Carli Lloyd attempts to maneuver through the Portland defense (Photo Credit: Jose Castellanos).
In a game that was delayed for about two hours due to severe weather, Lindsey Horan scored a late goal in the match to give Portland one point on the road. Houston, on the other hand, continues to get important points as they attempt to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.
The Dash presented in its starting lineup five offensive players which give the home team a versatile and fast attack. This strategy paid off early for the home team as Janine Beckie scored in the 8th minute to give the Dash the 1-0 lead. Houston created more opportunities, however they struggle with the final touch and couldn’t increase their lead.
The Thorns had chances to tie the score late in the first half, but Houston’s keeper, Jane Campbell, who started for the fourth consecutive match, continued to perform well and kept Portland at bay. Her goals against average in the last four matches is just 0.50 per game.
Portland midfielder Allie Long fights for possession in Houston (Photo Credit: Jose Castellanos).
During the second half, both teams had chances to score. Houston’s fast attack that used their wings, in addition to using Carli Lloyd as a false 9, gave the locals several chances to score. On the other hand, Portland centralized its attack as Christine Sinclair, Allie Long, and Lindsey Horan tried to penetrate a solid Houston defensive line.
The equalizer for the Northwestern team came in stoppage time as Horan shot to the top corner of the left post, sailing by Campbell, to give Portland a point. With the tie, the Thorns reached 19 points in the season, fifth place in the standings.
Houston, who have improved since interim coach Omar Morales took charge of the team, have also continued to benefit from the return of USWNT star Carli Lloyd. They are now seventh in the standings with fourteen points.
Morales has been maximizing the skills his players have. Brazilian international Andressa has been playing her best soccer since she moved to Houston last year. Even though Houston lost key player Kealia Ohai to injury for the rest of the season, Lloyd returned from England in a great shape to give her team more options to improve on offense. However, the bad news for the Dash is that Lloyd saw a controversial red card in stoppage time. This will carry a suspension for the next game against the Dash’s star, which will affect her team at a crucial time of the season.
