Dash snap winless skid with 1-0 victory over Seattle
(image via Houston Dash)
The Houston Dash secured a 1-0 victory against the Seattle Reign Saturday night at Shell Energy Stadium, ending their losing streak and marking the club’s first win since May 24th in the regular season.
In response to recent injury challenges, assistant coach Ricky Clarke made strategic changes to the lineup. Notably, the Dash announced two short loans from USL's Dallas Trinity FC. The only personnel change was Barbara Olivieri stepping in for Sarah Puntigam, while the team shifted from a 3-5-2 formation to a 4-3-3.
This new formation provided the Dash with greater defensive stability. Although Seattle dominated possession and led in shots during the first half, the Dash effectively stifled clear scoring opportunities for the away team. Despite struggling to penetrate Seattle's 18-yard box, the Dash displayed resilience by neutralizing an in-form attack and quickly reorganizing to maintain their competitive edge.
The Dash emerged from halftime with a more aggressive approach. Within minutes, a quick one-two pass between Avery Patterson and Elin Rubensson created significant space on the wing. Patterson delivered a cross into the 18-yard box, which was cleared but fell to Yuki Nagasato just outside the box. Nagasato unleashed a powerful volley that flew past everyone, including Seattle goalkeeper Claudia Dickey, giving the Dash a surprising 1-0 lead in the 50th minute.
Houston had additional opportunities to extend their lead, with impressive efforts from Olivieri and Andressa, both of whom struck the post. As the match neared its conclusion, the Dash faced a tense finish, with Seattle pressing hard to equalize in hopes of keeping their playoff dreams alive. However, Houston held firm, sealing the three points and providing a much-needed morale boost for the team and their fans.
”Tonight, you saw a team that's together, fights for each other, fights for the badge, and they bought into everything we asked them to do,” Clarke said after the win. “There was a little bit of everything there tonight. That was a special moment from Yuki. That was a complete team performance out of possession, and I thought at times, on the break and on the counterattack, we looked like we could cause them problems. So very, very pleased for the team and very pleased for the staff.”
While this victory is promising, the Dash still have a long road ahead if they hope to qualify for the playoffs. The new formation and revitalized attitude have propelled the team forward, but the question remains: was this a one-off performance, or can they build on it? We'll find out when they face the league leaders next week.
The Dash will travel to face Orlando Pride next Saturday, September 28th, with the match streamed on ION TV.
