Houston Dash still believe

Even though the Houston Dash have been struggling as of late, they still believe that they will turn things around as they fight for every match.

The Houston Dash have one of the more mindblowing streaks going in soccer let alone any sport having lost five consecutive games by the same 1-0 score.  It’s a streak that has the power to break a team or the power to mold a team.  It’s a streak that can be a season ending destroyer or a difference maker as the season goes on.  For the Houston Dash, it is the latter on all accounts.

Now in their third season, the Houston Dash have methodically put together a squad that is what head coach, Randy Waldrum, had envisioned from day one. “We now have the kind of players on offense that we envisioned in year one,” said Waldrum.  “We have  players who stay after and out in the extra time.  Right now it’s tough but we will be okay.  There’s no quit in this team.  They are fighters.”

More from MLS Multiplex

• Javier Milei Elected in Argentina: Potential Impacts on MLS and Signings of Argentine Players
• Orlando City and New York City FC in the Battle for Matías Arezo; Grêmio Enters Negotiations! Who Will Come Out on Top?
• USA, Honduras, Panama, and Canada Close in on a Spot in the 2024 Copa America
• De Gea Turns Down Al-Nassr’s Lucrative Offer: Speculation Points to Possible Reunion with Messi at Inter Miami
• Messi’s Magnetic Impact in the United States

As year one became year two and year two has melted into year three, the organization has consistently changed pieces always with an end goal in mind of putting a team on the field that rivals the attributes of the FC Barcelona on the men’s side with Messi and company.  A team that is more potent on offense than any opposition, more suffocating on defense than any other side and overall more team oriented regardless of the stars it’s fielded.

The Houston Dash came into season three thinking they had an offense that was nearly or at least could be nearly unstoppable, a defensive unit that was growing but still needing some improvement and perhaps the most important attribute being a cohesiveness as a team that could not be torn apart.  So far two out of three has happened.

The defense continues to grow from week to week but you can’t expect much better than five straight games of giving up just one goal per. In fact, if you would have asked coach Waldrum and his staff at the beginning of the season if the defense was playing this well would he be happy, the answer would probably have been a yes.

Unfortunately, the offense which is loaded with talent has not been able to find the back of the net in more than a month.  After such a promising start in the opener (three goals), the offense has struggled since (three goals).

It’s hard to say the offense is lacking because of the absence of Carli Lloyd when you have players like Rachel Daly, Janine Beckie, Denise O’Sullivan, Chioma Ubogagu and Kealia Ohai.  They are banging them off the post forcing spectacular saves at critical times and of course simply missing so the effort is there but not the results and that’s where the most important attribute comes in.

“We are together as a team,” said forward/midfielder Melissa Henderson in a recent interview following training.  “We have been going through a valley but we have stuck together.  It’s tough but we believe in one another and we know we will come out of it better.”

The Dash (2-6-1, 7 points) look to get well against Sky Blue FC (3-4-4, 13 points) who ad a four game unbeaten streak snapped in a 2-1 loss to Portland last week.  As the national team players depart, this team which has been built for just this moment has an opportunity to close the gap before the Olympic break at the end of July and then being at full strength for the stretch run.