The Houston Dash is now winless in its last nine NWSL games, sits firmly at the bottom of the league’s standings, has scored just two goals in nine games and has not had its head coach Fran Alonso on the sideline since June. After the team’s most recent loss, a 3-0 defeat to the Washington Spirit on Sunday, Dash players expressed frustration over their current situation.
“I think there are a lot of things that need to improve at many levels. It’s not all here on the field from game to game,” forward Diana Ordóñez told Spanish-language media Desde La Linea Podcast after the game. “There are things we need, like our head coach coming back — or another (head coach). We’re missing a lot of help. The part we can do is work and try and play as a team, but there’s a lot we’re missing.”
Alonso, who was hired in December 2023, has not been with the team since late June when the club said he had an illness that precluded him from traveling with the team for an away game against the Kansas City Current. He has since been on an extended leave of absence while assistant coach Ricky Clarke has served as interim head coach. Assistant coach Gilberto Damiano, whom the Dash announced they had hired in March, is also no longer listed on their staff’s roster.
Ordóñez’s comment after the game seems to reflect a larger teamwide struggle to work its way through the season while dealing with multiple on and off field issues, including finding a stable roster. High-profile spring signings Ramona Bachmann and Tarciane are both currently out with injuries, 2023 draft pick Sophie Hirst was traded to the Portland Thorns at the beginning of September, midfielder Cece Kizer mutually agreed to a contract termination this month after previously agreeing on an extension through 2025 and forward Ryan Gareis returned to the roster from maternity leave a week ago.
When asked about finding personal balance during a winless streak in a losing season, Dash defender Paige Nielsen, who was traded to the Dash in April, replied, “I haven’t balanced much. It’s taken a toll on my mental health.”
“We’ve had a lot of changes this year, and some teams get away with that because they have one special player that makes special moments, whereas, we have amazing players and we need each other to make amazing plays,” Nielsen said. “I love that about this team. We’re going to always work hard for each other, but we need to be more cohesive in every single way.”
Ordóñez also called for improvement in the team’s mentality, commenting on a penalty call against the Dash in the sixth on Sunday’s game for a handball by Allysha Chapman.
Easy money from the spot for Ashley Hatch! 🎯 pic.twitter.com/hXH4qjHffL
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 15, 2024
“We feel like things like these happen to us every game,” Ordóñez told media after the game. “We have to change our response to those things when we see them happening because they’re going to happen. I think it seems to happen to the Houston Dash, in particular, a lot. So obviously we’re going to be frustrated but we have to respond better.”
Clarke called this period “a difficult space” but praised the players and his staff for their hard work.
“I’m throwing everything at this. I care about this club. I care about these players. And for me, the most important thing is to try and remain balanced,” he said.
(Top photo: Geoff Burke, Thomas Shea/USA Today)
