Dash sweat out 0-0 draw with OL Reign
(image via Houston Dash)
The Houston Dash continued their unbeaten run with a 0-0 draw at Shell Energy Stadium against OL Reign Saturday night. Dash Goalkeeper Jane Campbell broke the club record for regular season apperances, playing in her 115th match.
Houston went down to 10 players in the first half but still put up a valiant performance in front of the third largest regular season crown in Dash history. The temperature was near 100 degrees at kickoff, with feels like temperatures even hotter, causing problems for both teams.
Head Coach Sam Laity kept the same line up from the last league match with NJ/NY Gotham FC last weekend. Sophie Hirst recovered from her nasal contusion that kept her out of the midweek Challenge Cup match. This would be the last home game with all the international players before they leave for the World Cup.
Early in the game, both teams seemed to be on even footing, with no real chances from either side. One chance came from OL Reign when Jordyn Huitema got on the end of a through ball and tried to chip it over Jane Campbell. Her attempt missed the goal and ended up wide. Houston had two chances of their own in the opening 45 minutes. A Maria Sanchez free kick forced a save from Reign goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce. The rebound fell to Diana Ordonez who could only put her effort into the side netting. Michelle Alozie also got free on the on the wing but skied her shot over the crossbar.
The game took a big turn when Natalie Jacobs fouled Tziarra King and received a yellow card in the 43rd minute. VAR called referee Danielle Chesky to the monitor to review it. After a check, the referee upgraded the yellow to a red card for Jacobs being the last player and denying a goal-scoring opportunity. The Dash would have to play the whole second half with just ten platers. Soon after, Sam Laity received a yellow card for dissent. The first half ended nil-nil and the teams went into the locker room to try and cool off.
The game was even until the last minutes of the half when Jacobs was shown the red card. Houston had better chances on goal with three shots on target and better passing accuracy in the final third. The Dash has a big second half hill to climb with playing with ten players.
The Dash didn’t let that faze them. They stayed on the front foot, moving Sophie Schmidt back from midfield to center back, and still putting pressure on the ball and winning possession. A quick cross from Caprice Dydasco landed at the feet of Joelle Anderson in the 53rd minute but her shot was tipped away from the goal by Tullis-Joyce. Anderson had another big chance in the 60th minute but her effort was directly at the keeper.
Just like the first half, the final moments of the game happened to be the most exciting part. Substitutions of Ryan Gareis, Ebony Salmon, and Cameron Tucker energized the front line in the dying minutes. Defender Katie Lind got free for a running down the wing and crossed the ball into Gareis’ direction. It caused chaos and confusion for the Tullis-Joyce but neither Salmon nor Gareis could get off a clean shot. In the end, Reign defender Ryanne Brown cleared the ball off the line. The game ended nil-nil, a well deserved point for both sides.
The Dash will next travel to face Angel City FC at BMO Stadium on Sunday, June 25th. The match will be streamed on Paramount + with kickoff scheduled for 7:00 PM CT.
