ORLANDO, Fla. (Sep. 6, 2026) – The Houston Dash closed a three-game road trip with a 3-1 loss to the Orlando Pride at Inter.co Stadium this evening. The match was delayed by more than 90 minutes due to inclement weather in the Orlando area.
The Pride opened the scoring in the 14th minute after forward Barbra Banda created space for a shot that ultimately deflected off a Dash defender for an own goal. The Pride doubled their lead in the 44th minute after being awarded a penalty following a foul inside the box. Orlando scored their final goal of the evening in the 64th minute after Haley McCutcheon found the far post.
Dash forward Khyah Harper entered the game in the 71st minute and moments later she found forward Kiki Van Zanten at the far post to get Houston on the board. Van Zanten scored her fifth goal of the season and Harper tallied her first assist in league play.
Defender Paige Nielsen made her 150th career appearance tonight, becoming the 55th player in NWSL history to reach the milestone, while forward Miljana Ivanović made her first start for the Dash.
Goalkeeper Jane Campbell was called into action in the sixth minute, diving to make the save and keep Orlando off the scoreboard. The ball remained in play following the save and Klenke cleared the danger. The 22-year-old leads all NWSL rookies with 1,998 minutes played this season.
Midfielder Danny Colaprico created space at the top of the box in the 12th minute and fired an effort toward the top-left corner, but her shot went over the crossbar. Houston generated another chance moments later after midfielder Maggie Graham played the ball to forward Kat Rader. The rookie fired a right-footed effort from inside the box, but goalkeeper Cosette Morché was well positioned to make the save.
Defender Cate Hardin recorded Houston’s next attempt in the 34th minute, but her right-footed effort from outside the box went just wide. Hardin returned to the starting lineup for the first time since July 18.
Houston responded to Orlando’s second goal one minute later when Rader found the back of the net, but the goal was disallowed after forward Kate Faasse was ruled offside in the buildup.
Houston generated an early opportunity in the second half when Rader fired an effort toward the upper corner in the 46th minute, but the Orlando goalkeeper made the save.
Ivanović recorded an effort in the 55th minute, but her attempt was off target. Three minutes later Graham delivered a cross to find Faasse making a vertical run into the box, the first-year rookie took a one-touch effort, but the Orlando goalkeeper made the save.
The Dash return to Shell Energy Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 12 at 7:45 p.m. CT to host Utah Royals FC for Noche Latina, celebrating the cultures, traditions and passion of Houston’s vibrant Latino and Hispanic communities. Tickets for the match are available HERE.
