Seattle Reign FC 5
Houston Dash 1
NWSL Regular Season Week 2
April 22, 2017 Seattle, WA – Memorial Stadium
Seattle Reign FC and Houston Dash met in NWSL Week 2 action in Seattle Saturday night at Memorial Stadium.
With both teams scoring from the spot in week 1, Seattle finally saw a goal from the run of play in the 18th minute when Jess Fishlock finished a Chritine Nairn layoff for a 1-nil lead. Seattle would add two more with goals my Megan Rapinoe and rookie Kristen McNabb in the 28th and 30 minutes.
The Dash had solidly taken it to Chicago in their opener a week ago, but found the going tough against a Seattle defense that would collapse in numbers on possession. Houston was not without its share of the play in the first 30 minutes, but Seattle was simply ruthless in its finishing a week after being unable to find the net in open play in Week 1. The Dash were without injured Morgan Brian and Andressa, as well as the services of Carli Lloyd. Seattle was pretty healthy, but the hosting Reign FC were still without Scottish international Rachel Corsie for the second week, providing early season minutes for rookie 4th round pick McNabb.
A late first half collision between Merritt Mathias and Bruna Benites led to New Zealand international Rebekah Stott entering the match before half time for Seattle.
Bev Yanez followed a Jane Campbell deflection of a Jess Fishlock shot for a 4 nil lead in the 55th minute made it look as though a Dash comeback would be unlikely. The three-nil halftime deficit now looked like a rout was on.
Dash keeper Jane Campbell recently received her first USWNT cap in a match versus Russia earlier in April. The match in Seattle would be one she will need to get past in the early stages of her NWSL career, as a bright future is in front of her.
Katie Johnson made her NWSL debut in the 69th minute and added a fifth Seattle goal minutes later in the 75th as she got in on the end of a deflected Pinoe cross.
Houston was not without pride, grabbing a goal in the 84th minute after a Haley Kopmeyer clearance gave Poliana a shot and Houston would not be held goalless. Post
Photos by Vanya Tucherov
