**Houston, Texas** – The Houston Dash and Angel City FC dueled to a 1-1 draw in the last of a six-game slate across the league over the weekend. Despite plenty of attempts for both sides, goals from María Sánchez for Houston and Simone Charley for Angel City either side of halftime are what made the difference.
Both sides tested the other in the opening few minutes of the game with Houston forward Ebony Salmon seeing an effort blocked by defender Megan Reid in the third minute. Two minutes though, Angel City forward Simone Charley broke into the box and nearly beat Houston goalkeeper Jane Campbell to the ball near the center of the six-yard box only for Campbell to best her close in and prevent the chance.
Chances continued to go back and forth when an exciting opportunity for Houston’s Sophie Schmidt came in the 29 ^th minute. Angel City goalkeeper DiDi Haracic was in possession deep in her own territory when she played a loose pass into midfield that sent her defense scrambling. Rushing on the ball was Schmidt, but as a tackle came in from an Angel City defender Schmidt was unable to make proper contact with the ball and the effort landed just wide of goal. Two minutes later, Charley was at it again as midfielder Savannah McCaskill played a through pass into the penalty area for the forward to chase. This time, Charley beat Campbell to the ball but was unable to lift her shot over the diving goalkeeper and Angel City eventually got it cleared.
In the 43 ^rd minute, though, Houston attacker María Sánchez produced an absolute bit of a magic with a wonderful strike from outside the penalty area following a short corner. The Dash had earned a short corner via a clearance by Angel City defender Ali Riley. Taking the corner quickly, Houston’s Natalie Jacobs played the pass short to Sánchez who cut inside from the right while still just outside the box. From there, Sánchez unleashed a Goal of the Year candidate effort that sailed over the goalkeeper Haracic’s head and into the top corner.
At the break, the hosts were able to boast about their lead thanks to Sánchez’s blazing effort, though Angel City could make the case that they too deserved to be on the scoresheet.
Coming out of the halftime interval, Angel City decided to do just that as the forward Charley brought the visitors back level with her goal in the 49 ^th minute. A long ball over the top from the Angel City defense allowed Charley to chase the ball, where she narrowly beat a Houston defender in poking it with her first touch into the penalty area. Coming out of goal was Campbell, but a great error in judgment left the ball still unclaimed in the box for Charley to nudge past Campbell. Then dribbling alone and with an open net in front of her, Charley rolled the ball home to reset the tone.
Back-to-back chances were a theme of the entire contest, with Houston’s Natalie Jacobs striking the post with a headed effort from the left side of the six-yard box following a corner kick in the 59 ^th minute. However, one minute later, Angel City failed to capitalize on a chance of their own as the midfielder McCaskill attempted to squeeze a ball through to the back post from close in that no one was able to make contact with as the chance was cleared.
Both sides continued to create opportunities throughout the rest of the second half, but a particularly notable chance for the Houston Dash in the first minute of stoppage time was perhaps the best look at separating the two sides. Houston substitute Bri Visalli was in possession near the edge of the penalty area where she fired on goal, only to watch as her shot was deflected off the leg of a defender and looped toward goal. However, the ball fell directly on the frame of the cross bar and bounced over for a corner, which the Angel City defense did enough to clear.
In the end, the two sides took a point apiece thanks to goals from Sánchez and Charley in the 43 ^rd and 49 ^th minutes, though either side could have taken all three points. The draw leaves Houston in fourth place on 29 points and is their second straight tie, leaving their chase for first place a difficult one. For Angel City, though they are in the chase for a playoff position period, the draw helps to extend their unbeaten run to five games (2W 3D) as they attempt to catch sixth place Chicago.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights