Slide Continues as Dash Fall 3-0 in Kansas City
(image via Thad Bell)
The Houston Dash continue to slide after another defeat, this time falling 3-0 to the Kansas City Current on Friday night. With the loss, the Dash have now dropped three straight matches and sit below the playoff line.
Following back-to-back defeats, head coach Fabrice Gautrat made several changes in search of a response. Houston shifted from a 4-4-2 to a 4-5-1 formation, while Allysha Chapman made her first start of the season for the Dash. The additional midfielder left Kate Faasse as the lone striker up top.
From the opening whistle, Kansas City controlled the tempo and pinned Houston deep in its own half. It felt like only a matter of time before the Current broke through. In the 15th minute, Michelle Cooper raced onto a through ball and drove into the box. Unable to beat two Dash defenders, she sent a cross toward goal. Jane Campbell came off her line attempting to collect the ball but could not keep hold of it, and it slipped through her hands into the net for an own goal, giving Kansas City a 1-0 lead.
The Current struck again just two minutes later. Another long ball found Cooper in space, and Campbell once again came off her line to intervene. The ball spilled loose, allowing Cooper to recover possession before squaring it across to Temwa Chawinga, who calmly finished into an empty net to double KC’s advantage in the 17th minute.
Houston showed more stability defensively after halftime and managed to create a few promising chances going forward. Still, Kansas City continued to exploit the space behind the Dash back line. In the 68th minute, Cooper once again got in behind the defense off a through ball and delivered a cross into the box for a wide-open Chawinga, who finished for her second goal of the night and sealed a deserved 3-0 victory for the Current.
The Dash now find themselves on a three-match losing streak with major concerns continuing to grow. Campbell, usually one of the team’s most reliable leaders, was directly involved in the first two goals conceded. Houston’s defense, which had been one of the team’s strengths earlier in the season, has recently struggled to stay organized and track runners in open space.
The attack also remains a significant issue. With Kiki Van Zanten and Makenzy Robbe sidelined, the Dash continue searching for answers at the striker position, and there does not appear to be an immediate solution.
Houston returns home for a quick turnaround as they host the San Diego Wave on Wednesday, May 20, at 7:00 PM. The match will be streamed on CBS Sports Network.
