NEED TO KNOW:
Houston host Tigres Femenil on Sunday in the first women’s international club friendly at BBVA Stadium
Midfielder Christine Nairn will retire following Sunday’s game. Nairn has played in 170 games in all competitions for four teams beginning with her rookie season in 2013 with the Seattle Reign
Tigres Femenil are the reigning LigaMX Femenil champions and have won four league titles since 2017
HOUSTON – The Houston Dash return to BBVA Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 19 to host their first international friendly as they welcome Tigres Femenil from Mexico.
The Houston Dash return to action after a break for the FIFA international window. The Dash will miss six players on Sunday due to the international window. Rachel Daly and England opened their campaign to qualify for the 2023 Women’s World Cup with an 8-0 victory over North Macedonia. Jane Campbell, Kirstie Mewis and Abby Dahlkemper joined the U.S. Women’s National Team for a pair of friendlies against Paraguay and won the first meeting 9-0. Michelle Alozie and Nigeria opened the Aisha Buhari Cup with a 2-0 victory over Mali.Andrea Hauksdottir and Iceland open their World Cup qualification campaign on Tuesday against the Netherlands.
Tigres Femenil enter Sunday’s game unbeaten in league play with a 9-0-0 record after their 5-0 victory over Pachuca on Sunday. Tigres is the favorite to win the LigaMX Femenil title this season after a strong start to the year. The team has scored 23 goals in their last six games and have only conceded two goals in that stretch.
Sunday’s match is the second meeting between both teams after Tigres Femenil earned a 2-1 victory over Houston in Monterrey, Mexico in 2019. Houston will play its third international match of the year after representing the NWSL in the 2021 Women’s International Champions Cup in Portland this summer.
The Dash return to league play next Sunday on the road against Racing Louisville FC. Houston returns to BBVA Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 10 to host the North Carolina Courage at 6 p.m. CT.
Here are the three key points ahead of Sunday’s game:
NAIRN TO RETIRE AND JOIN HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT: Prior to kickoff of Sunday’s Dash vs. Tigres match, the Dash will celebrate Christine Nairn and honor one of the most widely respected and admired players in NWSL history with a special pre-match ceremony. Nairn, 30, is an original member of the National Women’s Soccer League, starting her professional career as the seventh overall pick in the inaugural NWSL College Draft in 2013. She has played in 170 NWSL matches across all competitions over the last eight seasons, including 155 regular-season contests for Seattle Reign FC (now OL Reign), the Washington Spirit, the Orlando Pride and the Houston Dash. Following her retirement, Nairn announced that she plans to remain in Houston and has accepted an opportunity to join the Houston Fire Department Academy to become a firefighter.
DASH LOOK TO SPARK PLAYOFF PUSH: The Dash return to league play on Sunday, Sept. 26 with the first of three games on the road. Houston will look to secure a top-six finish to earn their first playoff berth in team history. Houston is currently tied with the Washington Spirit for the sixth and final playoff spot with six games left in the regular season. The playoff race will go down to the wire as six points separate the Dash from the North Carolina Courage currently in third place. Houston’s first two matches following the international break are against opponents below them in the table and the Dash will face direct rivals in their final four games of the season.
TIGRES TOP OF THE TABLE IN MEXICO: Tigres are the reigning LigaMX Femenil champions and have won four titles since 2017. Their dominance was on clear display in their last league match, a 5-0 trashing over Pachuca at home, last Sunday. Tigres have conceded three goals in nine matches and have scored 35 goals this season. Tigres will miss Maria Sanchez, Nancy Lopez and Cristina Ferral on Sunday due to Mexico’s friendly with Colombia on Tuesday.
