Dash resume league play needing wins: What to watch for
(image via Houston Dash)
The Houston Dash are at home tonight as they return to league play against the Washington Spirit. With seven games to go, the Dash are in 9th place, three points away from the playoffs. Washington Spirit sit in 5th place just two points away from first place.
When: Saturday, August 19 | 7:30 PM CT kickoff
Where: Shell Energy Stadium; Houston, Texas
TV/Stream: Paramount +
Last games of the season
This will be the return to league play after the Women’s World Cup and the last group stage rounds of the UKG Challenge Cup. With only seven games to go before the end of the regular season, the Dash need to pick up wins and hope teams start to lose momentum. “We’ve got a good look, and we've got a couple of different identities,” head coach Sam Laity said this week. “What I expect is that we've got seven finals heading into this part of the season, and hopefully that will push us to additional games beyond that. That’s the drive. That's the want. That's the expectation, and that's what we're working towards.” This is basically go big or go home for the Dash, especially against a dangerous Washington Spirit. A win can set them up on a good path to the playoffs.
Boost to the squad
For Dash fans, it’s a relief to have all the international players back from the World Cup. During the UKG Challenge Cup, we could see how the team missed those players on the field. The energy of Allysha Chapman, the leadership of Sophie Schmidt and the danger that Michelle Alozie provides was truly missed these past weeks. “Obviously, it was a bit of a down period with the international players being gone, and now we've got everybody back,” Laity said about the international players returning. “The intensity has gone up. The quality has gone up, and the experience has gone up. So, it's been a good week. It’s been great to have them back. To have that quality, that leadership and that experience, that has been good. It’s been bubbly this week.” Hopefully, they can bring the needed energy for the last games of the season.
Big test
The Dash face the Washington Spirit tonight, a side that is an attacking threat with 22 goals scored and have been solid away from home. With many of their players having been called in for the World Cup, it’s going to be interesting to see what lineup they will put out. “They're still very much the same team,” Laity said about the Spirit. “Obviously, when you're missing five or six international players, then the team is going to look different from a quality perspective, and they’ve tweaked the shape a little bit. I think that was due to availability and injury, so similar to what we had to do in that period. We’re going to see exactly the same Washington Spirit that we saw earlier in pre-season and the same Washington Spirit that we saw at Audi Field back in May.” No matter what team the Spirit puts out, its going to be a competitive one.
Availability Report
Houston Dash - Out: Ella Dederick (right knee - season-ending injury), Emily Curran (left knee - season-ending injury), Shea Groom (Knee – Season-Ending Injury), Devon Kerr (excused absence)
Washington Spirit - Out: Anna Heilferty (knee - season-ending injury), Civana Kuhlmann (knee - season-ending injury), Ines Jaurena (knee)
Predicted Lineup
