he Houston Dash return PNC Stadium on Sunday to host the Portland Thorns for the final home game of the regular season. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT, fans can stream the match on Paramount+ and on Twitch for international fans.
The Dash return to PNC Stadium after suffering its first loss since Sept. 1, following a 3-0 defeat at Kansas City NWSL, Wednesday night. Houston enters the match against Portland in a three-way tie for fourth place with the Chicago Red Stars and the North Carolina Courage.
Houston and Portland have faced off four times in 2021, twice in the regular season, once in the NWSL Challenge Cup and once during the Women’s International Champions Cup (WICC). All four matches were decided by a goal or finished in a draw.
Houston and Portland traded goals in the first meeting of the year, a 1-1 draw on May 2 in the NWSL Challenge Cup. The first meeting of the regular season between the two teams resulted in a 1-0 victory for Portland. During the WICC, the Dash and Portland were tied 2-2 all the way until PKs where the Thorns took the match 3-1 from the penalty spot. The third game featured five total goals scored. Dash captain* Rachel Daly* scored the game-winning goal in the 79th minute, securing her second brace in as many games and putting Houston up 3-2 over Portland.
Houston is looking to earn a crucial three points for its playoff push in front of their home fans for the last time this regular season. The Dash will close out the regular season on the road against Washington, following the international break. Tickets for Sunday’s match are available at HoustonDash.com/tickets.
Here are the three key points ahead of Sunday’s game:
- DASH FOCUS ON PLAYOFF PUSH:The Dash enter the final regular season game in a three-way tie for fourth place with North Carolina and Chicago and are still looking to clinch their first playoff appearance in team history. Sunday’s rival enters the match in first place and are trying to lock down a first round bye. The Dash will travel to Washington to take on the Spirit in the final game of the regular season on Oct. 30. The Dash needs to beat Portland and needs North Carolina to lose to clinch its first playoff appearance in club history. The Courage host NY/NJ Gotham FC tomorrow at 1 p.m. at WakeMed Soccer Park. Six teams qualify for the postseason in 2021 and the top two teams earn a bye to the second round of the playoffs.
- MILESTONES TO WATCH FOR: A win on Sunday would mark the 10th win in the regular season – the first 10-win season in club history. A draw would help the Dash surpass its best points total in club history (32 pts. in 2018), a win would make it the winningest regular season in team history. The Dash is four goals away from matching the club record of 35 goals scored in one season. Houston Dash Capitan Rachel Daly, who has scored nine goals this season, is one goal away from tying her career high of 10 goals in a regular season (10 goals in 24 games in 2018).
- PORTLAND LOOKS FOR PAYBACK: The Thorns lost to the Dash at home earlier this month and that was the first victory for Houston in Portland since May 2015. Houston handed Portland its first home loss since May 23, 2021. The Thorns are currently in first place with 40 points and are vying for the NWSL Shield and a first round bye in the 2021 NSWL Playoffs. Thorns enter Sunday’s contest following a 1-1 draw at home against second place OL Reign. Portland as a 5-4-1 (WLD) record on the road this season and Sunday’s match marks the final time the Thorns will travel this regular season before closing out the season at home against North Carolina on Oct. 30.
