and Kiki Pickett, while Angel City FC will be without Savy King, Sydney Leroux, and Hina Sugita.

• 12:51 AMYahoo Sports — NWSL Availability Report (Matchweek 12 – Saturday): North Carolina Courage vs Washington Spirit, San Diego Wave vs Angel City FC