The Houston Dash suffered their first defeat of the 2019 NWSL season this evening as they fell to the North Carolina Courage 4-1 at BBVA Compass Stadium.
Dash forward Rachel Daly scored Houston’s lone goal of the match in the 88th minute with a curling effort that beat Courage goalkeeper Stephanie Labbé at the far post. Dash forward Kyah Simon provided the assist on Daly’s goal after entering the game in the second half to make her season debut. This was Daly’s first goal of the year and she is the third player to score for Houston this season.
A header from North Carolina forward Lynn Williams gave North Carolina the 1-0 seconds before the end of the first half. Courage forward Jessica McDonald forced a clearance from Dash defender Amber Brooks, but her effort left the ball in a prime position for Williams to strike for her second goal of the campaign.
Courage forward Crystal Dunn scored the game-winning goal in the 60th minute after she created space at the edge of the box for a shot that beat the Dash goalkeeper at the far post.
Debinha added to North Carolina’s lead in the 69th minute after Dash goalkeeper Jane Campbell cleared a cross from defender Jaelene Hinkle. The ball fell to the Brazilian international in the box for her first goal of the season.
Leah Pruitt scored the final goal of the game in the 75th minute off a cross from Williams. Pruitt’s header snuck past a lunging Campbell at the bottom corner of the right post.
Daly prevented the Courage from their first goal of the game in the 17th minute when she cleared Abby Erceg’s header inside the box with a bicycle kick.
Campbell faced a penalty kick in the 30th minute for the third time this season. The Houston shot stopper saved William’s effort for her second penalty save of the year and the fifth of her career. Campbell is now one penalty kick save away from matching the NWSL record at six.
Houston threatened the Courage goal in the 47th minute when Houston forward Nichelle Prince received a ball from midfielder Christine Nairn that put her in a one-on-one battle with North Carolina defender Abby Dahlkemper. Prince was able to out-run the defender and force a save with a shot that was punched out of the box by the Courage goalkeeper.
The Dash return to BBVA Compass Stadium next Sunday at 5 p.m. to host USWNT veteran Ali Krieger and the Orlando Pride for Inspiring Women Night. Tickets for the match start at $15 and are available at HoustonDashSoccer.com.
Houston Dash 1-4 North Carolina Courage
NWSL Regular Season, Week 3
Sunday, April 28, 2019
BBVA Compass Stadium – Houston, Texas
Attendance: 2,933
SCORING SUMMARY:
NCC: Lynn Williams 2 (unassisted) 45+1
NCC: Crystal Dunn 4 (Jaelene Hinkle 1) 60
NCC: Debinha 1 (unassisted) 69
NCC: Leah Pruitt 1 (Lynn Williams 2) 76’
HOU: Rachel Daly 1 (Kyah Simon 1) 86
LINEUPS:
Houston Dash: Jane Campbell; Satara Murray (Kyah Simon 77), Clare Polkinghorne, Amber Brooks, Allysha Chapman; Sophie Schmidt (Haley Hanson 60), Christine Nairn, Sofia Huerta; Nichelle Prince, Rachel Daly, Kealia Ohai © (Veronica Latsko 65)
Unused Substitutes: Bianca Henninger, Lindsay Agnew, Arianna Romero, Jamia Fields
Total shots: 9 (Nichelle Prince 4); Shots on goal: 4 (Nichelle Prince 3); Fouls: 11 (Rachel Daly 3); Offside: 6 (Rachel Daly 3); Corner kicks: 1 (Sofia Huerta 1); Saves: 9 (Jane Campbell 9)
North Carolina Courage: Stephanie Labbé; Jaelene Hinkle, Abby Dahlkemper, Abby Erceg ©; Merritt Mathias, Samantha Mewis, Denis O’Sullivan (Debinha 61), Crystal Dunn (Kristen Hamilton 79’), McCall Zerboni, Lynn Williams, Jessica McDonald (Leah Pruitt 67)
Unused substitutes: Samantha Leshnak, Cari Roccaro, Meredith Speck, Kristen Hamilton, Julia Spetsmark
Total shots: 20 (Lynn Willliams 6); Shots on goal: 13 (Lynn Williams 5); Fouls: 5 (Debinha, Leah Pruitt, Lynn Williams, Sam Mewis and McCall Zerboni tied with 1); Offside: 3 (Jessica McDonald, Lynn Williams and Debinha tied with 1); Corner kicks: 7 (Abby Dahlkemper 6); Saves: 3 (Stephanie Labbé 3)
DISCIPLINE:
HOU: Sophie Schmidt (yellow card; unsporting behavior) 44
OFFICIALS:
Referee: Rosendo Mendoza
Assistant Referee 1: Walter Heatherly
Assistant Referee 2: Melissa Gonzalez
Fourth Official: Andrea Jedele
Weather: Sunny, 81 degrees
