Dash unable to beat Louisville

 On August 12, the Houston Dash took on Racing Louisville FC as part of Dynamo Charities weekend. 

Despite putting pressure on Louisville throughout the game, Houston was forced to walk away with a scoreless draw. 

During the third minute, the stadium said thank you to Dash legend Rachel Daly. 

Houston’s first chance at scoring would come in the fourth minute. Another chance would follow in the fifth, followed by a third opportunity in the eighth minute. 

Louisville’s first chance would be in the 10th minute. Three minutes later, a corner kick almost found its way to the net. 

Houston would have another chance to go up 1-0 in the 17th minute, but again came up short. 

Louisville would have a chance in the 22nd minute to break the scoreless draw, but came up empty. 

Houston’s best chance in the first half came in the 31st minute when Louisville bobbled the ball in front of the goal. Despite a clear shot, the ball went wide. 

Louisville would see the first disciplinary action in the 33rd minute when Satara Murray was called for a yellow card after tripping a Dash player in control of the ball. Murray would get her second yellow of the match for the same thing in the 44th minute and got ejected for accumulating two yellow cards in the match. 

In the 41st minute, Maria Sanchez had a good chance to score, but just missed. Houston had one more chance in the 44th minute to go up, but came up short. 

The second half saw Houston come out firing on all cylinders as they continued to pressure Louisville. 

Between the 53rd and 56th minute, Houston had four good chances to score. Unfortunately, three of those shots went right to the goalkeeper. 

Louisville’s Gemma Banter would see the third yellow card of the match in the 60th minute after a bad foul was called. 

From there, Houston continued the pressure, but came up short. 

The Dash play Wednesday against Gotham FC and hope to continue their playoff push. 

Dynamo 2 pound Sporting Kansas City 2 to win season series

On August 7, the Houston Dynamo 2 took on Sporting Kansas City 2 in the third and final regular season matchup between the teams. 

Houston pressured Sporting KC 2 from the start and walked away with a convincing 3-0 victory. Even with the win, Houston still sits in third place in the Western Conference standings with 39 points. 

Houston’s first big chance at a goal would come in the 20th minute. Between the 21st and 37th minutes, Houston would get five good chances, but couldn’t find the goal. Two more first half chances would come before Marcelo Palomino would find the back of the net in stoppage time to put Houston up 1-0. 

Kansas City would get their first good chance in the 42nd minute when a nice setup turned into a denial in the penalty box. Kansas City would try again only to be denied at the goal. 

Discipline would play a role as both teams received their share of yellow cards. 

Kansas City 2 would get the first yellow in the 21st minute. Juan Castilla would get Houston’s first yellow card in the 33rd minute. Beto Avila would get a controversial yellow for “kicking the ball” in the 40th minute. I asked him after the game and he told me that the ball was never kicked. Kansas City 2’s Jacob Davis would get called for a yellow in the 41st minute. The final yellow would be in first half stoppage time when Kansas City 2’s #44 would get one. 

The second half would pretty much be a repeat of the first half as Houston continued pressuring Kansas City 2. 

The first chance for either team to score would be when Kansas City 2 would be denied a goal in the 47th minute. 

Houston then would find the back of the net in the 48th minute when Brooklyn Raines sent the ball past the keeper to put Houston up 2-0. Three more chances for Houston to score would come between the 59th and 63rd minute. 

Kansas City 2 would get a chance to cut the deficit in half on a free kick, only to send it right to the keeper. 

Houston’s third and final goal would be in the 77th minute when Kyle Edwards sent one past the keeper and made it 3-0. That would be the final score. 

The Dynamo control their playoff fate now. With the top four advancing, every point matters now. 

The next game is August 14 against the Colorado Rapids 2. Kickoff is set for 8 pm.