Gotham FC vs Houston Dash preview: Pushing for five in a row without a loss | OneFootball

Following a gutsy draw last week against the Washington Spirit that saw NJ/NY Gotham FC play down a player from the 30th minute onwards, the Bats will look to get back in the win column against the Houston Dash. While the team is currently on a four-match unbeaten run, the last two have been draws, and a return to the win column will see Gotham pass Racing Louisville FC for seventh in the standings.

When the two played earlier this year in Houston, it was a 0-0 draw with the main headline being Tierna Davidson's ACL injury. Since then, Houston has yet to find their best form under first-year head coach Fabrice Gautrat with just three wins from 12 games. However, a win last week against the North Carolina Courage has them within striking distance of a playoff spot. A win on Sunday could see the Dash be as close as two points from eighth place, the current spot of the home side.

Meanwhile, as mentioned earlier, a win for Gotham FC will extend their unbeaten run to five games and jump up a spot in the standings to seventh. It is fair to say the first 15 games of the season have not gone the NJ/NY side's way from a results perspective, for the team is 5-5-5. The performances, though, have been good in recent games, and the next three home league matches are all against winnable opposition, so hopefully Gotham can take these opportunities and move up the standings.

This game could be a turning point for the Bats. A win that starts a strong second half that sees them earn a home playoff game. So, here is a preview of Sunday's matchup between Gotham FC and the Houston Dash.

Gotham FC vs Houston Dash preview

Date

The fixture will be played on Sunday, August 17.

Time

The match is scheduled to kickoff at 4:00 PM ET.

How to watch

The game will be broadcast on the MSG Network and streamed on both Paramount+ and NWSL+.

Location

The match will be played at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey.

Weather

The match will see partly cloudy conditions at kickoff with a temperature of 90 degrees. Humidity will hover around 45-55% with a 10-15% chance of rain throughout the 90 minutes.

Injury report

Players to watch

Despite the return of Rose Lavelle from offseason surgery, it seems like rookie Sarah Schupansky has played her way into a somewhat permanent spot in the Starting XI, and for good reason. The 21-year-old is tied for the league lead in assists, and it is not out of the realm of possibility that she ends the season breaking the single-season assists record of 10, jointly held by Tobin Heath and Croix Bethune. Schupansky, seemingly exceeding expectations as a rookie, has seen her play a key role in Gotham's playoff push. Hence, she is someone to watch.

Having scored in both of the Dash's previous two matches, Kiki van Zanten is a player to pay attention to. She has played a key role in Houston's earning four out of a possible six points. After a rookie season that was limited to just four games due to injury, the Jamaican international has managed to score her first two pro goals over the past two weeks and could become the goalscorer that Houston needs to go to the next level.

Gotham FC will view this as an important three points to earn, and they will do so by a score of 1-0. Schupansky will score, and the Bats will extend their shutout streak to over 200 minutes straight. While the goal-scoring has been an issue this season, the defense has been as solid as ever, with the team having the third-best defensive record in NWSL.