Dash come back falls short in loss to San Diego
(image via Diego Martinez)
The Houston Dash extended their losing streak with a 3-2 home defeat to the San Diego Wave, despite a spirited second-half comeback that nearly rescued a result.
Coming off a defensively gritty performance against Orlando, Head Coach Fabrice Gautrat made just one change to the starting XI, bringing in Kiki Van Zanten for the injured Evelina Duljan. However, the defensive structure that held firm last week was tested early and often by a dynamic San Diego attack.
From the opening whistle, the Wave controlled the tempo and exploited Houston’s defensive vulnerabilities. Delphine Cascarino and Adriana Leon stretched the Dash backline, drawing attention away from Kenza Dali, who capitalized on the space in midfield. In the 17th minute, a failed clearance from Leon’s cross allowed Dali to volley the ball past Abby Smith, putting San Diego ahead 1-0.
Houston struggled to respond. San Diego maintained control, applying relentless pressure that led to a costly turnover near the Dash penalty area. The mistake allowed Leon to double the lead to 2-0 in the 36th minute. Just before halftime, the Dash squandered a golden opportunity to cut the deficit— their only clear chance of the half.
The second half began in much the same way, with San Diego in command. Former Dash star Maria Sanchez entered the match and made an immediate impact. In the 51st minute, Cascarino delivered a pinpoint cross that Sanchez headed home to make it 3-0.
Just when the game seemed out of reach, Barbara Olivieri breathed life into the Dash. In the 61st minute, after San Diego failed to clear their lines, Olivieri pounced on a loose ball outside the box and rifled a shot off the post and in to cut the deficit to 3-1.
Moments later, Yazmeen Ryan provided the highlight of the night, dribbling from midfield through the entire Wave defense before curling a left-footed shot into the top corner in the 68th minute.
That brilliant eight-minute stretch gave the Dash hope, but they couldn’t find an equalizer. Despite the sluggish first half, the second half showcased the attacking quality of Olivieri and Ryan—players capable of flipping a match on its head.
The Dash will look to build on that second-half spark when they travel to face the North Carolina Courage on Saturday, June 21 at 6:30 PM, their final match before the NWSL Summer Break. The match will stream live on NWSL+.
