HOUSTON (March 22, 2024) – Houston Dash return to Shell Energy Stadium to host Racing Louisville FC on Saturday evening. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. CT for the home opener, powered by Shell Energy. Fans are encouraged to remain in the venue after the match to enjoy a postgame fireworks display. Additionally, tomorrow’s match will feature new food vendors and the return of the Dash Drummers. To purchase tickets to the match, click here.
WHO: |
NWSL Regular Season Home Opener Houston Dash vs Racing Louisville FC
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WHEN: |
Saturday, March 23 – 7:30 p.m. CT |
WHERE: | Shell Energy Stadium Houston, Texas |
STREAM/TV: |
NWSL+ (English) Announcers: Jenn Hildreth and Gary Bailey
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Both teams enter the game in search of their first win of the regular season. Houston opened the campaign on the road in North Carolina against the Courage and suffered a 5-1 loss. Racing Louisville FC hosted Orlando on opening day at Lynn Family Stadium on March 16. The Kentucky-based team conceded two goals and walked away with a point before traveling to Houston this weekend.
Both Louisville and Houston feature first-year head coaches. Racing named Bev Yanez as its head coach on November 30 after she spent the 2023 season on the Louisville sideline as an assistant coach. Houston appointed Fran Alonso as the head coach of the Dash in late December after four successful seasons at the helm of Celtic Women FC.
This is the second consecutive season that Houston hosts Louisville for its home opener. Last year, to kick off the 2023 season, Houston and Racing battled for more than 90 minutes to split points in a scoreless draw at Shell Energy Stadium. The Dash are undefeated in five home matches against Louisville across all competitions with a record of 3-0-2 (WLD).
Dash captain and goalkeeper Jane Campbell, who is expected to make the start in net for the match, is projected to make NWSL history on Saturday. Her next start will be her 150th match in goal across all NWSL competitions, all with the Dash. Campbell will become the first goalkeeper to make 150 starts for a single team across all competitions in NWSL history.
Houston and Racing share a lot of history, despite Racing Louisville being in its third overall season in the NWSL with 11 matches played across all competitions. Throughout that stretch, Houston has outscored Louisville 13-8 and holds an advantage in the series with an overall record of 6-3-1 (WLD). Both teams feature players who have worn both crests. Dash forwards Yuki Nagasato and Cece Kizer played alongside one another in Louisville during the club’s inaugural season in 2021. Midfielder Marisa DiGrande (formerly Viggiano) spent the last two seasons in the Space City before joining Racing as a free agent.
The Dash will travel to the Bay Area next week for the first time in club history to face Bay FC. The match will be available on ION, which is one of the new broadcast partners for the NWSL, and is set to kickoff at 9 p.m. CT.
