Houston Dash 1, Chicago Red Stars 1: First Thoughts

Houston Dash 1 Keever 38’

Chicago Red Stars 1 Comeau 90’

• It’s 3:35pm CT. The Dash just posted their lineups a few minutes ago. Still waiting on the Red Stars. Ahhh the NWSL.
• FINALLY! Lineups are here!
• Pregame thought 1: As Claire noted, it’s really weird that Steph McCaffrey can’t ever seem to get minutes. Even when there’s a selection crisis. Wonder what’s up with that.
• Pregame thought 2: Meanwhile, Houston’s lineup looks less like a strong game strategy and more like performance art.
• Pregame thought 3: I dunno, fam. I’m excited about the new season but not so much about today. I got a bad feeling about this game.
• Let’s goooooooooooooooooooooooo
• So, uh. Houston’s wearing red? For some reason?
• Whoooooooa Colaprico almost scored an Olimpico! Still 0-0.
• Naeher has to run off her line to make a save. Other than that and the almost-Olimpico the first 15-ish minutes have been pretty slow.
• The Dash are starting to assert themselves here. Wouldn’t be surprised if they get a goal soon.
• Jordan hits a slow roller inside the box that nonetheless evades Naeher. No attacker can catch up to it in time and it rolls into touch. Still, that’s... not great.
• Red Stars hanging on but that might not be enough.
• Colaprico concedes a FK in a dangerous spot. Kick is okay but Naeher saves.
• Kaskie!! Pretty curler from distance juuuust misses.
• But oof, that’s one of the few good things Chicago has done this half. Claire mentioned that they’re playing like a practice squad and I can’t really disagree here.
• GOAL 38’ So remember earlier when Naeher missed a ball but it rolled into touch? Same thing, except Kimberly Keever managed to get to the ball in time. A close-range tap in gives the home side the lead. HOU 1-0 CHI.
• Bleh. No cohesion, no sense of urgency.
• Halftime! HOU 1-0 CHI.
• Halftime thought 1: Yes, it’s Week 1. Yes, they’re missing most of their starters. This team should still be doing much better.
• Halftime thought 2: I think we’re probably going to drop this game.
• Halftime thought 3: So hey Sandra found out why McCaffrey didn’t start today.

• Further Sandra updates:

• Second half is underway!
• Hahaha barely two minutes into the half and Naeher already has to come up big with a save.
• A few minutes later a poor clearance ends up pinged back in and misses the post by inches. This is going to get worse before it gets better.
• YOUTS

• SUB 59’ Sarah Gorden checks into the game, replacing Summer Green.
• SUB 64’ Nikki Stanton makes her debut for the Red Stars, with Lauren Kaskie tagging out.
• I get the sense that Chicago is going for patient build-up and positional play to get that equalizer. That’s fine for the 30th or 50th minute. 70th minute, I need to see a teensy bit more urgency.
• Katie Naughton does a Dash player dirty and gets a yellow card.
• SUB 74’ Erin Yenney is Chicago’s last substitute of the day, checking in for Michele Vasconcelos.
• God, our passing is just awful today.
• For real though, I’m just staring at the screen and being all, “noooooooooooooooo.”
• Alyssa Mautz out here tryna break ankles and honestly I ain’t even mad.
• CRS gets a FK right outside the box and Huerta tries to pull some training ground routine. It, uh, it doesn’t work out.
• Yenney tries her luck on the edge of the box and hits the crossbar! Colaprico hits it on the rebound but Campbell collects easily.

• Naeher comes into the attacking half to take a FK. We’ve reached that level of desperation.
• GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL 90’+ COMEAU HEADS IT IN OFF A CORNER KICK! RED STARS RESCUE A POINT IN STOPPAGE TIME!!!! HOU 1-1 CHI

• Peep! Peep! Peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep! Final Score: HOU 1-1 CHI
• Final Whistle thought: Oh my stars and garters.

Stay tuned for more postgame coverage and a full recap here on Hot Time In Old Town. In the meantime, join the conversation in the comments or on social media.