Despite a strong defensive effort, the Houston Dash fell in a close match against Portland Thorns, 1-0.
Portland forward Tobin Heath scored the game-winner in the 48th minute when she slotted the ball into the net off of a centering pass from midfielder Lindsey Horan to put the home side ahead.
Houston came close to goal in the 53rd minute when midfielder Kristie Mewis dribbled into the box through a breakaway run and fired a left-footed shot into the left side of the goal. Portland goalkeeper Adrianna Franch dove too stop the shot, conceding a corner for Houston. Dash midfielder Sofia Huerta served the corner into the box to find midfielder Christine Nairn, whose shot into the center of the goal was saved by Franch.
Portland created the first scoring chance in the third minute when forward Rachel Daly attempted to clear a ball in the box that ricocheted off of Portland forward Christine Sinclair and then found Thorns forward Midge Purce. Purce tried to slot the ball in but missed wide.
Houston responded seven minutes later when midfielder Haley Hanson crossed a ball from the right wing to find Daly, who headed the ball to forward Kealia Ohai. Ohai darted into the box, but Thorns defenders Ellie Carpenter and Emily Sonnett were able to cut her off and clear the ball out of the box.
With the game still scoreless coming out of halftime, Dash goalkeeper Jane Campbell made a crucial save two minutes into the period when Portland forward Horan put forward Hayley Raso into the box, where she cut onto her right foot and fired on frame. Campbell was well positioned and easily stopped the ball to make her first save of the game.
In the 58th minute, Houston forward Jamia Fields got free for a shot off of a cross that Huerta played into the box. Fields sprinted into the area with two Thorns defenders pressing on her, but missed the shot just wide.
Houston’s final dangerous scoring chance came in the waning moments of stoppage time, as a loose ball fell to the feet of midfielder Cece Kizer, but Kizer was unable to corral it before Franch could dive on top of the loose ball to kill off the chance.
Houston returns home on Wednesday night to host the Washington Spirit on Fan Appreciation Night 8 p.m. CDT at BBVA Stadium.
*
Portland Thorns (14-4-4; 46 pts.) 1-0 Houston Dash (7-11-4; 25 pts.)
NWSL Regular Season, Week 23
Saturday, September 21, 2019 – Providence Park– Portland, Oregon
Attendance: 4,943
SCORING SUMMARY:
<strong>Team</strong> |
<strong>1H</strong> |
<strong>2H</strong> |
<strong>FT</strong> |
<p>Portland Thorns </p> |
<p>0 </p> |
<p>1 </p> |
<p>1</p> |
<p>Houston Dash </p> |
<p>0 </p> |
<p>0 </p> |
<p>0 </p> |
POR: Tobin Heath 3 (Lindsey Horan 2, Ellie Carpenter 2) 48
LINEUPS:
Portland Thorns: Adrianna Franch; Meghan Klingenberg, Emily Sonnett, Emily Menges, Ellie Carpenter (Katherine Reynolds 90+3); Dagny Brynjarsdottir, Lindsey Horan; Hayley Raso (Ana Maria Crnogorcevic 79), Tobin Heath, Christine Sinclair, Midge Purce (Caitlin Foord 87)
Unused Substitutes: Elizabeth Ball, Britt Eckerstrom, Emily Ogle, Simon Charley
Total shots: 19 (Lindsey Horan 6); Shots on goal: 3 (Tobin Heath, Lindsey Horan, Hayley Raso 1); Fouls: 10 (Dagny Brynjarsdottir, Lindsey Horan 3); Offside: 3 (Dagny Brynjarsdottir, Tobin Heath, Midge Purce 1); Corner kicks: 10 (Tobin Heath 8); Saves: 2 (Adrianna Franch 2)
Houston Dash: Jane Campbell; Haley Hanson, Ally Prisock, Amber Brooks, Allysha Chapman; Sophie Schmidt, Sofia Huerta, Christine Nairn (Cece Kizer 70); Kristie Mewis (Cami Privett 87), Rachel Daly, Kealia Ohai (C) (Jamia Fields 58)
Unused Substitutes: Bianca Henninger, Satara Murray, Lindsay Agnew, Ari Romero
Total shots: 8 (Eight players tied, 1); Shots on goal: 2 (Kristie Mewis, Christine Nairn 1); Fouls: 7 (Haley Hanson 2); Offside: 0; Corner kicks: 3 (Sofia Huerta 3); Saves: 2 (Jane Campbell 2)
DISCIPLINE:
N/A
OFFICIALS:
Referee: Victor Rivas
Assistant Referee 1: Deleana Quan
Assistant Referee 2: Melissa Beck
Fourth Official: J.J. Blodgett
Weather: Partly cloudy, 68 degrees
