Match Recap: OL Reign Hold Down Houston 5-1 in Tacoma
OL Reign (6-6-1) extended their win streak to three games this evening after defeating the Houston Dash (5-6-2) 5-1 at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Washington. OL Reign, who moved from eighth place to fifth place after this win, dominated the game, securing their win with five first half goals.
OL Reign took the early lead when Jess Fishlock popped a loose ball into the air following a Dzsenifer Marozsán corner kick and Bethany Balcer got on the end of it, using her head to beat the Houston goalkeeper Lindsey Harris in the sixth minute. This opened the floodgates, and it was soon reigning goals for the Tacoma-based side.
The next goal for the Reign came in the 19th minute, when Eugénie Le Sommer found the feet of Sofia Huerta just outside the 18-yard box. Huerta displayed her impressive footwork to get by the Houston defense and blasted a shot into the left corner of the goal to score her first of the season.
In the 30th minute, it looked like Houston may have found their way back into the match, benefitting from an OL Reign own goal on a tough play that saw Shea Groom’s shot from inside the 18-yard box deflected off an OL Reign defender into the goal. That goal did not deter the Reign, who continued to apply quick pressure to the Dash players all over the field.
Le Sommer extended OL Reign’s lead to 3-1 in the 35th minute. After having her initial headed shot denied by Harris, she followed up and put the rebounded ball into the back of the net. Next to get on the scoresheet for OL Reign was Fishlock. She received a ball from Le Sommer and took a few touches before hitting a showstopping shot from around 30-yards out into the top left corner of the goal in the 42nd minute.
Just before halftime, Balcer found her second of the night. Fishlock laid the ball off to Balcer at the top of the 18-box and the forward only took one touch before burying the ball into the back of the net to earn her second brace of the season.
In the second half neither team found a shot on target. The Reign continued to dominate, keeping 75.4% of possession in the half, but ultimately the game ended 5-1. OL Reign looks to continue their winning ways next week as they travel to Kansas City.