Houston Dash Look to Spoil Alex Morgan Tribute Night in Pivotal Clash with San Diego Wave
(image via Houston Dash)
The Houston Dash head to San Diego to take on the Wave on a night dedicated to honoring Alex Morgan’s legendary career. Houston is coming off a hard-fought draw on the road in Louisville, while San Diego settled for a scoreless stalemate against Seattle last week.
When: Sunday, September 7 | 7:30 PM CT
Where: Snapdragon Stadium; San Diego, California
TV/Stream: ESPN, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes
Crucial Game
This matchup could prove to be the most pivotal game of the season for both sides. The Dash need all three points to keep their playoff push alive, while the Wave are trying to stop their slide down the table after a strong start. San Diego must regain their footing before the gap becomes too difficult to close. Houston, meanwhile, carries momentum and the belief that they can go into any stadium and get a result.
Performance Needs to Become Results
Since the draw against Seattle, the Dash have shown signs of turning a corner in terms of performance. Early after the league’s restart, points felt like they came through grit and fortune, but now Houston is dictating games, applying pressure, and playing with confidence. The growth in their system is evident on the field. The next step is translating that progress into results that lift them up the table.
An Unusual Wave Side
San Diego looked like early favorites for both the NWSL Championship and the Shield, but they haven’t found the same stride since the league resumed. Once known for being compact defensively, dangerous in transition, and clinical in front of goal, they’re now showing cracks. Opponents are exploiting the spaces they leave when taking risks. For the Dash, the key will be finding those pockets of space while staying organized against attacking threats like Adriana Leon and Delphine Cascarino.
Availability Report
Houston Dash – Out: Ramona Bachmann (SEI-knee), Elizabeth Beardsley (IL-hand), Amanda West (SEI-knee)
San Diego Wave - Out: Melanie Barcenas (lower extremity), Trinity Byars (SEI-knee), Kristen McNabb (lower extremity), Chiamaka Okwuchukwu (SEI-lower leg)
Predicted Lineup
