**Harrison, New Jersey** – The Houston Dash hit for four goals in their 4-2 win over Gotham FC on Sunday night, with the hosts scoring first before the visitors hit four straight including two within four minutes. The win is Houston’s second straight and third in the last five games, while Gotham falls for the second straight game and fifth time in the last six games overall.
Gotham was first on board and it took them only four minutes to start the action when midfielder Paige Monaghan put home an effort from close range following a breakaway. The Dash were attempting to move the ball back from defense to goal when Gotham forward Taylor Smith got in the way of the pass and sprinted toward the opposition penalty box. Into the area on the right side, Smith then slotted a ball directly across goal for the onrushing Monaghan who had little trouble putting it past Dash goalkeeper Jane Campbell to open the scoring.
The pair of sides then traded chances before the Dash equalized in the 18 ^th minute via a corner kick. The delivery came in from attacker Maria Sánchez toward the near post, where a flick on toward goal caused confusion in the Gotham penalty area. Bouncing around, defender Mandy Freeman ended up unintentionally failing to clear the ball and it ended up in the back of the net and ruled an own goal.
Then taking the lead, Houston would add its second goal of the game as Sánchez was involved once again, this time earning the assist credit on Shea Groom’s goal. As Houston won back possession inside the Gotham half, the ball was played out to the left side for Sánchez. Taking a step forward, the playmaker whipped in an out-swinging cross that teammate Shea Groom was able to meet in the center of the penalty area. Groom then produced an unstoppably powerful header from a few yards out and the Dash jumped in front.
At the break, both sides could make a cause that they could and should be in front, but it was Houston’s game to lose after coming back from a goal down to go one up.
Into the second half, neither side would produce a high-quality opportunity until Houston’s third goal of the evening, which came via a worldie from midfielder Sophie Schmidt in the 70 ^th minute. Tinkering around the opposition penalty area, midfielder Marisa Viggiano spotted Schmidt just outside the box and played a pass into her slow stride. From there, Schmidt produced a beautiful curling effort the swung out and into the top right corner of the goal with the visitors then nearly putting the game out of contention.
Instead, the final nail in the proverbial coffin came just minutes later when forward Ebony Salmon scored Houston’s fourth on the night and second goal in the span of three minutes from the penalty spot. Back on attack almost immediately after scoring, Maria Sánchez continued to prove a menace to the Gotham defense when she pushed the ball through the legs of one defender on her way into the penalty area where she was then brought down by Gotham’s McCall Zerboni. Stepping up to the spot, Salmon then converted for her fourth goal in Houston colors and her team’s fourth and final of the night.
However, in the 82 ^nd minute, Gotham forward Midge Purce would score a goal worthy of winning any match though it proved just a consolation in this match. As the hosts won the ball back from Houston deep in their own territory, a forward ball for Purce to hold up instead saw the forward produce a moment of brilliance as she turned and let the ball run through. Continuing to stride down the field, Purce worked her magic all the way to goal where she lifted an effort past the Dash’s Campbell in impressive fashion.
Too little too late though, and Houston managed to walk away from Red Bull Arena with another three points that lifted them to third in the league, while Gotham remains in ninth position still a few points away from the potential playoff point line heading into the final two months of the regular season.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights