Dash get first victory of 2025 with 2-1 win in Chicago
(image via Houston Dash)
The Houston Dash secured their first win of the season with a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Stars Sunday afternoon. The victory marked the first win for new head coach Fabrice Gautrat.
Despite losing their opening match, Gautrat believed the team performed well. He made just one change to the starting lineup, opting to start Ryan Gareis instead of Delanie Sheehan. Diana Ordoñez, fresh off her removal from the season-ending injury list, was active on the bench for the first time this season.
After a rocky start, the Dash asserted dominance early in the match but it was Chicago that found the opening goal. A quick long ball from Bea Franklin was intercepted by Paige Nielsen, but the clearance led to a chaotic moment. Jameese Joseph pounced on the error, taking the ball from Nielsen and beating goalkeeper Jane Campbell one-on-one to give Chicago a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute.
The Dash didn’t let the goal get them down. They quickly responded, off a corner kick. Barbara Olivieri’s delivery found Sophie Schmidt, who flicked the ball toward goal. The ball sailed past the defenders and landed at Nielsen’s feet, allowing her to score the equalizer in the 20th minute. Nielsen redeemed herself from her earlier mistake.
In the second half, Chicago gained a slight momentum advantage, and the Dash seemed to be on the back foot. However, Gautrat made a triple substitution that changed the game. In the 63rd minute, he brought on Evelina Duljan, Maggie Graham, and Delanie Sheehan, and the shift helped Houston regain control of the match.
Just a minute after entering the field, Duljan sprinted down the wing and delivered a long pass to Sheehan, who found space between the defenders. Sheehan calmly laid the ball off to Graham, who scored to give Houston a 2-1 lead in the 64th minute. All three substitutes were involved in the goal. Graham became the first player in league history to come off the bench and score in her first two regular-season games. The goal sealed the Dash's first win of the season after they were able to calmly see out the 90 minutes to the final whistle.
This victory keeps the Dash's positive momentum alive and serves as a statement win for Gautrat and the team. It sends a message to the rest of the league that Houston is here to compete. The win emphasizes that this is a new, gritty team that will fight for every result. Other teams should not underestimate them.
The Dash will return home this Friday, March 28th, at 7:00 PM CT, to face NJ/NY Gotham FC. The game will be streamed on NWSL+.
