Houston Dash vs Chicago Red Stars Preview: Can the Dash get three points against the Red Stars?

The Houston Dash play at BBVA Compass Stadium one final time this season. On Saturday, they will host the Chicago Red Stars in a game that could have playoff implications, at least for the Red Stars.

The Red Stars are currently in third place in the NWSL standings with 36 points. The Orlando Pride sit right behind them with 36 points as well while the Seattle Reign are in fifth with 31 points. While Chicago hasn’t clinched a playoff position yet a win this weekend against the Dash could do just that for them. Three points would put them out of reach of the Reign. For the Dash it is an entirely different story as they sit in eighth place with 23 points and no hopes of making the playoffs. The Dash went on a streak in late June and all of July drawing or winning all of their games during that time frame. It looked like they might be able to turn the season around and make it into the playoffs for the first time in club history, but as they tend to do the wheels came off and the team has lost all but one in their last six games.

So, can the Dash beat the Red Stars this weekend? Sure, they could play spoiler and prevent the Red Stars from finally clinching a playoff spot. However, the Dash continue to lack cohesion on the field which has long been an issue for the team. Individually the team is made-up of great players but as a team they fail to get results on the field. Too many lineups in too many games prevent the players from being able to really build a rhythm with one another. It’s hard to expect the players to thrive when a new lineup is introduced each week.

Oh yeah and the Dash’s top goal scorer this season is still Poliana, a defender. She has scored four goals this season while Rachel Daly and Nichelle Prince sit behind her with three goals each. No one on the team has scored since their 3-1 victory over the Boston Breakers on August 16.

If you want more reason to feel a depressed about this weekend’s game it will mark the first time that the Dash will face Morgan Brian since she was traded to the Chicago Red Stars during Hurricane Harvey. Of course the Red Stars also bring their top goal scorer, Christen Press, to town with them. Press has scored 10 goals in the NWSL this season. She also started in the USWNT’s 5-0 victory over New Zealand last weekend.

Can the Dash end things on a high note at BBVA? We’ll find out on Saturday.

Deets:

Houston Dash vs Chicago Red Stars

BBVA Compass Stadium

Saturday, September 22 at 7:30 pm CT