The Houston Dash visit Maryland on Saturday to face the Washington Spirit prior to a FIFA international break at the end of the month in which players will report to national team duty. Houston will look to bounce back after falling to Portland Thorns FC last Sunday and make up ground in the playoff race.
Houston currently sits in seventh place and need to close an eight-point gap with seven games left in the regular season. Two of those games will be against the Spirit who enter the match with a four-game losing streak after falling 2-0 to the North Carolina Courage on July 11. With the loss, the Spirit are winless in their last eight games. The streak started at BBVA Compass Stadium on May 27 when Houston defeated Washington 3-2 with goals from FWs Rachel Daly and Kealia Ohai.
Houston split the series at the Maryland SoccerPlex last season as the Dash won the opening duel with a 1-0 victory on April 29. Ohai scored the game-winning goal in that contest and enters this match as the second-highest goalscorer on the team with four after scoring Houston's only goal in Portland last Sunday.
Ohai was named to the U.S. Women's National Team preliminary roster by Jill Ellis earlier this week as the three-time FIFA Women's World Cup champions prepare for the 2018 Tournament of Nations. The forward is one of three Houston players who will compete in this tournament as midfielders Clare Polkinghorne and Kyah Simon will join Australia as the Matildas look to defend their title. Ohai reported to the national team on Friday so she will not be available for selection in this contest.
Ohai, Polkinghorne, Simon and the Dash will return to BBVA Compass Stadium on Aug. 5 as they host Christen Press and Utah Royals FC in a key matchup as Houston looks to leap Laura Harvey's side in the standings. Tickets for the match start at $19 and are available at HoustonDashSoccer.com
