Ebony Salmon was seen as a major coup when Racing Louisville signed her last season, and her early NWSL returns showed that thinking was not incorrect.
Salmon scored six goals after arriving early in the season, hitting the ground running in a new league and new country at the age of 20.
But everything started to change for the England international when Kim Björkegren took over as Racing Louisville head coach in the offseason.
Under Björkegren, Salmon played in just five regular-season games in 2022, with all of those appearances coming off the bench. In an interview with The Striker, Salmon said that Björkegren did not address her lack of minutes with her, and she was forced to request a trade.
Racing shipped Salmon out at the end of June in exchange for $175,000 in total allocation money.
It’s looking like a major bargain.
Salmon, now 21, has been on fire since her move to Houston. She’s now scored six goals in five matches, with the Dash having won three in a row after Salmon’s brace helped them to a 2-1 victory at OL Reign on Sunday.
EBONY SALMON IS ON FIRE 🔥@ebony_salmon | #HoldItDown pic.twitter.com/5Ow9q0vTty
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 7, 2022
“Throughout my career I have (always) scored goals,” Salmon said after Sunday’s game. “One thing I focused on, especially after my move to Houston was consistency, which I am starting to find with scoring.”
Salmon’s form has Houston up to third in the NWSL standings as the Dash mount an unlikely challenge for the NWSL Shield.
Next up for the Dash? A visit from Racing Louisville in a game Salmon has likely had circled on her calendar since the moment she arrived in Texas.
“It is a big game for me,” Salmon said. “It is a chance for me to prove people wrong and I think I have been doing that since I got traded.”
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