The Houston Dash played to a 0-0 draw against Angel City FC on Sunday evening at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, Californ. For the second consecutive match, Houston forced a draw after going down a player, becoming the first team to play back-to-back matches a player down and not lose either game.
Defender Katie Lind was shown a red card in the 58th minute after referee Sergii Demianchuk, who has shown two red cards across three games this season, more than any other referee in the NWSL, rescinded the yellow card initially shown to Lind. Houston would play the remaining 32 minutes of regulation and the six minutes of stoppage time down a player.
With the draw, Houston is off to its best defensive start to a season since 2015. Through 13 games, the Dash have only conceded 10 goals in regular season play. Goalkeeper Jane Campbell currently holds the best goals against average in the NWSL with a 0.83 average. The veteran goalkeeper made four saves on the night, enroute to her sixth clean sheet of the season – tying her own club record.
Houston had an early chance in the third minute of the match after midfielder Joelle Anderson crossed the ball into the six-yard box to forward Michelle Alozie. Alozie, who was at the near post, was able to get her head on the ball but was also met by the gloves of Angel City FC goalkeeper DiDi Haračić, who contacted the side of Alozie’s head.
Forward Diana Ordóñez had an opening in the 15th minute after forcing pressure on the ACFC back line. Ordóñez’s shot from outside the 18-yard box and passed a diving Haračić. The shot narrowly rolled to the outside of the near post and out for an ACFC goal kick.
Anderson took a shot in the 20th minute after Alozie earned a free kick. Forward Maria Sánchez took the kick from outside the penalty area and played the ball in front of the goal. After the ball bounced around in the box, it fell to Anderson whose shot sailed out over the cross bar.
Three minutes later in the 23rd minute, Alozie was able to get a shot off on the far side of the ACFC goal. The Nigerian international’s shot hit the outer part of the net and went out for a goal kick.
Defender Caprice Dydasco took the first shot of the second half from the right edge of the 18-yard box but sailed out of bounds.
Campbell made two saves in the 76th minute after ACFC forward Alyssa Thompson was able to find space in between the back line.
Forward Ebony Salmon, who came into the match as a second-half substitute, had Houston’s best chance of the second half after taking a shot in the 80th minute. Salmon’s shot hit the near post and ricocheted out back into the field of play, which was handled by the ACFC side.
Houston will close out a two-game road stretch against North Carolina to close open the month of July on Saturday, July 1 at 6:30pm CT. The Dash return home to Shell Energy Stadium on Friday, July 7 to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Night against the Chicago Red Stars at 7:00pm CT.
