The Houston Dash returned to NWSL play for the first time since June 5 and fell to the Portland Thorns 3-1 this evening on the team’s annual Pride Night at BBVA Compass Stadium.
MF Sofia Huerta scored on her Dash debut just four days after joining the team via a trade with the Chicago Red Stars on Monday, but it wasn’t enough to propel the Dash to victory, as goals from Portland in the 33rd and 83rd minutes provided the final result.
After MF Kyah Simon drove into the box on the right side and cut a pass back across the face of goal, Huerta capitalized the deflected pass and tapped the ball into the net from just outside the six yard box in the 12th minute. It was Huerta's fourth goal of the season and her first with the Dash.
Thorns FW Christine Sinclair found MF Tobin Heath running into the box for the first goal of the game in the ninth minute, after her pass drew defenders to Ana Crnogorcevic at the top of the box. Crnogorcevic executed a clever dummy run, leaving the ball to Heath. The USWNT midfielder was pressured by DF Taylor Comeau, but her shot beat Houston GK Jane Campbell at the near post.
Portland took the lead in the 33rd minute after Crnogorcevic's header beat Dash GK Jane Campbell at the far post. The Houston ‘keeper saved the forward's initial shot, but Crnogorcevic's follow-up header sailed past the lunging keeper to the inside of the far post.
DF Clare Polkinghorne, who joined the team earlier this week along with Huerta and Comeau, nearly gave Houston the lead in the 14th minute after FW Rachel Daly found the Australian international at the far post. The defender's header was handled at the near post by Thorns GK Adrianna Franch.
Five minutes later MF Kyah Simon tested Franch with a shot from the edge of the box, but her effort bounced off the crossbar.
The second half was a back-and-forth affair with both teams probing for a look at goal before the opposing defense rose to the occasion each time. Then Sinclair, making her 100th NWSL appearance, lofted a shot from distance in the 83rd that sailed just over the outstretched arms of Campbell and dipped under the bar to provide the final margin for Portland.
Houston is back in action quickly as they visit the Orlando Pride next Wednesday, June 27. The Dash will return to BBVA Compass Stadium on Wednesday, July 11 to host the Pride for 70s Night. Tickets for the match start at $19 and are available at HoustonDashSoccer.com.
