Houston Dash at Utah Royals FC: Highlights, stats, and quotes
(image via Houston Dash)
The Houston Dash were shut out for the third straight match, losing 2-0 to Utah Royals on Wednesday night.
MATCH SUMMARY
Utah Royals FC 2-0 Houston Dash
Wednesday, May 6, 2026
Venue: America First Field - Sandy, Utah
Referee: Natalie Simon
Assistants: Jennifer Garner, Clarence Clark
Fourth Official: Robert Vincze
VAR: Edvin Jurisevic
Attendance: 6,789
Weather: 61 degrees, clear skies
SCORING SUMMARY
UTA: Cloé Lacasse (Mina Tanaka) 38’
UTA: Courtney Brown (Mina Tanaka) 88’
DISCIPLINE SUMMARY
HOU: Emina Ekić (caution; foul) 28’
UTA: Ana Tejada (caution; foul) 71’
UTA: Dayana Pierre-Louis (caution; foul) 90+7’
LINEUPS & STATS
Utah Royals FC: Mandy McGlynn; Miyabi Moriya, Kate Del Fava, Kaleigh Riehl, Janni Thomsen; Narumi Miura (Dayana Pierre-Louis 69’), Mina Tanaka, Ana Tejada; Cloé Lacasse (Brecken Mozingo 69’), Paige Cronin (Alexa Spaanstra 62’); Cece Delzer (Courtney Brown 62’)
Unused substitutes: Mia Justus, Tatumn Milazzo, Kameron Simmonds, Nuria Rábano, Aria Nagai
Total shots: 22
Shots on goal: 7
Fouls: 10
Offside: 3
Corner kicks: 15
Saves: 3
Houston Dash: Jane Campbell (c); Lisa Boattin, Malia Berkely, Paige Nielsen, Leah Klenke; Sarah Puntigam, Cate Hardin; Linda Ullmark (Maggie Graham 62’), Emina Ekic (Kat Rader 46’); Clarissa Larisey (Kate Faasse 62’), Messiah Bright (Kiki Van Zanten 46’, Danielle Colaprico 68’)
Unused Substitutes: Caroline DeLisle, Allysha Chapman, Sophie Schmidt, Avery Patterson
Total shots: 7
Shots on goal: 3
Fouls: 5
Offside: 2
Corner kicks: 4
Saves: 5
HOUSTON DASH HEAD COACH FABRICE GAUTRAT
On the match:
"Obviously, disappointed with the loss. We had a couple players earn their first start of the year. Obviously, the first professional start for Cate Hardin. There are a lot of positives from that. I thought the players that came in the second half really gave us a boost. We created quality chances. Unfortunate, we played a very good team. Now we have to reset, regroup, get back home and get ready for Denver."
On the changes to the lineup:
"We still put a squad out that, I even said at the end of the game in the huddle. I thought we did enough to come out there with one point. So, a little bit unfortunate there. There are a lot of things that we have to take into consideration. Not just this game, but we have to take into consideration (the activity for) the week. We have to make sure we're fresh and fit for this stretch. So overall, I'm proud of the group. Obviously not the result we wanted, but I'm proud of the group."
On the team’s offense:
"If you look at just the result of the game, in terms of not scoring, but if you don't look at the actual game and see what we're creating. It's easy to come up with all sorts of summaries of it, but if you actually look at it, our xG has been pretty high. It's nothing to be alarmed about, we're going to hit the back of the net and then it will start to open up the floodgates."
On the team’s set piece defending:
"We do a great job of working on set pieces. Our group has been very, very good on set pieces, even on the offensive side. We created a high number of xG on a set piece, we just haven't converted yet. We're really proud. There's a lot of resilience today, a lot of excellent box defending as well, in a lot of moments. Just two defensive transition moments that we need to take the dust off for sure."
On chance creation:
"We played against a good team. They were in our half for a good majority of the game. I thought when we had the ball, to Max's (Zepeda) point, 65 percent pass completion actually doesn't help, right, to progress the ball consistently. There were a lot of things even from an in-possession standpoint, that we need to improve for sure to just keep progressing the ball forward and create higher quality chances."
On adjustments at half time:
"We just talked about just wanting the ball. I felt like we did not really want the ball in the first half. So, that was something we talked about. We talked about the speed of support. When they're pressing, you've got to outmatch their press and the speed in which you support the ball. I thought a few of the players that came on really changed the game positively for us."
HOUSTON DASH GOALKEEPER JANE CAMPBELL
On the match:
"Tough game and all credit to Utah. They're on a tear and they're a really good team this year. They took it to us and this was a hard midweek game for us. We need to get back and refocus, regroup really, really quickly. We're ready to bounce back Saturday against Denver at home."
On the lineup changes:
"I'll back any of our players to play and start, no matter if they're consistent starters or they don't start at all. I think we have an incredible roster and I'm really happy for Cate Hardin and Emina (Ekić) to get their first starts for the club. That's really big for them and big for us. Everyone has been working so, so hard behind the scenes. Whoever coach rolls out on the given day, everybody has each other's backs, and we trust them wholeheartedly to get the win. So, I just think Utah was the better team tonight, and they had a great game plan. I don't think it's about starters or non-starters, that kind of thing. I think everyone on this team can start from player one to player 26."
On the team’s offense:
"Just from my opinion, being all the way back there and I have a little vantage point. I just think we're just a hair off on a little bit of connection. Maybe one person is on page five and the next person is on page six, that kind of thing. I think we're close, but we're just a hair off. Those connections will come. We've had different lineups for the last few games and the front four has changed this whole season, it hasn't been a consistent four yet. It's all about them building connections with each other, reading each other, reading cues, getting to know one another, what their mannerisms are. They are a very talented group. Whoever plays in the front four and whoever slides in those slots, I think, anyone is capable of putting the ball in the back of the net. We can do it. It takes all of us. It can't just be the front two that have to win the game. It has to be all of us. So, something all of us definitely need to look in the mirror and make sure we set them up for success."
On the number of corner kicks the team faced:
"I don't want to give up 15 corner kicks and we did not concede a goal (during the corner kicks). Again, credit to Utah. They had some very good set plays and they came close. I thought our defensive group, I mean, everybody's in the box. Everyone put their body on the line and really, defended all of them quite well. They were really, really dangerous services. I thought everybody did really well. I mean, Paige (Nielsen) and Maggie (Graham) were flying around on some corners. Leah (Klenke), Kiki (Van Zanten). Hats off to them. They definitely were the reason we didn't concede a goal on those corner kicks. It wasn't just me.”
