Match Preview: Houston Dash vs. Gotham
FCPNC Stadium | Houston, Texas – Wednesday, August 17 at 8:30 PM ET
Players to watch:
Houston playmaker Shea Groom put a game-leading three shots on frame against Racing Louisville on Friday, her first time this season with three shots on goal in a single game. Since beginning her career in 2015, Groom has just three other such games in league play, the most recent being a four shot on goal effort for FC Kansas City against Sky Blue in September 2017. In addition, Ebony Salmon has lit up the scoresheet since her arrival via trade with Louisville, scoring six goals (two penalties) in six games with the Dash.
In the only goal of the game for Gotham FC against OL Reign on Sunday, forward Taylor Smith netted her second goal of the season off an assist from teammate Ifeoma Onumonu, her second assist this season. The goal brought Smith and Onumonu to three goal contributions each on the season, tied for second on the team behind forward Midge Purce’s five (3 goals, 2 assists).
Match facts: The Houston Dash host Gotham FC on Wednesday night at PNC Stadium as the lone midweek action across the NWSL this week, with the hosts looking to extend their unbeaten run to five games while the visitors aim to avoid a fifth straight loss.
Houston’s 0-0 draw with Racing Louisville on Friday brought the Dash’s current unbeaten streak to four games (W3 D1), the team’s second longest streak this season behind a six-game unbeaten run from May to June (W3 D3). Prior to this year, Houston had never had two separate unbeaten streaks over four games in a single season in its NWSL history. Drawing in their last game out, the Dash’s three straight wins prior to saw forward Ebony Salmon net her six goals with a hattrick in one, a penalty in the second, and a brace in the third win.
Gotham FC, meanwhile, has lost three straight games away from home for the first time in the league since losing three consecutive road games from May to June 2018. Gotham has conceded 11 goals in its last 3 road games, just one fewer than the NWSL season-high 12 goals conceded by Orlando Pride in a three-game road span. In addition, Gotham has scored just three goals in their last four games and have scored the fewest goals on the season in addition to registering the fewest shots and having the lowest percentage of shots on target.
Houston visited Gotham at the end of July and won, 4-2, scoring four goals in a single game for the fourth time this year. Houston’s four games with at least four goals leads the league, while Gotham’s four games conceding at least four goals this season are the most in the league.
