There are wins, and then there are those wins that come with a little more oomph-a dash of grit and an ounce of tact that shines on the pitch. That is just what we saw as the Houston Dash defeated Seattle Reign 1-0 in a tightly contested match at Shell Energy Stadium. It placed the Houston team at seven shutouts this season and can prove a catalyst for a strong finish in their NWSL campaign.
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Yuki Nagasato's Winner
The goal that had been nailed at zero finally saw the net shake in the 50th minute. This was off an Avery Patterson cross which the Seattle defense tried to clear but remained alive inside the box. And who was there? It was Yuki Nagasato, that presence of experience in the field, and she didn't waste the chance. She buried the ball into the back of the net with a precise, first-touch volley that gave her her first goal of the season.
That was the spark the Dash needed. The team that had moments of pressure in the first half came close with a shot from Andressa in the 8-minute mark and one from Diana Ordóñez going solo, but they could not convert. Players were fighting, but kept running into a solid Seattle Reign defense.
Continuous Pressure and Missed Opportunities
The Dash continued to fashion chances throughout the match. Promising forward Michelle Alozie, fresh from signing a contract extension, sought to get on the board when recovering a ball from a corner in the 33rd minute, but her shot sailed high. In the early second half, Andressa tried once more, but Seattle goalkeeper Claudia Dickey made a spectacular save at the near post.
The chance was there for Barbara Olivieri in the 65 minute when a good pass from Alozie had her set up in the box, but the crossbar denied Houston a second goal. A game where Houston seemed to dictate the pace, even after Seattle had dictated possession in the opening minutes.
Seattle Tried Too, But Lack Accuracy
Seattle Reign wasn't out of the fight despite Houston's pressure. Seattle had their chances-most notably with Tziarra King and Jordyn Huitema, who came close to opening the scoring early in the match. However, Dash goalkeeper Jane Campbell was there to make a crucial save. Seattle even outshot Houston in the first half, but its lack of accuracy on goal ended up costing them.
Former Dash forward Veronica Latsko had a chance in the 80th minute, but her shot was high. Moments later Huitema reappeared looking to convert a cross from Ana-Maria Crnogorčević, the final touch just not finding the net. One of those games where Seattle had the volume but not the sharp finishing needed to turn chances into goals.
Drought Be Over
Assistant coach Ricky Clarke has plenty of reason to celebrate his first league win. The Dash snapped a nine-game winless streak. However, the team still stayed in 13th place in the standings with 17 points, far from the NWSL playoff race.
As for Seattle Reign, they lost their second game in a row. They remained in 11th place with 20 points, five behind Racing Louisville, the last team in the playoff zone.