The Houston Dash kicked their 2019 season off on Sunday evening against Reign FC. While the team was hoping to walk away with three points to start the season they had to settle for one point after the Reign managed a second half come back.
Nichelle Prince put the Dash up in the first ten minutes of the game thanks to a bad backpass from Allie Long. Prince was able take the ball away from the Reign defense and was left with an easy shot past Michelle Betos to put the Dash up 1-0.
The Reign finally leveled things up in the 58th minute as they looked strong in the second half than they did in the first. Darian Jenkins got a shot off that Taylor Comeau was able to get a leg on the ball. Goal keeper Jane Campbell dove to make the stop but the touch from Comeau shifted the trajectory of the ball leaving Campbell unable to get to it.
As the game went into stoppage time tied at 1-1 both sides pushed to try and get the winning goal. Jodie Taylor ran in as Campbell had the ball at her feet and took the ball away from the goal keeper. Campbell then stuck her leg out and Taylor went down in the box leading the referee to award the visiting team with a penalty kick. Taylor took the kick sending the ball to the right which was exactly the same way Campbell went stopping the ball. It was headed up by a Reign player after Campbell’s stop but the goal keeper was able to bat it over the net.
The Dash dominated many of the stats for the game including time of possession and shots. The women in orange had 16 shots to the Reign’s nine. The Reign struggled to stay onside in the first half of the game ending with game with six offside calls.
Rachel Daly continued to be a strong force for the Dash getting off five shots with three shots on goal. From there the Dash had four players who had two shots each in the game.
Next Saturday the Dash are on the road to play Sky Blue FC.
Lineups
Today's XI: Campbell; Comeau, Polkinghorne, Brooks, Chapman; Schmidt, Nairn, Huerta; Prince, Daly, Ohai ©#HOUvRFC #DashOn pic.twitter.com/AQk4AMN9Us
— Houston Dash (@HoustonDash) April 14, 2019
Here it is! Your first official Reign FC Starting XI of the 2019 NWSL season against the @HoustonDash
— Reign FC (@ReignFC) April 14, 2019
Watch live on @YahooSports at 3:00 PM PT
Viewers outside the U.S. can see the match on the @NWSL site#RFC253 #HOUvRFC pic.twitter.com/kcteA2Nyh3
26' Reign FC first sub:
— Reign FC (@ReignFC) April 14, 2019
IN: Elise Kellond-Knight
OUT: Jasmyne Spencer
HOU 1 - 0 RFC
74' Two Dash subs.
— Houston Dash (@HoustonDash) April 14, 2019
IN: Veronica Latsko, Haley Hanson
OUT: Kealia Ohai, Nichelle Prince
WATCH LIVE: https://t.co/L4VsvkLmuc
1-1 #HOUvRFC
85' Reign FC makes its final sub:
— Reign FC (@ReignFC) April 14, 2019
IN: Bethany Balcer
OUT: Darian Jenkins
HOU 1 - 1 RFC