Anatomy of a goal: Bombi scores the first Dash goal of 2023

(image via USA Today)

After a scoreless draw in their season opener, the Houston Dash wasted no time getting on the scoresheet Saturday in the Chicago suburbs. Mexican international Maria Sanchez, making her first start of 2023, finished off a well worked counter attack to give the Dash a 1-0 lead in a game Houston would go on to win 2-1.

Today we’re breaking down the Sanchez’s goal, the first of what Dash fans hope will be many this season. All the images we’re using are from the Paramount+ broadcast and Attacking Third’s YouTube highlight video.

The play starts out with midfielder Joelle Anderson winning a tackle (circled) in the Chicago half of the field. Ebony Salmon and Diana Ordóñez are forward, ready to turn the tackle into a counter attack.

The ball ends up at the feet of Ordóñez and the counter is on. Anderson and Marisa Viggiano are getting forward (right circles) and Salmon begins her run down the right wing (top circle).

Ordóñez briefly looks to her left (circled) to look for the run of Sanchez and hold the defenders away from Salmon’s run.

Ordóñez looks back to her right (bottom circle) to find Salmon’s run (top circle) and sees the space she has to run into.

Ordóñez then slots a pass perfectly through the two Red Stars defenders (circles) into the path of Salmon, with loads of space in front of her.

Salmon runs onto the pass and drives into the box (top circle). We now see Sanchez arriving into the play (bottom circle) and the trailing runs from Ordóñez and Anderson.

Salmon (top circle) continues her run to the box, toward goal, to draw defenders to her. This leaves Sanchez (bottom) circle with space in the center of the box to run into unmarked. Ordóñez and Anderson are also making supporting runs to the top of the box if Salmon needs to pull the ball back.

Salmon waits until the defender is right on her (right circle) before she makes her pass to the space Sanchez is running into (middle circle). Salmon’s run has also drawn Chicago goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher (left circle) to the near post, allowing Sanchez an open goal to shoot into when the ball gets to her.

The ball does arrive to Sanchez and Naeher has to come all the way across her goal to attempt to make a save. Sanchez’s unorthodox chip from close range does the job and the Dash take a 1-0 lead just 4 minutes into the match.