By CAITLIN MURRAY
Stephanie Roche, the Irish national who shot into the soccer mainstream with a stunning Puskás-nominated goal last year, is coming stateside.
The Houston Dash of the National Women’s Soccer League has signed Roche for the upcoming season, the Dash announced Wednesday. The deal, pending approved transfer documents, is for two years, according to the Irish Independent.
Though she has appeared for the Irish women’s national team 35 times, Roche is perhaps best known as the runner-up for the 2014 FIFA Puskás Award, receiving more than one million votes for the fan-selected honor that ultimately went to Colombia’s James Rodríguez. Roche’s juggled and volleyed blast for Peamount United against Wexford Youths was the first goal scored by a woman to be selected as a finalist for the award.
Roche, 25, joins the Dash off a stint with ASPTT Albi of France’s first division, where she scored twice in 10 league appearances.
See her stunning goal again after the jump:
Finally Houston gets someone who can finish. Never mind, she signed with the Dash not the Dynamo.
Indeed good for her! Now whether or not this is a good signing, I have no idea – I’ve never seen her play other than The Clip. But hopefully this will make her a permanent stay for the Republic of Ireland women’s national team.
Good for her. It was a rather nice goal.