The Houston Dash are back in action this weekend following a weeklong pause across the league. Houston hits the road to take on the Kansas City Current at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas on Saturday, July 22. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. CT.
Saturday’s match is the first 2023 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup group match for Houston since June 14 when Houston traveled to the Bourbon State to take on Racing Louisville FC. The Dash enter the match in third place in Group C standings with a 1-2-0 record (WLD). Kansas City sits one spot ahead of the Dash with a 2-1-0 (WLD) record.
Houston and Kansas City have already met twice this season across all competitions. The Dash fell to the Current in the opening match of Challenge Cup group stage at Shell Energy Stadium. A month later, on May 26, the Dash took the 2-0 regular season win over the Current at Children’s Mercy Park. Both teams have a history of defeating one another at home. Through 11 total all-time matches played, the away team has won eight games. The 72.7 percent true win percentage by the road team in the matchup is the highest in any fixture in NWSL history with at least five games played.
Since the beginning of last season, Houston’s nine goals in the Challenge Cup have been scored by nine different players. The Dash are the only NWSL team in that time without a single player with multiple goals in the competition. With her next start, Dash defender Katie Lind can become the first player to start 20 games for a single team in Challenge Cup play. Lind can also tie Washington’s Ashley Sanchez for most appearances for single club in Challenge Cup play.
Houston returns to Shell Energy Stadium on Saturday, July 29 to host Racing Louisville FC at 7:30 p.m. CT for their fifth game of 2023 UKG Challenge Cup Group play.
