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Is this the year? Is this when the Houston Dash make their first NWSL playoff appearance in club history? So far this season, things have looked good but with just three games to play and the league standings as tight as can be, will it happen? Let’s take a look at the playoff contenders, their remaining matches, and try and predict the results. So, where will the Dash end up? Remember, the top six teams make the playoffs.
Kansas City Current
Kansas City has been red hot until their loss on Wednesday. KC still sits at the top of the table, albeit with a negative goal difference.
Remaining matches and predicted results
Portland (home) – draw
Washington (home) – win
Louisville (away) – win
Projected points: 39
Portland is just a point behind KC in the race for the Shield and have a game in hand. Could the Thorns run the table?
Remaining matches and predicted results
Kansas City (away) – draw
Louisville (home) – win
Chicago (home) – win
Gotham (away) – win
Projected points: 41
San Diego Wave FC
San Diego have had an impressive run in their expansion season. Now with the opening of their new stadium, can they ride the momentum to a first-place finish?
Remaining matches and predicted results
Angel City (home) – win
Orlando (away) – draw
North Carolina (home) – draw
Projected points: 36
Houston Dash
Houston has three games remaining, with two of them on the road. Tomorrow’s match in Chicago could go a long way in determining where the Dash finish the season.
Remaining matches and predicted results
Chicago (away) – loss
OL Reign (home) – win
Washington (away) – draw
Projected points: 34
Chicago has an identical record as the Dash and even have the same goal difference. Again, tomorrow’s match is huge for Chicago as well.
Remaining matches and predicted results
Houston (home) – win
Portland (away) – loss
Angel City (home) – win
Projected points: 36
OL Reign
The Reign have four matches remaining, with the next three on the road. They finish the season with a very winnable game against Orlando at home.
Remaining matches and predicted results
North Carolina (away) – loss
Gotham (away) – win
Houston (away) – loss
Orlando (home) – win
Projected points: 34
Angel City
The league’s other expansion team are currently on the outside of the playoff picture looking in. Angel City do have a game in hand on Houston, Chicago, and San Diego that could prove vital.
Remaining matches and predicted results
San Diego (away) – loss
Washington (home) – win
Louisville (home) – win
Chicago (away) – loss
Projected points: 32
The Courage have surged late to join the congested playoff picture. But is it too little too late?
Remaining matches and predicted results
OL Reign (home) – win
Orlando (away) – draw
Gotham (home) – win
San Diego (away) – draw
Projected points: 33
If we take all of these predicted results and the projected points, the table at the end of the season would look like this:
- Portland Thorns – 41 points (playoffs)
- Kansas City Current – 39 points (playoffs)
- San Diego Wave FC – 36 points (playoffs)
- Chicago Red Stars – 36 points (playoffs)
- Houston Dash – 34 points (playoffs)
- OL Reign – 34 points (playoffs)
- North Carolina Courage – 33 points (out)
- Angel City FC – 32 points (out)
Based on this, the Dash would squeak into the playoffs by a point ahead of North Carolina. Obviously, any number of these results could go different and completely shake things up. If Houston can grab a point or even three in Chicago tomorrow night, that would go a huge way in their push to make the postseason. All three matches are big for the Dash and the entire league is going to be exciting to watch as we come to the finish line.
So, is this the year for the Dash and the playoffs? We say yes, what do you think? Let us know in the comments below.
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