Houston Dash defender Ari Romero will compete in Australia’s W-League with Perth Glory FC on a loan during the NWSL offseason, the Australian club announced overnight.
Romero returns to Perth after spending the 2016-17 W-League season playing with the Glory alongside Australia’s captain Sam Kerr. That season, Romero was part of the squad that finished second in the regular season standings and advanced to the final against Melbourne City. The Glory fell in a 2-0 loss, finishing the season as the league’s runners-up.
The Mexican international was a key part of Houston’s backline last season, earning eight starts in 10 appearances. The defender also gave Dash forward Rachel Daly the assist to the game-winning goal against Utah Royals FC to put Houston at the top of the NWSL standings on May 11.
"When I was in Perth two years ago, I felt as though we made a lot of strides as a team and I evolved as a defender," Romero said. "I’m looking forward to getting back to work, reuniting with my teammates, coaches and fans and working towards our goal of bringing a championship to Perth.”
Romero has been a part of the Mexican Women’s National Team since 2011, earning 31 caps and scoring one goal for El Tri. The University of Nebraska alumna looks to expand her international experience in Australia and will be available to play tomorrow as the Glory takes on Canberra United at 11:00 p.m. CT at McKellar Park in Canberra. The game will be streamed live on My Football YouTube channel.
