Houston Dash win 7-goal thriller over Racing Louisville
(image via Houston Dash)
The Houston Dash and Racing Louisville combined for 7 goals at Shell Energy Stadium on Friday night with Houston coming away 4-3 winners with a last minute winner.
Despite the tough loss to Angel City FC, head coach Fabrice Gautrat stuck with the same lineup that brought early-season success. However, a late injury scratch to Makenzy Robbe opened the door for Messiah Bright to make her first start of the 2026 season.
The Dash started the first half strongly but allowed Louisville back into the match through quick transitions. As Ella Hase attempted to send a cross into the penalty area, the ball struck Avery Patterson’s arm. After a lengthy VAR review, the referee awarded Louisville a penalty. Taylor Flint stepped up and converted past Jane Campbell in the 23rd minute to give Louisville an early 1–0 lead.
Houston responded well. They continued to apply pressure in Louisville’s penalty area, and their persistence paid off when a Louisville defender brought down Malia Berkely inside the box. The Dash were awarded a penalty, and Kat Rader calmly converted in the 39th minute to level the match at 1–1 before halftime.
Much like the previous week, the Dash came out of the break sluggish. Louisville capitalized early in the second half as Emma Sears applied pressure, forcing a scramble in the box after a long-range effort. Sara Weber reacted quickest to the loose ball, putting Louisville back in front 2–1 in the 49th minute.
Once again, the Dash refused to back down. Just two minutes later, Kiki Van Zanten sparked a response. Driving forward on the counterattack, she unleashed a strike from outside the box that found the right corner, leveling the match at 2–2 in the 51st minute.
Van Zanten wasn’t finished. Continuing to lead the attack, she weaved through defenders and into the penalty area before calmly slotting home her second goal of the night in the 67th minute, giving the Dash a 3–2 lead.
It appeared Houston had completed the comeback, but another defensive error proved costly. A mistimed tackle led to a through ball that forced Jane Campbell off her line, resulting in a penalty for Louisville. Flint stepped up once again and converted, making the score 3–3.
As the 10 minutes of second half stoppage time neared an end, Van Zanten went down in the box, drawing yet another penalty. Substitute Sarah Puntigam stepped up and scored the 7th goal of the match, putting the Dash up 4-3.
The final whistle finally blew, giving Houston the win and another three points.
The Dash now head into the international break and will return to action on Saturday, April 25, 2026, when they host the North Carolina Courage at 7:00 PM. The match will be streamed on NWSL+.
