FC Kansas City used tough defense and stellar play in goal to shut out the Houston Dash 2-0 on Saturday night in Houston.
The Dash bid farewell to their three Canadian players after the game as Erin McLeod, Lauren Sesselmann and Allysha Chapman — officially named to the Canada Women’s National Team 23-player roster for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup on Monday — made their only appearance in Houston before departing for final preparations for the tournament. Chapman played the full 90 minutes, while Sesselmann was an unused substitute and McLeod was not available due to an ankle injury.
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Playing without any of their national players, FC Kansas City’s aggressive play set up what could have been the first tally of the game in the 12th minute of play. Leigh Ann Robinson put in an early cross from the right flank. With two runners in the box, the pass bounced pass Shea Groom and a defender and fell to Sarah Hagen, who put her shot wide from five yards out.
Skyscraper Blues
For the second week in a row, set piece defending did the Dash in for a goal. Bianca Henninger punched away an initial corner kick from Erika Tymrak in the 40th minute but Kansas City played the ball back into traffic in front of the net. The second ball was only cleared to the edge of the box, where Liz Bogus was waiting and she ripped a shot to the low corner to take the lead.
The visiting Blues almost added to their lead just two minutes later as Hagen led Groom in behind the Dash defense. Carleigh Williams and Niki Cross recovered well enough to force Groom into a tough angle, but the Texas A&M product still got a hard shot away that Henninger simply smacked over the goal.
Houston started the second half with a little more up tempo attack, and they were almost rewarded with the equalizier. Jessica McDonald stretched to connect on the volley with a cross from Ella Masar, narrowly missing a spectacular goal into the upper corner. On the next foray forward, Chapman served a cross into the box to Masar for a headed shot that had to be saved by Nicole Barnhart. Hagen and Groom managed to connect in the 52nd minute. Hagen found space on the right side to send in a cross, and Groom cut in front of Niki Cross to head a shot across the face of goal and inside the far post for her first professional goal.
The gritty Dash rallied right back two minutes after the goal, as Jessica McDonald put in a cross from the right sideline. Melissa Henderson beat her defender in the air to get a shot off with her head, but it rattled off the crossbar and stayed out in what ended up as Houston’s best chance of the night. The match included the NWSL debuts of Cami Privett and Allie Bailey, who were called up as amateurs in place of the missing U.S. Women’s National Team players. Both were involved in providing pressure late in the match as the Dash searched for a goal. Privett had a shot inside the box that looked to be on target blocked by a defender, and Bailey winning a foul just outside the box for a dangerous free kick.
Houston was held scoreless for the first time this season while dropping their second consecutive match. The Dash have a bye next week before returning to BBVA Compass Stadium to host the Chicago Red Stars on May 15. FC Kansas City, winners of two straight, continue their road trip as they travel to take on the Western New York Flash next Friday.
Houston Dash (1-2-1; 4 points) vs. FC Kansas City (2-2-0; 6 points)
NWSL regular season
May 2, 2015 – BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston, Texas
Attendance: 4,186
Goals by period 1 2 Total
Houston Dash 0 0 0
FC Kansas City 1 1 2
Scoring Summary:
FC Kansas City: Liz Bogus 1 (unassisted) 42
FC Kansas City: Shea Groom 1 (Sarah Hagen 1) 51
Houston Dash: Bianca Henninger; Ella Masar ©, Niki Cross, Carleigh Williams, Allysha Chapman; Rachael Axon, Jordan Jackson (Cami Privett* 58), Ashley Nick; Melissa Henderson (Tiffany McCarty 59), Jessica McDonald, Kealia Ohai (Allie Bailey* 77)
Substitutes Not Used: Jordan Day*, Lauren Sesselmann, Jen LaPonte*, Stephanie Roche
TOTAL SHOTS: 12 (Jessica McDonald, Rachael Axon, Kealia Ohai tied with 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Ella Masar, Jessica McDonald, Rachael Axon tied with 1); FOULS: 8 (Allysha Chapman 4); OFFSIDES: 1 (Kealia Ohai); CORNER KICKS: 5 (Melissa Henderson 4); SAVES: 1
FC Kansas City: Nicole Barnhart; Leigh Ann Robinson ©, Amy LePeilbet, Yael Averbuch, Becca Moros; Frances Silva, Jen Buczkowski, Erika Tymrak (Meghan Lisenby* 88), Liz Bogus (Mandy Laddish 70); Shea Groom (Caroline Kastor* 77), Sarah Hagen
Substitutes Not Used: Katelyn Rowland, Kaysie Clark
*Amateur call-up
TOTAL SHOTS: 10 (Sarah Hagen 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Shea Groom 2); FOULS: 4 (Amy LePeilbet, Becca Moros, Erika Tymrak, Shea Groom tied with 1); OFFSIDES: 4 (Sarah Hagen, Shea Groom tied with 2); CORNER KICKS: 3 (Erika Tymrak 2); SAVES: 3 (Nicole Barnhart 3)
Disciplinary Summary
FCKC: Becca Moros (caution) 63