Another shot at Utah looms in tourney
Teams played to draw in Challenge Cup opener, but stakes higher with elimination round
A surprisingly efficient Houston Dash team reintroduced itself to the NWSL when it jumped out to a 3-1 lead against Utah Royals FC in its Challenge Cup opener late last month.
Houston (1-2-1) ultimately settled for a draw. But it will get a second chance at Utah (1-2-1) when they meet as the No. 4 and 5 seeds, respectively, in Friday’s quarterfinal with greater stakes and less rest.
“We honestly weren’t expecting to play them,” Dash coach James Clarkson said. “They certainly caught us off guard in the first game by playing three-fivetwo, and it looks like that’s the goto formation. We have a bit more insight in how they’re going to play. It’s important that we get organized and we get the game plan right. Hopefully that leads us to victory.”
Forward Rachel Daly and midfielder Shea Groom combined to score three goals in that opener. They’re currently tied for second in the competition in goals scored (two apiece).
But their success, and that of the midfielders and defenders who have also elevated their play behind them, now meets a reality fatigue and mental exhaustion that is unlike any other year in sports.
Three Dash players have averaged at least 86 minutes per game (Daly, midfielder Kristie Mewis and defender Katie Naughton, who’s played every single minute), Groom averaged just below 80.
“We’re into our third week, and we just had our first day off on Monday since we’ve been here. It’s been really tough,” Clarkson said. “I underestimated how much the mental load would really take on us — the staff, the players, everybody.
“You’ve got to respect all the players and understanding what they’re going through as well. It has been really tough, but the last couple of days have been really good. We’ve gotten our energy back and I feel we’re back in the place we were when we first arrived. I’m excited about what’s coming up on Friday.”
After a promising start where the team scored five goals and earned four points through its first two games, Houston struggled to seize control in its final two qualification matches — a pair of defeats by a 3-0 margin.
Clarkson has talked about fatigue and his team’s need to recover from it since it lost to the Washington Spirit on Sunday.
He and his players are confident they can take the lessons learned in their opening draw while improving on the late defensive lapses that cost them a higher seed. The winner of Friday’s quarterfinal will face the winner between Portland Thorns FC and North Carolina Courage next Wednesday.
“I think it was good that we opened up against Utah,” current Dash and former Royals forward Katie Stengel said. “It’ll be fun to get a little redemption from last match, we felt we had the game in our hands and then we slipped. Of course personally, I think it’s a little added pressure, good pressure, it’s exciting that we get to face and beat Utah in Utah hopefully.”