The Houston Dash and Seattle Reign FC tied 1-1 in a hard fought match that opened the season in Houston. Jane Campbell was the player of the match, which she earned after blocking a PK in injury time. The home team also took a moment to honor Houston Dash defender Amber Brooks for making history, playing her 100th NWSL game.
Houston played its first official match under new head coach James Clarkson and showed a very dynamic game plan, which included a high-pressure strategy that worked well for the home team. The Orange created many opportunities to score and win the match, but they missed the final touch needed to get the goals.
Sofia Huerta, Rachael Daly and Michelle Prince, who scored the first goal in the 10th minute, were the most dangerous players on the attack for the locals. In addition, newcomers Christine Nairn and Sophie Schmidt controlled the ball at midfield and helped in defense for a Houston team that looked determined to get the win.
After the match, Coach Clarkson said that he was disappointed that they didn’t get the win but was still happy with the result since the team could have lost in injury time.
The Washington team are taking a good point back home. The team did not have many chances to score and one of the major problems for them was not having Megan Rapinoe with them. Even though the home team played a superior game, the Reign took advantage of a defensive mistake and scored the equalizer in the 58th minute via Darian Jenkins.
Next up, the Northwest team will open their home season when they host the Orlando Pride on April 21st. Houston, on the other hand, will travel to the North East to play against Sky Blue on April 20th.
Houston Dash
Seattle Reign
