Dash pick up point with scoreless draw against Utah
(image via Houston Dash)
The Houston Dash revamped their defense at the transfer deadline and it paid off. Houston posted a clean sheet on the road against the Utah Royals to gain a point in a 0-0 draw.
Paige Nielsen and Ramona Bachmann made their debuts for the club in Fran Alonso’s starting lineup. Nielsen came over from Angel City FC in a trade last week and Bachmann was signed from Paris St. Germain. Nielsen slotted in to the back three and Bachmann got the start wide on the left.
Utah came out early looking to get on the board from the jump. A Natalie Jacobs turnover gave the ball to Royals captain Paige Monaghan in a dangerous area in the 9th minute. She played the ball across to Hannah Betfort but her shot was fired wide.
Houston’s best chance of the half came in the 33rd minute. Diana Ordonez weaved through the defense and got a shot off. The ball rolled toward goal but was cleared off the line by Utah and straight off goalkeeper Mandy Haught’s neck. She was attended to by trainers but stayed in the game.
A Utah cross in the 38th minute was trapped in the box by Sarah Puntigam but Monaghan got to the loose touch. She one-timed an effort wide to the left. Just before the half time whistle, Zoe Burns latched onto a shot from outside the box. Jane Campbell got up to tip the ball up and over the cross bar to keep the score 0-0 at the break.
Amanda West came on for Michelle Alozie to start the second half to try and spark the offense. Both teams battled in the second half to try and find a breakthrough but nothing was there to be had. Barb Olivieri, Sophie Hirst, and Yuki Nagasato came on but the Dash couldn’t find a goal. Utah didn’t find one either and a second half that didn’t have many chances would come to an end with the score still 0-0 and both teams taking home a point.
Campbell made four saves and the defense played much better, led by Paige Nielsen on her debut. The Dash will return to Shell Energy Stadium next Saturday for an afternoon contest against the first place Kansas City Current.
