- Houston have won one, drawn three and lost one of their last five games in a solid if unspectacular run. Chicago are in terrible form with no wins, one draw and four defeats from their last five. Houston have scored 1.40 goals per game at home in NWSL 2026, Chicago have averaged just 0.20 on the road.
Houston to handle head-to-head record
Houston Dash will take on Chicago Red Stars in an NWSL matchup in the 2026 edition of the league on Thursday. Houston sit 12th with 20 points from 18 games while Chicago are 16th with 13 points from 19. The hosts are much the sharper of the two sides at 1.72 on the moneyline market, with Chicago at 4.15 and the draw 3.75. This Houston Dash (W) vs Chicago Red Stars (W) preview suggests the home edge looks like it should be enough for Houston to get the win in this one, but Chicago's bite in the head-to-head makes it tough to see how a home win could be any bigger than the odds suggest. The prediction also leans toward a tight contest, and Chicago have won three of the last five meetings and Houston two, with no draws, but the Red Stars have won on two of their previous three visits to the Lone Star State.
Dash play with plenty of dash
Fabrice Gautrat took over as head coach of Houston on 2 January 2025 and seems to have found a good identity for them, with the team playing an open, attacking game with lots of forward runners and high pressing.
Kat Rader has been their most reliable finisher in the final third this season, with three of the Dash's five goals coming from her during their last five-game run.
The hosts' last two games have seen them slip up with a 0-1 home loss to Gotham FC and a 1-1 draw with Kansas City Current, which suggests a lack of penetration in the attacking third.
Martin Sjögren, Chicago's coach since 1 January 2026, appears to be trying to turn them into a more structured, possession-based team who keep the ball, build from the back and set up compact blocks.
Houston Dash and Chicago Red Stars betting tips point to both sides having issues in the final third.
Star-ship Chicago lack cutting edge
The last three games have seen Racing Louisville beat them 2-1 away, followed by a 0-0 draw at home to Bay FC and then a 1-0 away defeat to Seattle Reign FC. The results indicate that they are struggling to find a cutting edge in the attack, so this game could be tight.
Houston's style of play is to play vertically and get the ball forward quickly, then press the opponent back when out of possession, which should be a chess match of the matchups and might mean Chicago are in the contest longer than they otherwise might be.
But over 2.5 goals at 1.62 feels like the best alternate angle to a Houston win if their pressing style allows them to win the ball up the pitch and transition from defence into attack quickly. The prediction again points to a 1-0 or 2-0 Houston win feels the most likely outcome, but Chicago's recent record in this game suggests they may keep things close.
