Unbeaten Streak Ends: Houston Dash Fall 2-0 to Utah Royals

(image via Houston Dash)

The Houston Dash saw their six-match unbeaten run come to an end with a 2-0 loss to the Utah Royals on Sunday night at America First Field in Sandy, Utah. The match marked the NWSL debut of Lisa Boattin, who came on as a second-half substitute for Houston.

Aside from the absence of Natalie Jacobs—recently traded to the North Carolina Courage in exchange for defender Malia Berkley—the Dash kept a familiar lineup. Head coach Fabrice Gautrat handed Katie Lind her first start since the summer break in place of Jacobs.

Utah struck early, immediately putting Houston under pressure. In the 5th minute, Paige Monaghan delivered a corner into the box, where Kiko Seike Tanaka headed it over the line for the opener. The Royals continued to dictate play, and Tanaka nearly doubled the lead by slipping a ball through to Cloé Lacasse, who finished, only for VAR to rule it offside.

The reprieve didn’t last long. Just before halftime, Monaghan capitalized on space outside the box, unleashing a strike from distance that sailed over Jane Campbell to give Utah a deserved 2-0 lead at the break.

The second half offered little in the way of a turnaround. The Dash struggled to create clear chances, with the only notable moment coming in the 84th minute when Maggie Graham collided heavily with Utah’s goalkeeper while chasing a loose ball. Graham came off worse in the challenge and had to be substituted.

For Houston, the performance was a setback after weeks of momentum. The defense looked unsettled without Jacobs, and the team appeared fatigued and out of rhythm.

The Dash will look to regroup quickly as they return home to face the Chicago Red Stars on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. CT at Shell Energy Stadium. The match will stream on NWSL+.