Boston Legacy FC is on the road this week and looking to get a win against the Houston Dash on Saturday.
Four Legacy players will be sidelined due to injuries and a suspension. Nicki Hernandez will be out following an apparent non-contact thigh injury in last week's game. Laís Araújo and Chloe Ricketts continue to deal with thigh and ankle injuries, respectively, and Bianca St-Georges will serve a suspension after receiving a red card.
The Dash will also be without several players. Lisa Boattin, Kate Faasse, Sophie Schmidt, and Christen Westphal are out, and Evelina Duljan is listed as questionable.
Houston also traded two key players, Yazmeen Ryan and Delanie Sheehan, to Denver Summit FC this week, leaving the Texans with a young roster. Four players made their professional debuts in last week’s 1-0 win against the San Diego Wave.
Lineups
The Legacy may see a very different starting lineup as a result of the depleted backline. The team’s remaining defenders are Emerson Elgin, Laurel Ansbrow, Kaká, and Jorelyn Carabalí, though Sophia Lowenberg, Annie Karich, and Aleigh Gambone also have defensive experience.
If head coach Filipa Patão wants to start with an immediate aggressive attack, letting the Aïssata Traoré-Amanda Gutierres partnership show its full potential would create danger for Houston.
Here’s my projected starting lineup:
The Return
This trip to Houston also serves as a return for Bárbara Olivieri and Nichelle Prince. Both players made their NWSL debuts with the Dash. Prince was drafted to the team in 2017 and spent seven seasons in Houston.
Olivieri grew up in Katy, Texas, just 29 miles west of Houston, and debuted with the team in 2023. She played three seasons with the club before signing to Boston.
“It's definitely weird coming in as a visiting team, but, yeah, it's my hometown, and I'm excited to be able to play in the stadium as a Boston Legacy player,” Olivieri said Friday. “Obviously, the goal is to win; that’d be great.”
