Schmidt’s Stoppage-Time Strike Lifts Dash Over Courage
(image via Derek Boyd)
The Houston Dash earned their second home win of the season with a dramatic 2-1 victory over the North Carolina Courage on Friday night at Shell Energy Stadium. Kickoff was pushed to 7:48 p.m. CT due to a weather delay with storms in the area. The pre-match also featured a special celebration for Michelle Alozie’s gold medal triumph with Nigeria at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Coming off last weekend’s draw, head coach Fabrice Gautrat stuck with the same lineup to maintain consistency, giving Allysha Chapman her second straight start. The Dash began the first half brightly, creating clear chances and controlling much of the attacking play despite the delay. However, frustration grew as they failed to convert early opportunities.
In the 26th minute, momentum swung when Maggie Graham fouled Jaedyn Shaw just outside the box. After a lengthy VAR review, the referee decided the foul occurred inside the box and awarded a penalty. Riley Jackson stepped up and converted, beating Jane Campbell to put the Courage ahead 1-0.
The setback only fueled the Dash’s response. Determined to make amends, Graham won a crucial 50/50 challenge and fed Kiki Van Zanten, who unleashed a rocket from 25 yards out past Casey Murphy in the 39th minute to level the score.
Halftime arrived with the match tied 1-1. While North Carolina held the edge in shots and possession, the Dash looked more dangerous in the final third and could have taken the lead with sharper finishing. The break also featured the introduction of Houston’s newest signing, defender Lisa Boattin.
The second half saw both sides cancel each other out for long stretches, with few clear-cut chances. The match seemed destined for a draw until stoppage time, when Yazmeen Ryan’s relentless pressing won the ball deep inside the Courage end. Ryan worked her way to the end line and delivered a perfect cross to Sophie Schmidt, who scored for the second consecutive match to seal the 2-1 win in the 90+4 minute.
What could have been a fair draw turned into a statement victory for the Dash, three points that may mark a turning point in their playoff push. More importantly, it injected much-needed belief heading into the second half of the season.
The Dash now head to New Jersey to face NY/NJ Gotham FC on Sunday, August 17, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. CT. The match will stream on NWSL+ and Paramount+.
