**BRIDGEVIEW, Ill.** – The Houston Dash picked up their first win of the regular season as they defeated the Chicago Red Stars, 2-1, behind goals from attackers Ashley Sánchez and Diana Ordóñez. Sánchez, who opened the game’s scoring after four minutes, helped Houston go in front before Ordóñez restored their lead for good on the hour mark from the penalty spot. With their goals, Sánchez and Ordóñez became the first Mexican teammates to score in an NWSL match.
The Dash jumped out front quickly, wasting no time to silence the home crowd as attacker Maria Sánchez tapped home an Ebony Salmon pass to go ahead. Salmon had been fed down the right side and found herself in space after a slip in the Chicago defense. Barreling into the penalty area, Salmon forced the Chicago defense into collapsing and she was able to pick out the run of Sánchez directly across from her, and Sánchez had the easy work of tapping home goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher.
However, in the 18 ^th minute, Chicago pulled their goal back as Houston’s Natalie Jacobs inadvertently flicked on toward the back post only to see the ball loop into the back side netting and in. The Red Stars worked hard to earn the set piece and, though a Chicago player couldn’t claim, the visitors would have no complaints about finding a way back into the match.
Despite the two goals, there was not much to boast about in terms of chance creation for either side in the rest of the first half and the teams went into the break how they came out, all square.
Into the second half, Houston created opportunities early on and began in the 48 ^th minute when a sequence out left saw a ball played into the box toward a pair of Houston players, though neither in front of goal were able to redirect an effort on frame.
A few minutes later, Houston then had their best opportunity to go back in front given as Chicago defender Tatumn Milazzo was judged to have fouled Dash forward Diana Ordóñez in the penalty area. After VAR review, the penalty was given and up stepped Ordóñez to take. New to Houston in 2023, the Mexican national buried the spot kick in the bottom left corner despite Naeher picking the right way and nearly getting a glove on the opportunity.
Nearing the end of the match, Chicago kept themselves right in it and nearly saw another equalizer come through if not for a goalline clearance by the Dash. Having experienced some success via set pieces—both in their season opener and in the game against Houston—Chicago lined up a corner kick just four minutes from the end of regulation time. With forward Mallory Swanson on corner kick duty, she picked out teammate Casey Krueger in the penalty area, and Chicago fans could only watch in agony as her headed effort was cleared off the line by Houston’s Allysha Chapman.
The Red Stars would continue to apply pressure on the Houston goal in the game’s waning minutes, but their efforts would ultimately fall short as Chicago suffered a second-straight defeat after last week’s loss in San Diego. For the Dash, though, it’s a first win and a second game unbeaten following their season-opening draw against Racing Louisville.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights