Washington Spirit set to crush Houston Dash?

Sunday, September 15, shapes up to be a battle as the Washington Spirit takes on Houston Dash, with both teams reaching pivotal points this season. The Spirit is on the rise after a dramatic win against Portland Thorns, while the opposite might be said of the Dash, who have struggled with a five-game losing streak. This game at Audi Field will be more than any ordinary game, as this outcome may very well shape the futures of both teams going into the final stretch of the NWSL season.

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Washington Spirit: Riding high and ready for glory

Washington Spirit comes into this game full of confidence. Their 2-1 win over Portland Thorns last weekend wasn't only about the three critical points it gained but broke new records for the club. With 13 wins and 41 points this season, the Spirit has surged past its 2016 record of 12 wins and 39 points.

Another strong suit is the goal differential of the team. With a +18 margin, the Spirit are on pace to set a new personal best, topping their previous high of +9, which they recorded back in 2016. In that vein, a comeback victory against Portland was the fourth this season for the Spirit, a mark no NWSL side has achieved since the Spirit did so themselves in 2021, underscoring just how resilient the team can be under head coach Jonatan Giráldez.

One of the brightest stars on the team shone again: Trinity Rodman. With her assist in the last match, Rodman became the youngest player in NWSL history to reach 20 assists. Just 22 years old, Rodman has already reached household-name status, and her partnership with Leicy Santos has been deadly-together they've been responsible for the Spirit's last four goals excluding own goals.

It's a confidence-bloated locker room at Spirit, where the team has locked in a playoff spot for the first time since winning the championship in 2021 and is now gunning for the NWSL Shield and the No. 1 seed into the playoffs. A win against Houston isn't just expected; it's a chance to state a further case for the team's dominance in the competition.

Houston Dash: A season to forget?

While Spirit flies high, Houston Dash is on the completely opposite side: five losses in a row make this Texas team seem lost and ready to collapse. This Sunday's loss to Gotham FC by 2-1 was just one more sad chapter in a season of stumbles and breakdowns in defense. It is already the worst losing streak by the Dash since 2017, and pressure on the group is growing.

Despite the team's poor outcome, a few players still manage to shine. Diana Ordóñez still shines, for one. Her header goal was the eighth of her career and a new record for most headers scored in the NWSL since she joined the league in 2022. Even Ordóñez's talent hasn't been enough to save Dash from their recurring defensive issues.

Houston Dash come into this game dead last in the NWSL standings with only three wins in 19 games, and the outlook isn't great. The team has scored a paltry 13 goals all season-a far cry from Washington Spirit, which has found the back of the net 39 times. These offensive and defensive shortcomings have made the Houston Dash amongst the least competitive teams in the league. They still mathematically do have a slim shot at making the playoffs, but at this point, it's hard to see the Dash turning the season around.

History of ups and downs

The Washington Spirit still has the historical edge over Houston Dash. In their last outing in April, the Spirit outgunned the Dash 3-1. Yet that victory was only their third in the last 15 matches between the two teams in evidence that despite everything, Dash has been a tricky opponent to handle for the Spirit these past years.

That said, a win on Sunday would make it back-to-back victories for the first time against Houston since 2016. It would also be the Spirit's fourth in a row over a different opponent in the NWSL, after victories over Bay FC, Utah Royals, and Gotham FC.