HOUSTON (Aug. 16, 2025) - The Houston Dash travel to Sports Illustrated Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 17 to face NJ/NY Gotham FC. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. CT, and fans can follow the match live on NWSL+.
Houston hit the road after a 2-1 victory over the North Carolina Courage, a match that earned them three crucial points at the start of the second half of the season. Midfielder Kiki Van Zanten opened the scoring with a stunning long-range strike that soared into the top right corner. The game-winner came in dramatic fashion, as midfielder Sophie Schmidt found the back of the net in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time, capitalizing on a chance created by forward Yazmeen Ryan, who beat her defender to set up the goal. Both Van Zanten and Schmidt have now scored in back-to-back matches, each tallying their second goal of the season.
Defensively, captain Jane Campbell finished the match with three saves and clearances against the Courage. Midfielder Maggie Graham and Danny Colaprico led the team with three interceptions while defender Paige Nielsen tallied five clearances. Notably the match saw the return of defender Michelle Alozie, who helped Nigeria win the Women’s African Cup of Nations earlier this summer.
The Dash add to their defense with the signing of Italian international Lisa Boattin from Juventus for an undisclosed fee. The 28-year-old joins Houston through the 2027 NWSL season after spending eight seasons with the Italian giants, making 236 appearances, and winning 14 trophies during her time with the club.
NJ/NY Gotham FC enters this week’s matchup after earning a point in a 0-0 draw against rivals Washington Spirit on August 9. That match drew a season-high crowd of 13,860 fans at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Geyse will be unavailable for selection after receiving a red card following a challenge on a Washington defender. Sunday’s match will also be played without Olympic gold medalist and World Cup winner Tierna Davidson, who suffered a season-ending injury earlier this year. Esther González currently leads Gotham’s attack with 10 goals in the regular season, while Sarah Schupansky leads the team with five assists. Gotham FC are currently on a four-game unbeaten streak and holds a 2-3-2 (W-L-D) record at home.
The Dash and Gotham FC split points in their first meeting of the season, playing to a scoreless draw at Shell Energy Stadium on March 28, a match that marked Houston’s first clean sheet of the season. Delanie Sheehan, Abby Smith, and Ryan, all of whom joined the Dash from Gotham FC in the offseason, now face their former club in the second and final meeting of the regular season.
The Dash return to Shell Energy Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 24, to host Seattle Reign FC. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CT. Tickets for that match and all Dash matches are available at HoustonDash.com.
