Match Preview: Angel City at Houston Dash | 6.15.24

Saturday, June 15, at 6:30 p.m. PT, Angel City is on the road against the Houston Dash. The match will stream on ION and internationally on NWSL+. An English-language radio broadcast will be available on iHeart.

Matchup

Angel City’s last game was a 1–2 loss on the road at NJ/NY Gotham FC last weekend. That game saw Gotham forward Crystal Dunn get on the board in the 26th minute, with Angel City midfielder Clarisse Le Bihan equalizing in the 51st. New Jersey midfielder Rose Lavelle notched the game-winner in the 62nd minute.

Houston’s most recent result was a 0–2 loss on the road in Louisville, with both of Racing’s goals coming in the second half.

That pair of results puts the two teams just one point apart, with Houston in 11th with a 3–6–3 (W–L–D) record, and Angel City in 12th with a 3–6–2 record. 

Angel City are 1–1–3 all-time against Houston. Their most recent meeting was a 0–1 loss at home in May.

Scouting Report

On Houston’s front line, the player to watch is Mexico international (and Riverside native) Diana Ordoñez. The now-22-year-old had an outstanding 2022 rookie season—she started college at 17 and declared for the draft after her junior year—at North Carolina, where she notched 11 goals in 12 games, making her the NWSL record holder for most goals scored as a rookie.

After the Courage traded Ordoñez to Houston in 2023, she struggled to match the heights she found in her first season as a pro, recording just three goals on the season. But in 2024, under new Head Coach Fran Alonso, Ordoñez seems to be finding her feet again, as she leads the team in goals with four to date. At 5’11, she’s a strong physical presence in the box and a major threat in the air, especially when getting on the end of service from Mexico teammate María Sánchez on the wing.

Turning the Table

Houston is just one point ahead of Angel City in the standings, with 12. Houston, in turn, are tied on points with Bay FC, and just three behind Louisville and North Carolina, who are in seventh and eighth place and tied on points.

What that means for this weekend is that with a win, Angel City could jump three spots in the standings, ahead of Houston, Bay, and San Diego. A win for the Dash would also mean jumping multiple slots in the table.

It’s also worth noting that ACFC has a game on hand over three of the four teams between them and the playoff line (the top eight teams will make the postseason this year), which is just four points away. In short, the top half of the table is still very much in reach, with more than half the season still to go.

Upcoming Milestones

• With another 82 minutes on the field, Jasmyne Spencer will have played 10,000 career minutes in the NWSL.
• Sydney Leroux’s next goal will be her 45th regular-season NWSL goal, tying her with Debinha on the all-time top scoring list.