Seattle Reign FC took three points against the Houston Dash with a 1-0 win on Sunday, thereby pushing their perfect record of wins against the Dash to 6-0-0. Seattle and Houston sat one apart in the standings at 7th and 8th going into Week 8, and the win will push Seattle up in the standings to 6th.
The first half was largely a game of containment, with Houston effectively breaking up play in the midfield and Seattle failing to connect on their Keelin Winters-Jess Fishlock-Kim Little final third triple threat. Although the first 45’ was played primarily in Houston’s defensive half, it was not until the second 45’ that the Reign began to consistently string together threatening advances and find the back of the net with Havana Solaun’s 66th minute goal.
Houston did show positives despite the score line. Lydia Williams, Houston goalkeeper and Australian national teamer, had a very clean game and kept what could have been a 4-0 match to a modest one goal differential. Keeping out multiple shots off a corner kick at 24’, breaking up a dangerous Little to Fishlock through ball at 37’, and tipping a header from Winters just over the bar at ’64 are just a few highlights. The Dash also began to pick up the attack after the Solaun goal, but could not find their gear to equalize before the final whistle.
The two teams go into Week 9 against two other bottom 5 opponents: Seattle to play Sky Blue FC away (6/19 6pm EST) and Houston to play FC Kansas City at home (6/19 8:30pm EST). These games present all four teams with a critical opportunity to climb in the standings as NWSL season 4 moves towards its latter half and the Olympic break.