A stoppage-time goal from FW Veronica Latsko gave the Houston Dash a 2-1 victory against Seattle Reign FC tonight at BBVA Compass Stadium this evening. This was the first victory for Houston in the series.
Latsko's game-winning goal began with second-half substitute FW Thembi Kgatlana dribbling down the left wing toward the top of the box before she played a ball across the top of the penalty area to Latsko, who beat Seattle Reign GK Michelle Betos with a shot to the inside of the far post.
Seattle's early pressure gave them the first goal of the game in the 13th minute as MF Allie Long found FW Jodie Taylor inside the box. Taylor pulled a defender away to leave FW Beverly Yanez unmarked near the penalty spot for her second goal of the year.
MF Kristie Mewis leveled the match with her second goal of the season in the 68th minute off a free kick from FW Rachel Daly. The England international found Mewis inside the box, where she headed the ball town, turned and beat Betos with a left-footed shot to the near post.
As the match drew closer to full time, Seattle appeared the more likely team to pull out a win, as they created seven scoring chances in the last seven minutes of regulation, but the each time the Dash back line and goalkeeper Jane Campbell rose to the challenge and did enough to block, deny and harry Reign attackers to force their shots off target.
Campbell was called into action twice inside the first 10 minutes, as Taylor forced a save in the second minute off a chip shot that was easily handled. Seven minutes later, a Seattle corner kick found Long inside the box, but her header was pushed out of play by the goalkeeper.
Daly attempted her own chip shot over Betos in the seventh minute but her long-range effort bounced off the top netting. Houston's best opportunity of the first half came in the 33rd minute from a long cross into the box from FW Nichelle Prince that found MF Kyah Simon at the far post. The Australian international found FW Kealia Ohai outside the box, but her effort was saved by Betos.
Houston returns to action on Sunday as they host Mallory Pugh and the Washington Spirit at 7 p.m. at BBVA Compass Stadium. Tickets for the match start at $19 and are available here.
