Dash show support for Spanish footballer Jenni Hermoso
(image via Houston Dash)
One week ago, Spain won their first ever Women’s World Cup. It should have been a time of celebration for a team achieveing the greatest accomplishment a footballer can achieve. Instead, the aftermath has been marred by the actions of Spanish football association president Luis Rubiales toward Jenni Hermoso. On Saturday night, in the Houston Dash’s first match since last week’s final, the team and fans at Shell Energy showed their support in rallying behind Hermoso.
“It's pretty freaking sad that we're talking about her and her team for this, as opposed to them having an outstanding World Cup and being World Champions,” Dash head coach Sam Laity said after Saturday’s 1-1 draw against the Kansas City Current. “For me, these things should have been dealt with very, very quickly. Unfortunately, the federation and the people involved just allowed things to escalate. They could have deescalated the situation very quickly. Instead, they escalated the situation. Amplified it even more with some of their statements and their actions. It's absolutely mind blowing. It's archaic. It's embarrassing. The talk now is about that incident and the lack of sort of moral compass for a couple of individuals, and it sounds like it's systemic in the federation. The situation should not be brushed aside but dealt with very quickly and then we can all start talking about how amazing that team was during the World Cup.”
The Dash also happened to be celebrating Inspiring Women’s Night with the players wearing shirts with the names of women who have inspired them in their lives. The players also wore tape on their wrists with “Contigo Jenni” written on it, Spanish for “with you Jenni”, and did their pre-match photo with a banner showing the same message. Fans at Shell Energy Stadium also wore wristbands and had signs showing their support for Hermoso.
(image via Houston Dash)
Dash goalkeeper Jane Campbell spoke to the media after making seven saves in a player of the match performance, and showed her support for Hermoso and her teammates. “As a soccer player, also a female soccer player, the actions we saw photographed, or even videoed done by the president – you never want to see that,” Campbell said. “In any organization, not even just soccer, that should never be occurring. First off, I want to say congrats to Spain for winning the World Cup. That should be the headline for the next year, that they won the World Cup and nothing else. Those women put on a fantastic performance all throughout the tournament. They deserve all of that. Now it's getting overshadowed by something, so negative. I hope Jenni knows that not just the team, but the whole NWSL and everyone around the world is backing her, backing Spain, backing her team. I hope they figure it out. I'm glad their team is taking a stand and they're standing strong. It takes quite some courage and some bravery to do that against a big federation. We're with them and we hope for the best for them.”
Michelle Alozie, who scored Houston’s goal on Saturday night, played at the World Cup for Nigeria. Alozie hopes the support and rallying around Hermoso and the Spanish national team is a turning point and that a much needed change is made. “Enough is enough. I really stand by her, I stand by her teammates, the solidarity that they were able to push through. To get those signatures from past and present players (was important). I hope that FIFA and the other representatives can make a decisive decision to make a change that's necessary and obviously needed. As a player, as a woman, I stand by her, and hope that, people can make the difference that needs to be made”.
