Houston Dash look to keep unbeaten streak alive against Western New York Flash

The Houston Dash and Western New York Flash come into Saturday's game looking to extend unbeaten streaks they started before the FIFA Women's World Cup break. The Dash are on a four-game unbeaten streak while the Flash have won two straight games. The two teams sit 5 and 6 in the standings with 10 points each, but the Flash have played one less game than the Dash.

In their last game before the World Cup break the Houston Dash tied the Portland Timbers 0-0 at home. However, penalty kick success still eludes the Dash as they have missed PKs in back to back games prior to the break. The team is three for eight on penalty kicks since 2014. Jessica McDonald is currently third in goals scored in the NWSL this season with four.

In their last game before the break the Western New York Flash took down unbeaten Chicago in a 3-1 win. Samantha Mewis got her third goal of the season thanks to a great ball from Elizabeth Eddy who would score her first professional goal in the game as well.

This is the first time the two teams have met since the offseason trade that saw the Dash's Becky Edwards and Whitney Engen head to the Western New York Flash for Carli Lloyd. Engen and Lloyd are both still in Canada with the USWNT and won't be around for the game leaving Edwards as the sole face of the trade in Houston this weekend. The Lloyd-Engen-Edwards trade hasn't been the only trade between these two teams. Just last month the Dash traded Ashley Nick to the Flash for Toni Pressley to help shore up the Dash's backline as they currently have three defenders gone for the World Cup and have also lost Stephanie Ochs earlier this season to a torn ACL.

The Houston Dash are still with out their six national team players- Morgan Brian, Carli Lloyd, Meghan Klingenberg with the USWNT and Allysha Chapman, Erin McLeod and Lauren Sesselman with the CanWNT. Goalkeeper Erin McLeod has been gone with the CanWNT and played just one game for the Dash this season, but Bianca Henninger has more than stepped up in her absence showing her skill and agility game in and game out.
Western New York Flash forward Ajara Nchout Njoya was called up by Cameroon and is headed to the Round of 16 with the team. Also, out for the Flash is Sydney Leroux who is with the US team.
The Flash just acquired Nigerian midfielder Halimatu Ayinde who was with the Nigerian National team at the Women's World Cup in Canada. The 20-year-old played all 180 minutes for the team during the tournament. With Nigeria out of the World Cup Auinde is now free to join the team pending approval of her her P-1 visa and International Transfer Certificate (ITC).

The two teams face off Saturday, June 20 at 7:30pm CT at BBVA Compass Stadium.