Kiki Van Zanten Brace Leads Houston Dash to 3-0 Win
(image via Ricky Vega)
The Houston Dash earned a 3-0 victory in their home opener against Boston Legacy FC on Saturday afternoon, making history with their first-ever two wins to start a season.
Head coach Fabrice Gautrat has emphasized consistency, and it showed in his team selection, rolling out nearly the same lineup that defeated San Diego Wave FC. With Kate Faasse unavailable due to injury, Kiki Van Zanten stepped into the starting eleven.
The Dash started brightly, controlling possession and playing on the front foot. Early on, a perfectly weighted through ball from Kat Rader sent Makenzy Robbe in on goal before she was brought down in the penalty area by Jorelyn Carabalí. After a lengthy VAR review, a penalty was awarded. Malia Berkely stepped up in the 13th minute, but Casey Murphy came up with a strong save to keep the match level.
Houston continued to push, creating chances but struggling to find the breakthrough. In the 39th minute, Radar thought she had opened the scoring with a free kick, but the goal was disallowed after Murphy collided with Maggie Graham, with the referee ruling a foul on the goalkeeper.
The Dash didn’t let the setback slow them down. Just before halftime, Leah Klenke found Linda Ullmark, who delivered a pass to a wide-open Kiki Van Zanten in the box. Van Zanten calmly finished to give Houston a deserved 1-0 lead in the 43rd minute.
The momentum carried into the second half. The Dash came out aggressively, pressing Boston deep in their own half. That pressure paid off in the 59th minute when Murphy misplayed a pass under pressure from Radar, who quickly recovered the ball and sent it across goal to Van Zanten for her second of the night, doubling Houston’s lead.
Houston kept their foot on the gas. In the 65th minute, sustained pressure led to another opportunity inside the box. After a scramble, Kat Radar reacted quickest to slot home and extend the lead to 3-0 with her first NWSL goal.
It was a dominant performance from the Dash. While some may point to Boston still finding its footing as an expansion side, Houston’s positives are clear. The rookies are making an impact, the team has a defined pressing and attacking identity, and there’s a growing confidence throughout the squad.
The Dash now head west to face Angel City FC on Friday, March 27 at 9:00 PM CT, with the match streaming on Prime Video.
