Fox in the Box: Dash stunned with late equalizer on Opening Day

Houston Dash celebrating Kimberly Keever's goal.

Credit to Houston Dash Media

The Houston Dash opened their fifth season in NWSL on Saturday afternoon against the Chicago Red Stars in front of 5,846 fans in attendance. With mixed expectations for the year and a clean slate in the player and technical side of the team, Dash head coach Vera Pauw managing her first match in the league and new faces on the roster would play a big part in the team's quest for much-needed improvement.

Houston's first Starting XI of the season featured a combination of veteran presence in the back and new blood in the front. While Jane Campbell's spot in goal remains uncontested: Janine Van Wyk and team captain Amber Brooks were paired as center backs while Rachel Daly and Kristie Mewis were assigned as full backs. On midfield, Meleana Shim started in her first match since returning to the team while Haley Hanson, Linda Motlhalo, Savannah Jordan and Kimberly Keever made their debut for the Dash. Veronica Latsko also made her professional debut as the lone striker.

Houston would adjust and start racking up deadly opportunities at goal, with Rachel Daly coming from the back to provide support in numerous occasions and Savannah Jordan successfully providing the ball from midfield. And they would finally get their goal in the thirty-seventh minute after Kimberly Keever found Savannah Jordan's cross inside the box to score her first professional goal and the first goal of the season for the Houston Dash. They would keep the 1-0 lead at the end of the first half.

The Dash would replace Kimberly Keever for Nichelle Prince prior to the start of the second half, and not much would change from there. It still looked like they were about to score a second goal considering how hard they pressured the Red Stars up front and the way they created many scoring opportunities throughout the period.

Lindsay Agnew and Claire Falknor would replace Savannah Jordan and Linda Motlhalo respectively with the hopes to retain the advantage.

Despite the Dash playing a well-organized defense, they would concede a goal off a set-piece in the ninety-first minute of stoppage time. The dangerous corner kick sequence by Chicago was initially foiled by Houston, but the Red Stars' Taylor Comeau would claim the rebound and score off a header from inside the box to tie the match in the last minutes.

And in the end the Dash would have to settle with a 1-1 draw, and one point to start the season. It looks like the team has taken a look and their weaknesses from the past and addressed almost all of them properly, but they still need to work on finishing all of their chances and keeping consistent pressure in midfield to secure the channels.

The Houston Dash come back to BBVA Compass Stadium on Friday, March 30 when they host the Utah Royals for the first time. Tickets start at $19 and are on sale in the Houston Dash website or at the stadium box office.

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