Another week, another rematch for the Houston Dash. Twelve days will have passed between the first time these two teams met in Chicago and kickoff time in Houston on Friday night. The previous match was characterized by a slow start for the Dash following a full day of travel delays the previous day, a three hour delay to the start of the match and a ninety minute delay in Jimmy John’s usual freaky fast food delivery.

Chicago is big for us because it is a game where we feel like we can get some points.

This time around, the Dash have the comforts of home behind them and are riding the momentum of two strong performances in a row including coming from behind twice this past weekend to hold FC Kansas City to a 2-2 draw. A win could springboard the Dash up the table as they begin to enter the slightly easier part of their schedule.

Match Information

Date: May 23, 2014

Time: 7pm CST

Location: BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston

Television: CSN Plus

Live Stream: YouTube

The Teams

Chicago Red Stars (4-2-1), 3rd Place

The Red Stars are coming off a week where they had the opportunity to jump up the table by facing the Boston Breakers twice. They responded by scoring 7 of the 10 goals they have had this season and winning both matches by an aggregate score of 7-2.

The results pushed them briefly up into second place until Portland Thorns FC jumped back over them with a win Wednesday night over Western New York Flash. Chicago currently sits in 4th place in our Week 6 NWSL Power Rankings.

With back-to-back wins over Boston, Chicago has now won three in a row and is undefeated in their last four. Jen Hoy is one of their hot hands, having scored in each of the last three matches. The defense remains strong, having conceded only three goals now from the normal run-of-play.

Aug 18, 2013; Overland Park, KS, USA; Chicago Red Stars forward Jen Hoy (2) brings the ball up field against FC Kansas City defender Becky Sauerbrunn (4) during the first half at Shawnee Mission District Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

As they did so effectively against Houston in the last match and this past week against Boston, Chicago will look to break up play in the midfield and get one of their forwards behind the back line. The counter-attack has been one of Chicago’s two offensive strengths this season.

The other area where Chicago is dangerous is off of set pieces. The first time these two teams met, the Red Stars looked like they might score on every set piece opportunity around the goal mouth. The aerial presence of Julie Johnston combined with the set piece delivery skills of Vanessa DiBernardo made for a potent combo that wreaked havoc on the Dash defense.

Houston Dash Coach Randy Waldrum is well aware of the danger set pieces present, “[DiBernardo] to me, I think, of all the players I’ve worked with in the last 5-6 years I can’t think of a player at any level that delivers a better free kick than DiBernardo can. She can hit a corner on a dime. She’s just very good at it, so you can’t give them those kinds of situations.”

Houston Dash (1-5-1), 8th Place

Coming off a good result against FC Kansas City and a strong performance against Portland Thorns FC, this match is critical for the Dash. “Chicago is big for us because it is a game where we feel like we can get some points. I think it gives us a chance to make a little bit of a run here if we take care of things on Friday,” said Waldrum on Wednesday after practice.

“The biggest thing that we felt like that Chicago did against us that was a problem for us, and even in the games before, most of their stuff is not so much built up in the run of play. Most of it is they just created havoc somehow.

“Whether they won it by the way they play in midfield and then it is one pass forward and they break somebody like Hoy in or like they did with Bywaters on the last goal [against Boston],” said Waldrum. “Whether it is that kind of a goal or whether it is free kicks in the final third where they are getting crosses in freely or corner kicks. That’s the way they create the most havoc and that is what they did against us. You know, we fouled close to our own end and gave away too many corners and free kicks in that area and that is how they scored against us.”

The Dash will have to protect against set pieces and keep possession in the midfield the way they did against Portland and FC Kansas City rather than conceding it as they did the first time around against FC Kansas City and against Chicago.

The Dash have an excellent opportunity to get their first ever home win and begin building some momentum with this match. It is important that they continue what has worked well in the previous two matches and further clean up the mistakes on the defensive end. If they can do so, they will head to Washington for a Memorial Day match-up with their first streak without losing.

Prediction

Confidence is high among the Dash players and the system is starting to click. Waldrum is starting to figure out who is his best XI is and with that comes improved execution and consistency. The Dash will record their first home win here, but it will not be easy given the physical style of play that Chicago is known for. Final score: 1-0

Injury Report

Chicago Red Stars: Taryn Hemmings (doubtful)

Houston Dash: Brittany Bock (out), Lauren Sesselmann (out), Lindsay Elston (out), Jordan Jackson (probable), Erin McLeod (probable), Teresa Noyola (probable), Osinachi Ohale (probable)

Possible Lineups

Chicago Red Stars: GK – LeBlanc; Def – Wenino, Stitch, Johnson, Quon; Mid – Chalupny, DiBernardo, Johnston; Fwd – Brock, Hoy, Leon

Houston Dash: GK – McLeod; Def – Ochs, Hein, Ohale, Romero; Mid – Kyle, Edwards, Noyola; Fwd – Burger, Masar, Ohai

Orange in the Oven on Twitter: @OrangeintheOven

Orange in the Oven on Facebook: Link