HOUSTON (Oct. 22, 2026) - The Houston Dash travel to Chicago for their final road trip of the regular season. Houston has won three road games this season and have earned four points over the last two road trips under interim head coach Jaime Frias. The Dash will look to sweep the regular season series against Chicago Stars FC following a 5-0 victory at Shell Energy Stadium on Aug. 19.
The Dash look to bounce back after their second-half rally fell short at home against the Orlando Pride. The visitors earned a 2-1 victory and Dash midfielder Danny Colaprico scored her second goal of the season in the match. This is the first time the veteran defensive midfielder scores more than one goal in a season. The University of Virginia alum scored the opening goal in Houston's 2-1 victory over Boston Legacy FC in Rhode Island on Sept. 20, her first goal for the Dash.Â
Houston's goal on Sunday came off a corner kick from rookie forward Kat Rader in the second half. Rader currently leads the team with 40 chances created this season. She also leads the team with 10 goals and Rader needs to score one more goal to match the league record for goals scored by a rookie in a single season (11). The forward will represent the team at the 2026 NWSL Skills Challenge, presented by CarMax, next month in Washington D.C.
Rader was one of eight Dash players who returned to Houston following the international window. Seven players saw action on Sunday afternoon and among them was defender Leah Klenke, the Houston native led the team with nine recoveries and three interceptions against the Pride.Â
Houston has won three consecutive matches against the Stars and the team has won six of the last nine meetings (6-3-0, WLD). Houston only won three of the first 20 regular season meetings with Chicago through 2021, posting a (3-10-7, WLD) record. With a victory on Friday, the Dash would hold four or more consecutive victories over the same opponent for the first time since a stretch of triumphs over Sky Blue FC (now Gotham FC) during the 2018-2019 seasons.Â
Chicago enters the match with a seven-game winless streak where they have posted a 0-6-1 (WLD) record in that stretch. They recently lost 3-1 to Seattle Reign FC at home on Sunday with Simone Charley scoring the only goal for the Stars. Friday's match will be the final home game for the Stars and they enter with a 4-9-1 (WLD) record at home. The team also enters Friday's match with a four-game losing streak at home, conceding 15 goals over that stretch.Â
The team is led by U.S. Women's National Team forward Mallory Swanson, who returned from maternity leave earlier this season. She started 10 games this year and offensively, she has scored two goals and tallied an assist on Jameese Joseph's goal against Louisville on August 23. That goal was key in securing a 3-2 victory, Chicago's most recent triumph in league play. Joseph is no longer with the Stars and was traded to Utah on Sept. 7.
The team returns to Shell Energy Stadium to host Portland Thorns FC for Fan Appreciation Night on Sunday, Nov. 1. Kickoff is set for 4:00 p.m. CT, and tickets are available HERE
