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Rader Scores 10th Goal as Dash Earn Hard-Fought Point in Portland
The Houston Dash closed out their road trip on Saturday evening with a gritty 1-1 draw against Portland Thorns FC at Providence Park, snapping a two-game losing streak at the venue and securing their first point in Oregon since 2023.
The result caps an unbeaten two-match road swing under interim head coach Jaime Frias, who took charge prior to last week's fixture. Through his first two games at the helm, Frias has guided Houston to four points out of a possible six (1-0-1):
"We came into the match and we were going to play like a final, which means with the intensity of a final, with decision making of a final," Frias said after the match. "I think we did that, we gave Portland everything they could handle, and they gave us everything we can handle."
Rader's Historic Opener
Houston took control early in the 10th minute. Forward Kate Faasse slid a well-weighted pass into the box, finding Kat Rader, who chipped the ball past the goalkeeper to put the Dash ahead 1-0.
The finish marked Rader's 10th goal of the regular season, making her the first Dash player since Rachel Daly in 2018—and just the third in franchise history—to score double-digit goals in a single season. She’s now only ONE GOAL away from tying Diana Ordóñez for most goals scored by a rookie in NWSL history.
Campbell Stands Tall Under Pressure
Holding a one-goal lead, Houston’s backline and captain Jane Campbell withstood constant pressure from Portland’s attack. Campbell made four crucial saves on the night, including a key denial on Sophia Wilson right before halftime and a point-blank stop on Reilyn Turner in the 62nd minute. The performance brought Campbell to 108 saves on the year, placing her just five away from matching her own NWSL single-season record.
As the second half progressed, the Thorns tilted the pitch entirely in their favor, ultimately racking up 20 shot attempts across the 90 minutes. Houston goalkeeper and backline repelled attack after attack, turning away dangerous set pieces and box scrambles as time ticked away.
In the 84th minute, forward Khyah Harper nearly doubled Houston's advantage when her strike rattled off the near post.
Late Equalizer Splits the Points
Just a minute after Harper's near-miss, Portland's relentless pressure finally paid off late in the match. In the 85th minute, Sophia Wilson worked space near the edge of the area and set up Marie Müller, who struck a powerful one-touch finish past the keeper to level the score at 1-1.
Despite a chaotic final few minutes of stoppage time with both sides searching for a winner, the whistle blew to confirm the split points.
Point Stolen
The point keeps Houston level on 30 points with the Orlando Pride, with the Dash holding the tiebreaker via goal difference (-4 vs -8). They sit 10 points behind 8th-placed Seattle Reign with four regular-season matches remaining. With playoffs essentially at 0% chance, the focus turns to building momentum to end the season as they return home to face Washington Spirit this Sunday.
The Dash Dispatch
Tune In to Dash Dispatch: For full post-match analysis and tactical breakdowns, listen to the latest episode of Dash Dispatch wherever you get your podcasts through Noodle Time.
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