Houston Dash ready to reset against Orlando Pride

The Houston Dash and Orlando Pride will be working on little rest when they face each other on Wednesday night after each played games over the weekend. The Dash play host to a team that is unbeaten in their last six away games and undefeated in their last four games. The Dash have collected points in three of their last four games, losing last week to the Portland Thorns.

The scoreline in Houston’s Friday night 3-1 loss to the Portland Thorns was a deceiving one on the Dash side. In spite of losing by two goals the team put in one of their better performances of the season. It was clear that the moves that head coach Vera Pauw has made over the last couple of weeks have helped strengthen the team. Dash newcomer Sofia Huerta scored in the 12th minute to draw the team level with the Thorns after Tobin Heath scored in the 8th minute. Ana Marie Cmogorcevic and Christine Sinclair scored for the Thorns to give the team from Portland three points.

On Saturday, the Pride recorded a 1-0 victory over the Washington Spirit. Alanna Kennedy scored the lone goal in the game in a win that was the first at the Maryland SoccerPlex for the Pride. The goal from Kennedy caught Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Beldsoe off her line as the Australian fired the ball from midfield over the goalkeeper and into goal.

The Dash and Pride faced each other back on April 22. The Pride won their home game 1-0 over the Dash thanks to a goal from Chioma Ubogagu. The game was also the first game back for Kealia Ohai, who tore her ACL last year, as she subbed on in the 56th minute.

The Pride are ten points behind league leading North Carolina Courage sitting in second place in the NWSL Standings. The Dash sit further down the standings in seventh place with 14 points after 13 matches played. Before the games of the past weekend there were only nine points separating second and eighth place. Now there are 12 points from second to eighth after the teams at the top recorded wins over the bottom teams.

Things kick off at 6:30 pm CT at Orlando City Stadium.