NWSL Houston Dash

THREE POINTS: Houston Dynamo FC and Houston Dash Return to Regular Season Action, Dynamo 2 Travels West

Published on August 18, 2023 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Houston Dash News Release


HOUSTON - Both the Houston Dash and Houston Dynamo FC return to league play at Shell Energy Stadium this weekend after representing the Club in the UKG NWSL Challenge Cup and 2023 Leagues Cup.

DASH RESUME NWSL REGULAR SEASON

Following the conclusion of the UKG NWSL Challenge Cup the Houston Dash shifts their focus to securing a berth in the 2023 NWSL Playoffs. Seven games remain in league play including Saturday's match at Shell Energy Stadium. The Dash are preparing to host the Washington Spirit for the first regular season game since July 7.

The majority of Houston's 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup players have returned to Space City. As a result, National Team Replacement Players Hope Breslin and Susanna Friedrichs have been released.

The Dash return to league play in ninth place with a 4-5-6 overall record. Houston is only three points behind San Diego Wave FC who currently claim the final playoff spot. Before regular season play was halted. Houston was unbeaten in three of the last five matches with draws against Angel City, OL Reign and Gotham FC.

Washington enters Saturday's match in fifth place with a 6-3-6 overall record. The Spirit played San Diego to a 2-2 draw in the final game before the pause for the World Cup. The tie helped Washington avoid a three-game losing streak after falling to Orlando and Portland.

Houston has not lost in their last six home matches against the Spirit (W3 D3), though all three meetings in the Space City since 2019 have ended in draws. This equals Houston's longest regular-season home unbeaten run against any opponent in Dash history. Houston holds a similar record against the Orlando Pride of six games which began in 2018.

The Dash will be back at Shell Energy Stadium on Saturday, August 26 to host the Kansas City Current for the penultimate home game of the regular season. Houston will celebrate Inspiring Women's Night where players and staff will honor women who have impacted their lives. For more information, visit HoustonDash.com.

DYNAMO RETURN TO MLS REGULAR SEASON PLAY AFTER LEAGUES CUP RUN

After a run to the Round of 16 in the 2023 Leagues Cup, Houston Dynamo FC return to league play on Sunday, Aug. 20 when they host the Portland Timbers at Shell Energy Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT.

Leagues Cup group stage play saw Houston finish second in the South 2 group, earning three points in group stage play versus Orlando City SC and Club Santos Laguna. In the Round of 32, the Dynamo defeated the top-seeded team from Liga MX, C.F. Pachuca, 5-3 on penalties at Shell Energy Stadium. The team's run came to an end in the Round of 16, falling to fellow MLS side Charlotte FC 2-1 at home.

Houston was one of two teams (Real Salt Lake) that advanced to the Leagues Cup Round of 16, while also sitting in an MLS playoff position and still alive in the U.S. Open Cup.

The Dynamo currently sit in ninth in the Western Conference and will look to climb the table as MLS play resumes. Houston's last regular season match resulted in a 0-0 road draw versus the Colorado Rapids on July 15. Houston has found plenty of success at home this year, boasting a 10-3-3 (WLD) record at Shell Energy Stadium.

The Timbers currently sit in 12th in the Western Conference and will look to push for the MLS playoffs in this final stretch of the season. Portland earned a 3-2 home victory over Columbus Crew in their last regular season match on July 15. The Timbers bowed out of Leagues Cup play in the Round of 32 after falling 1-0 to C.F. Monterey at home.

In all-time matchups, the Portland Timbers hold a 10-6-9 (WLD) record versus the Dynamo, but four of Houston's six victories have come at Shell Energy Stadium. The team's most recent meeting came on June 29, 2022, when Portland defeated the Dynamo 2-1 at Providence Park. Houston last earned a point versus Portland in a 0-0 draw at home on April 16, 2022.

The Dynamo are having a resurgent season, currently sitting in a Western Conference playoff position before a knockout stage run in Leagues Cup. Houston reached the semifinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup for the first time since winning the title in 2018 and will host Real Salt Lake at Shell Energy Stadium on Aug. 23.

DYNAMO 2 LOOKS TO EXTEND UNBEATING STREAK TO SEVEN GAMES

Houston Dynamo 2 heads to the Bay Area to take on Earthquakes II with six games left in the regular season. Dynamo Dos currently sits in fifth place in the MLS NEXT Pro Western Conference standings with a 10-8-4 overall record.

Houston travels to San Jose following having three-games in a seven-day span. During that stretch, Dynamo Dos went unbeaten earning eight of nine possible points. Houston closed three-game stretch with a 0-0 regulation draw against Whitecaps FC 2 at SaberCats Stadium on Sunday, August 13. Dynamo Dos took the extra point after beating Vancouver 3-2 in the penalty shootout.

Forward Papa Ndoye continued to be an offensive threat for Dynamo Dos against Whitecaps 2. The forward had four shots in the game. Ndoye has scored 11 goals this season, with six happening across a two-game stretch. Forward Diego Gonzalez, who scored in Houston's 3-1 win over Colorado, had three shots on target in the draw against Whitecaps 2.

Earthquakes II enters the Saturday's match following a 2-0 loss to Austin FC II on Saturday, August 12 at St. Mary's College in Moraga, Calif. snapping a four-game unbeaten streak. San Jose is led by midfielder Eduardo Blancas who has scored six goals in 21 appearances this season. Midfielder Ousseni Bouda is closely behind Blancas for the team golden boot race with four goals scored this season.

Dynamo Dos returns to SaberCats Stadium on Sunday, August 27 to host LA Galaxy II at 6:00 p.m. CT.

Here are three key points ahead of the three fixtures: ‚ ‚ ‚

THE RETURN OF NICHELLE PRINCE: Forward Nichelle Prince is expected to make her season debut after being cleared to play for Canada at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. Prince was sidelined for the majority of the year after suffering a ruptured Achilles Tendon at the end of 2022. Last season, Prince scored five goals, including the first hat trick in Houston Dash history on June 3, 2022 against Orlando Pride. Prince was drafted by the Dash in 2018 out of Ohio State and has been a key player for the team ever since.

POLISH PRESENCE: After receiving his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P-1 Visa, new signing Sebastian Kowalczyk will be eligible to lace it up for the Dynamo on Sunday night at Shell Energy Stadium. The 24-year-old attacking midfielder joined the Club earlier this month on a full transfer from Pogoń Szczecin in Poland through 2024 with club options in 2025 and 2026, occupying an international roster spot. Kowalczyk joins the Dynamo after spending his entire professional career with Pogoń in the Polish first division, making 157 first team appearances and scoring 19 goals. The Polish national team player is the 17th player signed to Houston's first team since the start of the primary transfer window in January of this year. ‚

DYNAMO 2 LOOK TO SPLIT SERIES: In MLS NEXT Pro, Houston and San Jose first met earlier this year on June 25 at SaberCats Stadium which resulted in a 2-1 win in favor of Earthquakes II. The result marked the first time that San Jose defeated Dynamo Dos. Houston took both meetings last season, with a win in regulation on April 3, 2022 and in the penalty shootout on July 1,2022.

Check out the Houston Dash Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



National Women's Soccer League Stories from August 18, 2023


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central