Savannah DeMelo’s goal in the 62nd minute broke a scoreless tie and Parker Goins cemented the win 23 minutes later as host Racing Louisville FC notched a 2-0 win over the Houston Dash on Friday night.
DeMelo’s strike was her fifth score of the year, matching her total across 18 matches last season. She has played in just eight matches so far this season.
The victory marked the first time that Louisville (3-2-6, 15 points) had won consecutive games this season and moved the club into a tie with the North Carolina Courage for seventh in the NWSL table.
Meanwhile, the Dash (3-6-3, 12 points) have lost three of their past five matches. Houston lost despite putting two more shots on goal than Louisville (7-5).
DeMelo’s goal came after a scoreless first half. In the 62nd minute, Emma Sears carried the ball into the final third before laying the ball off in the box to Uchenna Kanu, whose right-footed shot was blocked by Houston goalkeeper Jane Campbell. But to stop the shot, Campbell came way off her line and she didn’t secure the ball. It bounced to DeMelo, who sent it back into the net with authority.
In the 85th minute, DeMelo had the ball near the edge of the far-left corner of the box. Instead of taking a long shot, however, she crossed the ball to the far post where Goins didn’t even have to leave her feet to put a head on it, guiding the ball into the net with ease.
Goins had subbed on just two minutes before scoring that goal, her first of the season and just the second in her NWSL career.
–Field Level Media
