KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Houston Dash came from behind twice Sunday evening to earn a 2-2 draw on the road against FC Kansas City, ending a four-game losing streak. Houston improved to 1-5-1 (4 points) and FC Kansas City moved to 3-4-2 (11 points) with the draw.
The Dash got off to a rocky start defensively as FC Kansas City put a goal on the board two minutes into the game when 2013 NWSL MVP Lauren Holiday found the back of the net off an Erika Tymrak cross.
Houston brought themselves back in the game in the 20th minute as Nina Burger ran down a ball at the end line and cut a pass back to an unmarked Jordan Jackson in the center of the penalty box. The Overland Park, Kansas, native clipped a shot past the goalkeeper with her first touch for her first professional goal.
Kansas City retook the lead in the 36th minute as Tymrak, last season’s Rookie of the Year, worked a bit of individual brilliance. Isolated on the left flank with Dash defender Osinachi Ohale, Tymrak fed the ball between Ohale’s legs and finished with a hard shot to the far post from a tight angle to beat goalkeeper Erin McLeod.
But the substitutes for the Dash made the difference, as they did in the team’s road win against the Boston Breakers on April 20. Tiffany McCarty, who subbed on for Jackson in the second half, received a touch pass from fellow substitute Ella Masar at the top of the box and juggled around a couple of Kansas City defenders before placing a low shot just inside the near post to tie the match up once again.
Despite seeing 15 shots against them, the Dash defense showed much better than they did in the two teams’ previous meeting, a 4-0 Kansas City win in Houston just two weeks ago. Goalkeeper and captain Erin McLeod organized her back line to limit the Blues to just five shots and no goals in the second half, doing her part with an athletic diving save to keep Holiday from getting her second goal in the 84th minute to keep the game level.
Houston returns home to host the Chicago Red Stars this Friday, May 23, at BBVA Compass Stadium, while FC Kansas City welcomes Seattle Reign FC to Missouri on Wednesday.
Houston Dash at FC Kansas City
May 18, 2014—Verizon Wireless Field at Durwood Stadium, Kansas City, MO
NWSL Regular Season
Attendance: 1,483
Scoring Summary:
Kansas City: Lauren Holiday 3 (Erika Tymrak 1) 2
Houston: Jordan Jackson 1 (Nina Burger 1) 20
Kansas City: Erika Tymrak 3 (unassisted) 36
Houston: Tiffany McCarty 1 (Ella Masar 1) 78
Houston Dash: Erin McLeod ©; Arianna Romero, Osinachi Ohale, Holly Hein, Stephanie Ochs; Kaylyn Kyle, Teresa Noyola (Ella Masar 67), Becky Edwards; Jordan Jackson (Tiffany McCarty 62), Nina Burger (Rafaelle Souza 67), Kealia Ohai
Unused Substitutes: Bianca Henninger, Marissa Diggs, Kika Toulouse, Kelly McFarlane
FC Kansas City: Nicole Barnhart; Merritt Mathias, Becky Sauerbrunn ©, Nikki Phillips (Morgan Marlborough 81), Leigh Anne Robinson; Jen Buczkowski, Jenna Richmond; Frances Silva (Liz Bogus 62), Lauren Holiday, Erika Tymrak; Amy Rodriguez
Unused Substitutes: Sarah Keane, Melissa Henderson, Nia Williams
Disciplinary Summary:
HOU: Nina Burger (caution) 65
FCKC: Nikki Phillips (caution) 80
HOU: Osinachi Ohale (caution) 90
Referee: Elvis Mahmutovic
Referee’s Assistants: Jennifer Garner, Kristin Patterson
Fourth Official: Brandon Marshall
