**HOUSTON, Tx.** – The Houston Dash earned a big point against one of the NWSL’s hottest sides in Gotham FC, though the win helps the Dash to a third straight game unbeaten (W2 D1). A goal from Maria Sánchez in the first half helped Houston ahead and put her top the team totals with three on the year now. However, Gotham forward Lynn Williams equalized in the 53 ^rd minute, her sixth of the season, producing enough to help the visitors return home with a point in the end.
Gotham was first to test the opposition goal when attacker Yazmeen Ryan worked her way into the penalty area and blasted a ball across goal that forced Campbell to punch it clear in the 10 ^th minute. Seven minutes later, the visitors had earned a corner kick when a quick one-two pass allowed Jenna Nighswonger to swing in a cross that landed on the head of Williams. However, the forward was unable to keep the effort from sailing over the bar.
Houston’s first big foray ahead came through forward Diana Ordóñez in the 25 ^th minute via a breakaway run. Ordóñez had come back to meet the defensive line from an offside position in what she thought was time enough to be onside and chase a ball forward. Ordóñez latched onto the pass and attempted to round Gotham goalkeeper Abby Smith about 25 yards out from goal. Smith and Ordóñez collided, but after the collision the offside flag was raised, and the move was nullified by the linesperson.
However, in the 35 ^th minute, Houston was able to orchestrate a move forward that resulted in attacker María Sánchez punching home a cross by Ordóñez to take the lead at home. Ordóñez was out on the right side of the field on the ball when she spotted the run of her Mexican Women’s National Team teammate in dead center of the penalty area. Sliding a pass her way, Sánchez then beat the ball past Smith for her third of the season and give the hosts a huge momentum swing.
The final chance of the opening half came for forward Michelle Alozie, who worked her way into the box from the right side of the field after an unbelievable cross field ball picked her out near the edge of the penalty area. Dribbling toward the endline, Alozie was unable to pick out the back of the net as her shot fired in landed outside the goal into the side netting.
The second half began in spectacular fashion as Gotham forced a great save out of Houston goalkeeper Jane Campbell, hit the post, and were awarded a penalty kick all within the span of 20 seconds in the 50 ^th minute. Williams had ripped a shot toward goal that Campbell parried away off the inside of the crossbar and back into play with the Houston defense eventually poking the ball clear. However, that clearance only went as far as Gotham midfielder Kristie Mewis near the penalty spot, and she went down under the challenge of Houston’s Sophie Schmidt resulting in the penalty decision by the center referee.
After the decision and delay due to the review, Lynn Williams stepped up to the penalty spot in the 53 ^rd minute and sent Campbell the wrong way as she nestled her penalty into the bottom right side and in to pull her team level.
Houston certainly pushed back from there beginning with a fantastic chance for Alozie in the 60 ^th minute that instead saw Smith make a great save. Alozie had been played forward by teammate Marisa Viggiano down the right side and ended up closing in on goal in a 1-v-1 situation with goalkeeper Abby Smith. Opting to go low and to Alozie’s right, Smith was able to meet the ball from close in and produce a great save to end the move.
The peak of the second came just two minutes later though, when Alozie found the back of the net with a lovely, lofted header only to have it disallowed after four minutes of VAR review. Alozie was in the center of the penalty area when she rose to meet a cross from out wide, guiding the ball to the far post. Smith stretched out to try and prevent the ball from finding the back of the net but it was too well-positioned and Houston thought they had taken the lead. However, VAR review that the ball had gone out of play at the sideline during the buildup of the same move and the goal was chalked off.
One final move forward came in the 94 ^th minute when forward Ebony Salmon and teammate Sophie Schmidt went ahead in a last attack. Salmon had pulled up for a shot in the left side of the penalty area that was blocked by a defender, with the ball ending up at Schmidt’s feet near the center of the box. Schmidt then launched a shot from close in with her left foot that smashed the bar and bounced into the ground allowing the goalkeeper Smith to smother and prevent a last-minute winner.
The draw leaves hosts Houston in 7 ^th place with 16 points from 11 games, while Gotham sits two places ahead in 5 ^th place with 18 points from the same amount of games played.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights