Reign and Dash split points in 1-1 draw

Following a 20-minute kickoff delay due to excessive heat, Seattle Reign and the Houston Dash battled to a 1-1 draw on a hot and muggy evening in Houston. After a scoreless and somewhat listless first half, Houston forward Yazmeen Ryan pounced on a bad miscue by the Reign defense just 70 seconds into the second half to give the Dash a lead.

This time, the Reign substitutes did their job at changing the game for the positive, with Lynn Biyendolo coming on and occupying several Dash defenders to create space for Jordyn Huitema to connect with a Sofia Huerta ball into the box for the equalizer in the 65th minute. The assist gave Huerta a new league record, and the Reign defense carefully saw out the remainder of the game as they avoided a repeat of late-game mistakes.

What worked

Sofia Huerta, record holder

It might have taken nearly two years longer than anyone would have ever predicted, but Huerta finally got her record-breaking assist on a long ball into the box, which Huitema glanced on frame and past Dash goalkeeper Jane Campbell. She pulls one assist ahead of Jess McDonald and Reign teammate Biyendolo in a race that might change leaders several more times and see other contenders enter the picture before she retires.

What didn't work

Not having numbers in the attack

On several occasions in the first half, Huitema successfully brought the ball down, flicked it with her head, or ran onto a pass and was the only player in her attacking third. The Reign struggled to create chances in the first half as a result, with Ji So-yun and Nérilia Mondésir often dropping deeper and more centrally when defending — and subsequently, when the Reign got possession. The lack of support in attack resulted in an anemic two shots (neither on target) and 0.10 expected goals (xG) in the first half.

Playing the ball out of the back

Soon after halftime, the Reign got caught lackadaisically passing the ball around in the back. Phoebe McClernon’s pass to Claudia Dickey was under-hit, and Houston forward Yazmeen Ryan was first to the loose ball. With the Reign defenders spread out and forced to scramble, Ryan was able to calmly dribble around Dickey and slot the ball into the goal with relative ease.

The Reign have a somewhat quick turnaround for their next match. They return home on Friday, August 29, when they host the third-place San Diego Wave. The match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. PT and will air on FOX 13+, NWSL+, and Paramount+.