Mexico international Maria Sánchez, 25, will make her return to NWSL with Houston Dash after spending two years in Liga MX Femenil, splitting time with Chivas and powerhouse franchise Tigres. Houston Dash signed the midfielder to a two-year contract after a brief stint with the club last summer, and the Idaho native will now call NWSL home for the next two seasons.
Sánchez first drafted into NWSL in 2019 with the Chicago Red Stars, where she made nine appearances during her rookie season on a roster at the time with stars such as Julie Ertz and Sam Kerr. After making playoff appearances and winning titles in Liga MX Femenil, a trade between Chicago and Houston for Sánchez’s rights took place in March 2021 while she was playing with Tigres, and the midfielder returned to NWSL for a short summer transfer.
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“My first season in the NWSL was with Chicago, and you know, it was a rough year for me,” Sánchez said in an interview with Attacking Third. “So, I decided to make a move to Mexico. I was there for two years. I tried to go back to the NWSL last year for 2021, but unfortunately, my rights were still held by Chicago Red Stars.
“When I was [in Houston] in June, that helped me a lot. It helped me grow confidence and show me that I could really compete in the league, [and] finally getting a goal, because usually if I don’t do that coming into a new season within a team, it kind of makes me struggle mentally. So I’m glad I was able to get that done in June on my loan with Houston and have that confidence from my teammates and coaching staff.”
Ahead of the 2022 NWSL expansion draft, Houston placed Sánchez on their nine-player protected list and the club later announced Sánchez…
Source : cbssports
