Houston Dash come from behind to down Seattle Reign

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography,
Copyright 2018, All Rights Reserved 

By Lou Roesch

Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (May 24, 2018) In a stunning change of events, the Houston Dash (shown right) snatched victory from the jaws of defeat on Wednesday night at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, Texas. Second half goals from Kristi Mews and Veronica Latsko lifted Houston to 2-1 win and its first franchise victory over the Seattle Reign. The win was also the first of the season at home in 2018.

Houston trailed 1-0 in the 68^th minute when Rachel Daly delivered a set piece to the back post finding Kristi Mewis. The Hanson, Massachusetts native headed down the Daly service inside the near post stunning a Seattle Reign side that had control of the match and had won 10 straight against the Houston side.

The equalizer came after a flurry of activity that saw Houston begin to assert themselves a little more slowly as the match went along.

“The importance of a win,” said Houston head coach Vera Pauw,  “is that we feel that we are on the right track because if you don’t get points, you may reach a moment where players do not believe anymore that they are on the right track, but there will be a point that that is there. If you have a team in development, you need those moments where everything falls on your side and that is the most important part. Other than that, we have points and we are back in the race for playoffs with these points.”

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography,
Copyright 2018, All Rights Reserved 

Houston was determined to get more than just a point in the first of four consecutive home games. After withstanding a flurry of attempts by Seattle (seven shots  in the final seven minutes), the Dash countered with the game winning attack. After Megan Rapinoe’s deflected effort clang off the first post, Houston was off and running in the first minute of second half stoppage time. Thembi Kgatlana, who subbed on in the 75^th minute gathered in the clearance just on the Seattle side midfield. Racing down the left side, the South African international headed towards the top of the 18 where she drew the defenders away from an onrushing Veronica Latsko (46’). The Houston Dash forward turned a perfectly weighted pass into a one time right-footed blast that banged off the inside of the far post and into the net giving Houston a 2-1 lead.

“Well it’s great that the substitutes make such a difference and it would be both sides (offensive and defensive), and if it had been the other way around, we would have had the same outcome,” continued Pauw. “It’s good that we can change things and the depth on the bench is bringing us something special, but we also need to realize that we need to keep being disciplined, not to give so many chances away.”

Bethany Yanez had given Seattle the early lead with a goal in the 13^th minute but Houston would not be denied their second stoppage time win in the team’s last five outings.

Houston with the win moved to within two spots of the fourth playoff berth just 10 games into the season. The Dash, unbeaten in four of their last five outings, return to action on Sunday May 27^th at BBVA Compass Stadium hosting the Washington Spirit at 7 p.m.