Houston, 22 April 2017 – Season five opened with a bit of déjà vu for the Chicago Red Stars and Houston Dash. Once again, Chicago came in the favored side. Once again, Houston took Chicago down a peg or two. Kealia Ohai opened the scoring for Houston in the first half. Rachel Daly added a SportsCenter Top-Ten-worthy goal in the second.
The Red Stars dominated the first half, applying good pressure in the final third throughout the half. In the tenth minute, Christen Press’ cross found Jen Hoy on open at the far post. Hoy’s header sailed wide, a goal wouldn’t have counted anyway as Hoy was offside. The fifteenth minute saw Stephanie McCaffrey fired a shot off the post. Houston controlled the rebound and sent a 40 yard ball over the top to Kealia Ohai. She sprinted past Julie Ertz (née Johnston) and placed the ball into the far corner to put the Dash on top. The Red Stars kept trying to force play through the middle, but Houston would have none of it, stopping every attempt. Press had a volley blocked in the 33rd minute and a cross cleared in the 35th. McCaffrey floated a shot toward the Houston goal in the 38th minute, but Lydia Williams easily plucked it out of the air.
Houston took control in the second half, starting with a couple good chances from Daly and Ohai. Houston’s defense held up their end of the bargain as well. In the 73rd minute, some nice combination play from the Dash freed Poliana on the flank. Her cross found Sarah Hagen on the back post. Hagen headed the ball down, but Alyssa Naeher made a spectacular one-handed parry to rob Hagen of her first Dash goal. Samantha Johnson started Chicago’s counter attack by clearing the ball down field. Jen Hoy tracked it down and got to Houston’s goal line to cross the ball back through the box. It looked, for a minute, that Chicago would echo the Dash’s first half goal, but Williams saved Sofia Huerta’s one-timer.
Rachel Daly sealed the deal for Houston in the 80th minute. She created space on the dribble against Casey Short, spun toward the middle, and curled a lovely left-footed shot into the far upper corner.
Next matches:
Chicago hosts FCKC in their home opener on 22 April at 3pm CDT.
The Dash travel to Seattle to take on the Reign on 22 April at 7pm PDT
Lineups
Chicago Red Stars:
Naeher; Short, Johnson, Ertz, Gilliland; Colaprico, Mautz, DiBernardo; Hoy, McCaffrey, Press (C)
Substitutes:
46’ Comeau for Gilliland
58’ Huerta for McCaffrey
79’ Green for Hoy
Houston Dash:
Williams; Roccaro, Van Wyk, Bruna, Poliana; O’Sullivan, Brooks, Andressa; Ohai (C), Daly, Beckie
Substitutes:
68’ Falknor for Beckie
68’ Hagen for Andressa
89’ Privett for Ohai
Misconduct:
29’ Yellow – Mautz (CHI)
56’ Yellow – Bruna (HOU)
