HOUSTON (Sept. 19, 2025) – The Houston Dash earned a 1-0 victory over the Chicago Stars at Shell Energy Stadium tonight, securing their fourth clean sheet of the season. The result moved Houston within two points of the playoff line with five games left in the regular season.
Houston opened the scoring in the 28th minute after forward Yazmeen Ryan capitalized on a defensive turnover. The forward drove into the box with pace for a right-footed shot that found the bottom right corner for the lead. The goal marked Ryan’s fourth of the season, and her third since league play resumed on Aug. 2.
Notably, the match saw defender Malia Berkely make her Dash debut in the starting lineup. Berkely joined the team earlier this week in a trade with the North Carolina Courage. Fellow defender Anna Heilferty also earned her first appearance for Houston, coming on in the 80th minute. Heliferty joined the team earlier this summer as a trialist and later signed a short-term contract through the end of the 2025 season. The defenders are two of four players the team signed over the last month.
Houston’s first chance of the match came in the opening minutes when midfielder Kiki Van Zanten found space inside the box and fired a left-footed shot from the left side, but the Chicago goalkeeper was well positioned to make the block.
Houston threatened again in the 18th minute through defender Avery Patterson, who made a run up the left flank. Patterson played a ball across the box for Ryan, who met the pass, but her shot was just over the crossbar.
Midfielder Delanie Sheehan created another opportunity minutes later, cutting inside the box before slipping a pass to Van Zanten near the penalty spot. The Jamaican international’s effort was blocked by Chicago’s backline before it could test the keeper.
Goalkeeper Abby Smith was called into action in the 31st minute, making her first save of the night to deny a shot from Julia Grosso. The shot-stopper finished with six saves. Tonight’s match also served as the club’s recognition night for Smith, who is the team’s nominee for the 2025 Lauren Holiday Impact Award, presented by Nationwide. Smith has partnered with Kids’ Meals Houston for the award, and the local nonprofit provides daily meals to children and their siblings throughout the city.
Smith was called into action early in the second half, denying a close-range, right-footed effort from James Joseph in the 48th minute. Moments later, she punched away another threatening shot from outside the left side of the box. Chicago continued to apply pressure and tested Smith again in the 54th minute, but the veteran denied the attempt to keep the Dash in front.
Houston responded with their first dangerous chance of the second half in the 55th minute. Patterson drove into the box and picked out Ryan in space, but Chicago goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher made the deflection to deny the brace.
The Dash threatened again in the final third in the 58th minute as Van Zanten rolled a pass into the box for forward Messiah Bright. The forward took a touch and fired from close range, but her effort was denied.
In the 76th minute, Smith came up with another crucial save in the center of the box after Ludmila whipped in a dangerous cross from the right flank. Just two minutes later, Ludmila threatened again from the opposite side, but Smith stretched to her left to preserve the clean sheet.
Houston earned its first penalty kick of the season in the 86th minute when Kathy Hendrich was called for a handball in the box following a shot from Heilferty. Ryan stepped up to the spot, but Naeher guessed correctly and denied the attempt with a diving stop to her left at the bottom corner.
In second-half stoppage time, Houston created its last dangerous chance of the night when Bright combined with Sheehan, laying the ball off to her right before receiving the return pass. Bright struck a first-time, low effort on frame, but Naeher was quick to react and turned it away with a sliding save.
The Dash travel to the nation’s capital as they visit the Washington Spirit on Sunday, Sept. 28 at 12 p.m. CT. The team will return to Shell Energy Stadium on Friday, Oct. 3 to host Orlando Pride for Space City Night, presented by Coushatta Casino Resort. Tickets for that match and all Dash matches are available at HoustonDash.com
