Portland Thorns FC defeated the Houston Dash 3-0 at Providence Park on Wednesday evening in the final road game of the regular season for the Texas club.
The first goal of the game came off a free kick in the 26th minute. Tobin Heath found Allie Long near the penalty spot and her header sailed over Dash goalkeeper Lydia Williams for her third goal of the season.
Long doubled her tally in the 71st minute as she controlled a pass from Heath near the penalty spot. The midfielder settled the ball away from a tackle, turned and beat Williams at the right post for her fourth goal of the season.
Christine Sinclair scored the final goal of the game in the 90th minute. The Canadian forward capitalized on a mishandled ball inside the six-yard box for her fifth goal of the season.
With this result and the draw in the Western New York vs. Boston Breakers game the Dash are officially eliminated from the playoffs. The Dash can still match their club record for victories in a season, six, with a victory on Sunday or Sept. 25 when they host Seattle Reign FC.
Andressa tested her luck from distance twice early in the first half. In the 13th minute her right-footed shot went over the crossbar and a minute later a shot from a comparable distance was handled by Thorns goalkeeper Michelle Betos at the near post.
Williams finished the game with six saves and she stifled Sinclair in the 32nd minute. Sinclair dribbled into the box but her shot to the near post was smothered by the Australian goalkeeper. Williams pressured the forward as she collected the rebound and her shot hit the post.
Sinclair was denied at the goal line in the 66th minute by Williams. Heath found the forward at the far post but Williams’ denied the goal as she shuffled from the near post.
Houston’s final opportunity came when Janine Beckie’s shot from the edge of the box almost snuck in the corner of the far post in the 74th minute.
Houston returns to BBVA Compass Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 11 when the Dash host the Boston Breakers for the club’s annual Military and First Responders Night. Tickets for the match start at $15 and are available at HoustonDashSoccer.com, by phone at 713-276-GOAL or at the BBVA Compass Stadium Box Office
Portland Thorns FC (10-3-5, 35 points) vs. Houston Dash (5-9-4, 19 points)
September 7, 2016—Providence Park— Portland, Oregon
NWSL Regular Season
Attendance: 13,752
Scoring Summary:
POR: Allie Long 3 (Tobin Heath 7) 26
POR: Allie Long 4 (Tobin Heath 8) 71
HOU: Christine Sinclair 5 (unassisted) 90
1 2 F
Houston Dash 0 0 0
Portland Thorns FC 1 2 3
Houston Dash: Lydia Williams; Polina, Cami Privett, Cari Roccaro, Becca Moros; Morgan Brian, Andressa, Denise O’Sullivan (Rachel Daly 46), Carli Lloyd; Janine Becky (Amber Brooks 82), Kealia Ohai (C) (Chioma Ubogagu 85)
Unused Substitutes: Bianca Henninger, Stephanie Ochs, Melissa Henderson, Ellie Brush
TOTAL SHOTS: 10 (Carli Lloyd 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 2 (Andressa and Rachel Daly tied with 1); FOULS: 7 (Denise O’Sullivan 2); OFFSIDES: 2 (Janine Beckie 2); CORNER KICKS: 3 (Andressa 3); SAVES: 6
Portland Thorns FC: Michelle Betos; Meghan Klingenberg, Emily Menges, Emily Sonnet, Katherine Reynolds; Amandine Henry, Allie Long, Lindsey Horan (Mana Shim 76); Tobin Heath (Dagny Brynjarsdottir 83), Nadia Nadim (Hayley Raso 64), Cristine Sinclair
Unused Substitutes: Adrianna Franch, Kat Williamson, Celeste Boureille, Mallory Weber
TOTAL SHOTS: 21 (Christine Sinclair 9); SHOTS ON GOAL: 9 (Christine Sinclair 3); FOULS: 11 (Nadia Nadim 3); OFFSIDES: 0 (N/A); CORNER KICKS: 5 (Tobin Heath 5); SAVES: 6
Misconduct Summary:
N/A
Referee: Brandon Artis
Assistant Referees: Christopher Elliot, Ceciah Valero
Fourth Official: Andrew Deuker
