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NWSL Chicago Stars FC

Preview: Houston Dash vs. Chicago Red Stars

October 4, 2024 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Chicago Stars FC News Release


HOUSTON - The Chicago Red Stars' (9-11-2, 29 pts) penultimate road trip of the 2024 National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) regular season takes the Red Stars to the Lone Star State to face off against the Houston Dash (4-13-5, 17 pts) October 4. Chicago and Houston will duel under the Friday night lights for a win that would provide both clubs with invaluable momentum heading into their final three matches before playoffs.

Where to Watch

Stream: Marquee Sports Network, NWSL+

Previous Result:

CHI: Chicago dropped points against North Carolina at home, 1-3

HOU: Houston fell to Orlando on the road, 3-1

Storylines

Dash-ing Down to Houston: The Red Stars arrive in Houston October 4 with the short end of the recovery time stick, with Friday's match coming on the heels of Chicago's most recent match against North Carolina Sunday, September 29. With the short week, the Dash have a full day of rest on Chicago in addition to the home field advantage. However, the Dash won't have it easy, as the team seems to be fighting other uphill battles, looking up from last place in the NWSL standings on top of a head coaching change finalized in Houston this week. Additionally, the Red Stars hold a statistical advantage over the Dash in almost every category this season, except tackles success rate (63.70 percent to Chicago's 61.40 percent) and passing accuracy (76.43 percent to Chicago's 71.08). Houston's league-low 15 goals and 152 shots along with a nine-match winless skid prior to the Dash's September 21 victory over Seattle Reign FC two weeks ago don't paint a pretty picture for the home side, either. While Houston might be down, anything can happen in the NWSL, so the Red Stars certainly can't count the Dash out.

Texas Ties: Chicago and Houston are familiar foes, with 28 previous meetings across all competitions and the Red Stars already thwarting the Dash in Chicago once this season with a 1-0 shutout July 6. Multiple Red Stars also have connections with Texas: assistant coaches Ella Masar and Brenton Saylor each had stints with the Dash, rookie defender Hannah Anderson is a native of Plano, Texas, and played collegiately for Texas Tech University, forward Shea Groom spent four seasons in Houston and attended Texas A&M University while midfielder Julia Grosso spent time in the University of Texas program. Additionally, former Red Star and midfielder, Yuki Nagasato, currently wears Houston's crest. Hopefully the "everything is bigger in Texas," saying applies to hugs after the whistle, too.

Milestones Ahead: Two Red Stars veterans are on track to add more achievements to their respective résumés in Houston October 4. Any minutes for forward, Shea Groom, would earn the Missouri native her 150th NWSL regular-season appearance. The experienced attacker, in her 10th NWSL season, has lent her skills to five clubs in the league since 2015. A standout match for Groom could also propel her past 10,000 regular-season minutes player and earn her "20/20 Club" status if she records her 20th assist to bolster her 25 career regular-season goals. Additionally, keeper Alyssa Naeher will record more minutes than any other Red Star in club history if she tends goal for more than 73 minutes October 4. Quite the pair to cause some problems for Houston.

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