The Houston Dash rallied in the second half for a 1-1 draw with the defending NWSL Champion Portland Thorns FC tonight at BBVA Compass Stadium. Forward Kyah Simon’s strike in the 57th minute drew the Dash level, and the Australian international nearly picked up the game winner in the 86th minute.
Simon’s first goal for the club came on a low shot to the inside corner of the far post that beat a lunging GK Britt Eckerstrom. The forward appeared to be debating whether to cross or to shoot, and her shot with the inside of her right boot skittered along the grass and past the reach of Eckerstrom before tucking just inside the far post.
Four minutes from full time, it was Simon again providing the danger, this time with a right-footed blast from 23 yards that whistled just over the crossbar.
Thorns forward Ana Marie Crnogorcevic scored the first goal of the game after a loose ball fell to the forward outside the six yard box. In the resulting scramble, two Dash defenders contained Thorns forward Christine Sinclair before the ball popped out, allowing Crnogorcevic to run behind and finish with a left-footed shot.
Houston created a pair of chances in the first half but were unable to seriously threaten the Thorns goal as they went into halftime down a goal. However, their pressure in the first 15 minute of the second half led to two scoring opportunities that forced last-ditch saves from Eckerstrom just after Simon’s equalizer.
In the 63rd minute, midfielder Kristie Mewis found Latsko at the far post, but Eckerstrom got a fingertip on the ball to force a corner kick. Three minutes later, forward Nichelle Prince forced a save with a shot from the edge of the box.
Portland had one more golden chance in the 81st minute off a corner kick when midfielder Lindsay Horan’s headed shot beat goalkeeper Jane Campbell, but defender Janine Van Wyk came out of nowhere to head the ball off the line and out of danger to preserve the draw.
The Dash will play their third match in an eight-day span on Saturday when they travel to Chicago to take on the Red Stars at Toyota Park. That match is slated for a 7 p.m. CDT kickoff and will be streamed live on the go90 app and online at NWSLsoccer.com.
