The Houston Dash make their debut on Lifetime’s NWSL Game of the Week on Saturday as they travel to Toyota Park for their third road game of the season when they face the Chicago Red Stars.
Houston looks to build on its 1-0 victory over the Washington Spirit last Saturday at the Maryland SoccerPlex, the first road victory of the season. Forward Kealia Ohai scored the game-winning goal in the first half with a shot from the edge of the box that beat Spirit goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe at the far post. Ohai leads the club in goals with two and was named to the NWSL Team of the Month earlier this week.
Dash goalkeeper Lydia Williams posted her second shutout of the season in the victory last Saturday, establishing a new personal best for clean sheets. Additionally, Houston has already matched the number of clean sheets posted in 2016. Defender Janine Van Wyk returned after missing the previous game with an illness. Forward Sarah Hagen started her first match for the club and Janine Beckie, normally a forward, made her first start in the midfield last Saturday.
Houston has not won in Illinois and holds a 2-3-4 record against the Red Stars, but have won two of the last three meetings. The two clubs met to open the regular season with Ohai and Rachel Daly scoring in a 2-0 victory for the Dash. The Dash won the season series last year with a 3-1 victory at home and a 1-1 draw last July at Toyota Park. Houston has collected three points out of four games in Illinois.
Chicago fell 1-0 to the Portland Thorns last Saturday in the Lifetime NWSL Game of the Week. The game-winning goal came in the first half after Chicago was called for a handball in the box. Thorns forward Nadia Nadim converted the penalty kick for the only goal of the game.
