The Houston Dash tied the Washington Spirit 1-1 on Thursday. (Photo Copyright Clark Linehan for The Equalizer)
Marissa Diggs’ 74th minute goals gave the Houston Dash a 1-1 tie with the Washington Spirit on Thursday at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston.
The tie likely won’t be enough for the seventh-place Dash (5-10-2, 17 pts.) to realistically stay in the playoff picture.
Lisa De Vanna opened the scoring for Washington in the 19th minute. After the Spirit won the ball in their own half, Jodie Taylor eventually played a through ball to DeVanna, who patiently placed the ball past Houston goalkeeper Erin McLeod.
Both teams were denied by the post, the Spirit most dramatically on the final kick of the game, when Kerstin Garefrekes shot found the woodwork. Kealia Ohai hit the post in the 33rd minute for Houston after Harris first got her fingertips on the close-range shot.
McLeod and Harris each came up big in net for their respective teams, including McLeod denying De Vanna a second goal in a 1-v-1 scenario in the 30th minute. Harris made several charges well out of her box in the final minutes in a sweeper-keeper role.
Thursday’s draw puts Washington (8-7-3, 27 pts.) in third place, one point ahead of Portland and Chicago, who tied on Thursday for the third time in less than three weeks.
