HOUSTON (April 24, 2026) - The Houston Dash continue a three-match homestand on Saturday, April 25, as they host the North Carolina Courage at 7:00 p.m. at Shell Energy Stadium.The club will celebrate Kids Night with family-friendly activations across the concourse, and tickets for fans under 18 are available for just $5.
Pre-match activities will begin at 5:00 p.m. CT in the North Plaza, with additional in-stadium activations starting at 6:00 p.m. CT. A full overview can be found HERE. Fans can also look forward to the Dash “Band of the Match,” as the Galena Park High School Band returns to amplify the match experience throughout the evening. The Dash will continue the Band of the Match initiative throughout the season, with fans encouraged to nominate local bands to participate.
The Dash resume league play following a dramatic 4-3 victory over Racing Louisville FC on April 3 at Shell Energy Stadium, extending their unbeaten run at home to seven matches. Midfielder Kiki Van Zanten delivered a standout performance with a brace, while forward Kat Rader and midfielder Sarah Puntigam each converted from the penalty spot, including the stoppage-time winner that secured all three points for Houston. Van Zanten also drew the decisive penalty and was named NWSL Player of the Week for Week 4 following her performance. The 24-year-old currently leads the league in goals scored this season with four.
Houston also announced a series of roster updates ahead of Saturday’s match. The club signed defender Natalie Bain through the 2026 NWSL season and she will report to the team in May following the conclusion of her academic term at Xavier University. Additionally, forward Makenzy Robbe was placed on the Season Ending Injury list after suffering a knee injury earlier this month in training. Robbe underwent successful surgery earlier this month and her recovery will be managed by the Dash medical team. The forward, one of nine new signings ahead of the 2026 campaign, made an immediate impact by scoring the game-winning goal in Houston’s 1-0 victory over San Diego on March 14.
The Dash also announced that the club and defender Christen Westphal have mutually agreed to terminate her contract. Westphal joined Houston ahead of the 2025 season following a trade with San Diego Wave FC and made her club debut on April 12, 2025, against Angel City FC at Shell Energy Stadium. She appeared in nine matches for the Dash during the 2025 season, earning seven starts, and brings a wealth of league experience with 125 regular season appearances and 97 starts since her professional debut in 2016.
Eight Dash players returned from international duty and will be available for selection. Goalkeeper Jane Campbell and defender Avery Patterson represented the U.S. Women’s National Team in a three-match series against Japan. Puntigam joined Austria for a pair of World Cup qualifying matches and captained the side in the first match. Van Zanten represented Jamaica in a World Cup qualifying match against Guyana on Saturday, April 18, contributing to two of Jamaica’s four goals. Evelina Duljan (Sweden U-23) continued preparations for upcoming international competitions, while Linda Ullmark (U.S. U-20) scored the opening goal against Brazil, marking her third goal in five U-20 caps. Leah Klenke and Kat Rader were in camp with the U.S. U-23 squad for a trio of matches in Spain.
Houston has opened the season with a 3-1-0 (WLD) record, earning nine points through four matches. The Dash have been particularly strong at Shell Energy Stadium, where they remainunbeaten and have scored three or more goals in back-to-back home matches for the first time since August 2018.
Defensively, Houston will look to build on recent performances, with goalkeeper Jane Campbell recording 12 saves over the last four matches. Defenders Paige Nielsen and Leah Klenkehave anchored the backline with a combined 52 clearances. Midfielder Maggie Graham has also played a key role defensively, adding 10 clearances and 16 recoveries.
North Carolina Courage enter Saturday’s match following a 2-2 draw against Portland Thorns FC prior to the international break. The Courage saw goals from Manaka Matsukubo and Ashley Sanchez in the four-goal contest, with Matsukubo extending her scoring streak to four consecutive appearances. Sanchez has also been a key contributor in the attack early this season, tallying three goals, while goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan anchors the backline.
Six North Carolina Courage players were called up for international duty during the April FIFA window, representing their respective countries across friendlies, qualifiers, and tournament competition. Manaka Matsukubo joined Japan for a three-match friendly series against the United States, while Evelyn Ijeh featured for Sweden in UEFA Women’s Nations League qualifying matches. Kailen Sheridan (Canada), Riley Jackson (United States U-23), Lauryn Thompson (England U-19), and Carly Wickenheiser (Canada) also took part in international competition during the window.
Saturday’s match also marks a reunion for defender Malia Berkely, who joined the Dash following four seasons with North Carolina in a trade that sent defender Natalie Jacobs to the Courage. Jacobs was later named team captain ahead of the 2026 season alongside Kailen Sheridan and Ryan Williams. The two sides last met at Shell Energy Stadium in August 2025, when midfielder Sophie Schmidt scored a stoppage-time winner for the Dash. Schmidt recently returned to action after being removed from the Season Ending Injury list earlier this month.
The team will close its three-match homestand as they host Seattle Reign FC on Friday, May 1 at 7:00 p.m. CT. Tickets for that match and all Houston Dash matches are available HERE via Tixr, the Club’s official ticketing provider. Fans attending Saturday’s match against the North Carolina Courage can add a Mystery Pin for $6 to their ticket purchase, with limited-edition pins also available for purchase on matchday.
