Dash nab Brazilians for international spots

The Houston Dash announced Thursday the club has acquired Brazilian midfielder Rosana and defender Poliana, pending receipt of ther P-1 Visas and ITCS. Terms of the deal were not released, per team and league policy.

In a press release from the club's official web site, Dash head coach Randy Waldrum said, "I am extremely excited to sign two world-class players in Rosana and Poliana. Both are tremendous signings for us, having recently won the International Women's Club Championship along with their many successes with the Brazilian women's national team."

"I'm so excited and thankful to have them both; our Dash fans will immediately embrace them I'm sure," Waldrum added.

Thirty-two-year-old Rosana dos Santos Augusto, also known as Rosana, joins the Dash from Sao Jose Esporte Clube in Brazil. An attacking midfielder, she has appeared in every Summer Olympics and FIFA Women's World Cup since 2000 for her country. During that time she has scored three goals in 28 matches in those competitions. Brazil earned the silver medal at the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics and finished runners-up at the 2007 World Cup. The veteran has appeared in more than 100 matches, notching 18 goals across all competitions for Brazil since 1999.

Rosana started her soccer career with Sao Paulo, Corinthians and INternacional before moving overseas to SV Neulengbach in the Austrain OFB-Frauenliga in 2004. She has won domestic league and cup titles in each of her seasons with Neulengbach. In 2009, the inaugural season of the Women's Professional Soccer league, Rosana signed with Sky Blue FC. She played in the U.S. until 2011 when she moved to French powerhouse Olypmique Lyon, helping the team earn the UEFA Women's Champion's League title in 2012. The Sao Paulo native would move to Norway's Avaldsnes for the 2013-14 season before heading to Sao Jose in November 2014. There she scored the game-winning goal in the final of the 2014 International Women's Club Championship.

"Rosana is a legend in Brazilian women's football and brings with her a wealth of international experience," Waldrum stated in the press release. "She's creative, extremely technical and has great ability to open up defenses with her passing quality."

Dash's second signing, Poliana Barbosa Medeiros, who is more commonly known as Poliana, is also making her way to Houston from Sao Jose. A 23-year-old defender, she has appeared in more than 50 matches for the Sao Paulo club over the past three years. During that time, she had notched 10 goals. While she played in Brazil, Sao Jose won the 2012 and 2013 Copa do Brasil, 2013 and 2014 Copa Libertadores and, most recently, the 2014 International Women's Club Championship.

During her international career for her home country, Poliana has earned 21 caps and scored two goals at the senior level since making her debut in December 2012. An outside back, she has made five appearances at the 2014 Copa America. Brazil's win in that competition secured them a spot in the 2015 FIFA World Cup. Poliana has previously been a part of the Brazil youth setup, making an appearance at the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in 2010.

"Poliana is a very attack-minded outside back that, much like Rosana, is extremely technical and attacks with flair," Waldrum was quoted in the release. "She is a handful for any team when attacking the flank areas."

Both players are currently with the Brazil Women's National Team at the International Tournament of Brasilia, and face the U.S. Women's National Team at 2:45 p.m. CT Sunday, Dec. 14.

To make room for both of these players on the roster, the Dash also announced they have waived defender Osinachi Ohale.

Player Stats:

Rosana
Full Name: Rosana dos Santos Augusto
Position: Midfielder
International: Brazil
Date of Birth: July 7, 1982
Birthplace: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Height: 5'8"
Previous Club: Sao Jose Esporte Clube (Brazil)
Acquired: via discovery signing Dec. 11, 2014

Poliana
Full Name: Poliana Barbosa Medeiros
Position: Defender
International: Brazil
Date of Birth: Feb. 6, 1991
Birthplace: Ituiutaba, Brazil
Height: 5'9"
Previous Club: Sao Jose Esporte Clube (Brazil)
Acquired: via discovery signing Dec. 11, 2014