**HOUSTON, Tx.** – The Houston Dash battled back from a Washington goal just after the hour mark to draw level in second half stoppage and earn a 1-1 draw against the Spirit. Ashley Sanchez’s goal for Washington was equaled out by María Sánchez’s 91 ^st minute goal for Houston, with the result leaving Houston in 8 ^th place with 19 points from 16 games played and Washington in 4 ^th place with 25 points from 16 games played.
The Spirit were the more dominant of the two sides early on, with chances in the 5 ^th and 6 ^th minutes forcing the Dash to wake up quickly. First, midfielder Paige Metayer forced a save out of Houston goalkeeper Jane Campbell from close in after 5 minutes. Then, in a separate move a minute later, Spirit forward Ashley Hatch attempted to catch Campbell off her line with a distance effort just inside midfield only for Campbell to get back in time to collect the ball and prevent any embarrassment.
Houston then moved forward and began to test Washington goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury on the other end of the field. First, Kingsbury had to deal with chances in the 9 ^th and 15 ^th minutes via forward Joelle Anderson and defender Michelle Alozie, who was in a fullback position against Washington on the night.
However, the best chance for perhaps either side fell for Metayer again, this time right on the half-hour mark. The Spirit had moved forward down the right side through Camryn Biegalski, who collected a pass and then tried to pick out Metayer at the top of the box and unmarked. Metayer was able to race onto the ball and meet it, but her left-footed side swipe of an effort sailed over the crossbar and out of play in the end.
Then, just before the halftime break, Houston had two more looks on goal as Joelle Anderson had separate chances saved by Kingsbury, meaning the sides would enter the halftime break scoreless.
In the 62 ^nd minute, Washington decided to bring on Ashley Sanchez, who was one of a few players to make her return from the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. In very Ashley Sanchez fashion, too, she then catapulted Washington in front via a near unstoppable effort in the 63 ^rd minute as she broke behind the defense and beat Campbell at her near post. Sanchez was played down the left side of the box near the edge of the six-yard box when she opted to shoot with her left foot. Her effort then sailed past Campbell, who had little chance of saving the effort, as the visitors took the lead well into the second half.
Throughout the duration of the half, Houston certainly would not go quietly as María Sánchez and Ebony Salmon among others attempted to bring their side back level. First, in the 70 ^th minute, Sánchez had a shot from outside the box collected by Kingsbury. But even more significant was the save from Kingsbury on Salmon in the 84 ^th minute to preserve her side’s slender lead. Salmon had brought the ball down inside the box and twisted inside and out, causing the Spirit defenders in front of her to lose their way. Salmon then opened up her right foot and attempted to power a shot over Kingsbury, only for the goalkeeper to produce an incredible fingertip save and send the ball over the bar and out of play.
Sensing the pressure, Houston would then find an all-important equalizer in the first minute of stoppage time as María Sánchez converted a chance from close in. The Dash were on the ball on the right flank through Salmon, who cut forward and hit a lined cross toward Sánchez in the middle of the box. Sánchez then tapped the ball over the line with composure to beat Kingsbury and bring her side level with just a few minutes to play.
In the end, though, the two sides settled for a point as Ashley Sanchez’s goal after the hour mark was cancelled out by María Sánchez’s goal for Houston in second half stoppage.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights