Nigeria-Canada Women's World Cup match to include 4 Houston Dash players

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Space City is home to the only National Women's Soccer League team in Texas. And soon, members of the Houston Dash will be on the world stage.

Four players on the team will soon leave H-Town to be part of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. In fact, some teammates will soon be opponents.

The countries featuring Dash players in next month's World Cup are Nigeria and Canada.

Three Canadians will represent the Dash: Captain and midfielder Sophie Schmidt, defender Allysha Chapman, and forward Nichelle Prince. Forward Michelle Alozie will be on the field for Nigeria.

And get this: the first match will see those ladies go head-to-head, as Nigeria will face Canada to open the World Cup.

"Obviously, when we're on the field, we're going to compete," Prince explained. "We'll be friends afterwards. We'll talk and hang out. It's going to be a competitive game. It always is when we play Nigeria. I'm looking forward to that one."

"When you're on the field, the competitor in you takes over," Schmidt explained. "I wish Michelle nothing but the best, but not when she's playing against us."

When Alozie takes the field against her Dash teammates in the World Cup, she'll do so with a phenomenal story. As ABC13 reported last year, Alozie is not only a standout in the NWSL, but she also uses her molecular biology degree from Yale to work as a research technician at Texas Children's Hospital.

"Just being able to do more than one passion, if you have one, is really what I'm doing," Alozie told ABC13. "That's why I have so much joy in doing it. It's not stressful. I hope I'm a role model. I don't necessarily see myself as one. But as long as I can be inspiring, that means everything. I love it, and I hope people see you can do more than just your sport."

The 2023 Women's World Cup will be played in Australia and New Zealand. The United States are the two-time reigning champs.

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