Houston Dash vs NJ/NY Gotham FC: Highlights, stats, and quotes
(image via Houston Dash)
The Houston Dash drew 1-1 with NJ/NY Gotham FC on Sunday night at Shell Energy Stadium. María Sánchez scored in the first half for Houston but a Lynn Williams penalty in the second half shared the points. Michelle Alozie had a goal disallowed after a VAR check and Sophie Schmidt hit the cross bar in second half stoppage time.
MATCH SUMMARY
Houston Dash 1-1 NJ/NY Gotham FC
Sunday, June 11, 2023
Venue: Shell Energy Stadium - Houston, Texas
Referee: Alex Billeter
Assistants: Matt Trotter, Christian Clerc
Fourth Official: Melinda Sopka
VAR: Kevin Broadley
Attendance: 5,827
Weather: 94 degrees, mostly sunny
SCORING SUMMARY
HOU: María Sánchez (Michelle Alozie) 36’
NJNY: Lynn Williams (penalty) 53’
DISCIPLINE SUMMARY
HOU: Sam Laity (caution; dissent) 65’
HOU: Allysha Chapman (caution; foul) 79’
NJNY: Kelley O’Hara (caution; foul) 85’
HOU: Natalie Jacobs (caution; foul) 88’
HOU: Caprice Dydasco (caution; foul) 90+12'
LINEUPS & STATS
Houston Dash: Jane Campbell, Allysha Chapman, Katie Lind, Natalie Jacobs, Caprice Dydasco, Joelle Anderson, Sophie Hirst (Marisa Viggiano 45+3), Sophie Schmidt (C), María Sánchez (Ryan Gareis 84), Diana Ordóñez (Ebony Salmon 84), Michelle Alozie (Cameron Tucker 66)
Unused Substitutes: Emily Alvarado, Courtney Petersen, Havana Solaun, Bárbara Olivieri, Lindsi Jennings
Total shots: 7
Shots on goal: 2
Fouls: 16
Offside: 2
Corner kicks: 2
Saves: 3
NJ/NY Gotham FC: Abby Smith, Jenna Nighswonger, Nealy Martin, Ali Krieger (C) (Ellie Jean 35), Bruninha (Kelley O’Hara 73), Allie Long, Lynn Williams, Kristie Mewis (McCall Zerboni 73), Kristen Edmonds (Mandy Freeman 86), Yazmeen Ryan, Delanie Sheehan (Sinead Farrelly 73)
Unused substitutes: Amanda Haught, Mahomi Kawasumo, Svava Gudmundsdóttir, Ifeoma Onumonu
Total shots: 7
Shots on goal: 4
Fouls: 13
Offside: 2
Corner kicks: 3
Saves: 1
HOUSTON DASH HEAD COACH SAM LAITY
On the game:
“I'm really proud of the team. We deserved more from the game that we got, but it was also our responsibility to put them away and I thought we had enough chances to do that. So just a little bit of detail about the quality in the right moment will give us the win. But the team was outstanding. It might well be the worst refereeing performance I've seen in 11 years in the league.”
On the team’s performance:
"I don't remember a lot of opportunities other than one in the second half where they cut it back and shot it. I don't remember a ton of opportunities where Jane [Campbell] had to make any saves and she had to do that in previous games. The penalty is incredibly soft. I'm not sure the time, it was five or six minutes with VAR. So, for me, if that's a penalty, how was the foul on Sophie (Schmidt) at the other end not a penalty and how was the handball on Mandy Freeman. We fill out a report every week about the refereeing performance. We submit areas of the game where we think are particularly game-changing moments and the only response we get back from PRO (Referee) is that the referee made the right decision. So there's no point in us putting out the reports because clearly the feedback, they are not listening to the feedback and not acting upon it. It's disappointing but again, not due to the referee. It's going to happen over the course of a year. It has to be about us, we could have gotten better in certain situations, just that final detail or the end product. Delighted for the team, brilliant performance against a really talented group. I felt we were excellent."
On the ability to play different styles:
"I thought we were dynamic. We've got different types of players in that front line, different types of profile. We are a threat in behind the opponent for sure, we threatened the box and from crossing situations. We're a threat from the midfield with players like [Joelle] Anderson and [Sophie] Schmidt. We are going to be really disappointed when we watch the film and say, how have we come out of this game with one point."
On the play of forward María Sánchez:
"We know the characteristics; we know the ability of [Maria] Sanchez. She knows and I know that she can do more. I see no reason why she couldn't be on five or six goals and five or six assists. What we have asked from her is to be a little bit more aggressive without the ball in the box. The run that she made today for the goal was brilliant and those are the type of runs actually that we were not making a bit earlier in the season, when we were getting the ball into those situations. So credit her for the desire and the understanding of where the space was and to get into those positions. The goal she scored against Chicago was pretty much the same, but a brilliant run, a great ball in from [Michelle] Alozie. With the talent she has we could be sitting here with six goals and six assists. That's the marker right. I wasn't aware of that stat, which is unusual because I am normally up to speed with that stuff. Good for her, you know, but there's more there. She won't settle for that and neither will I, because if we want to be playing on November 11, we are going to need more goals and assists from her and from the front line."
HOUSTON DASH MIDFIELDER SOPHIE SCHMIDT
On nearly scoring the winning goal:
“I saw the ball go wide into Ebony [Salmon] and I just tried my hardest to get myself in the box and her shot got deflected. I don’t know what happened, if I slipped or someone put me down, but I fell and ended up taking the shot. I ended up shanking the shot and was hoping it would bounce off the crossbar and in, but it didn’t do that. Unfortunately, we didn’t finish our chances tonight. We had so many opportunities in the box. We were very dangerous going forward. I was very proud of the team in terms of taking care of the ball, especially in the second half.”
On the upcoming Challenge Cup game against Racing Louisville FC:
“Challenge Cup is always exciting, it’s different, it’s a midweek game. It possesses its own challenges with traveling and timeline. There will definitely be some squad rotation for health reasons and to give players the opportunity to showcase themselves. We're excited but as this league goes, it’s going to be a tough game.”
HOUSTON DASH FORWARD MARÍA SÁNCHEZ
On scoring the first goal:
“It was a great team effort; we’ve been working on our ends in the box. It was just a time of joy to finally be able to score in the run of play.”
On becoming one of four players in the league with at least three goals and three assists this season:
“In my position, one of my main goals is to be able to help my teammates be successful and obviously I want to be able to do that. If I have the opportunity to score, it’s awesome too but I think where I can help the team out best.”
