Stoppage-time header at Houston Dash keeps KC NWSL unbeaten through 2 league games

Kansas City NWSL coach Huw Williams had the perfect view of Mariana Larroquette picking the ball up on the left wing and sending a cross into the Houston box. It was last-chance saloon as the clock ticked into the 93rd minute and KC trailed the host Dash 2-1.

Williams knew the cross was heading directly toward KC defender Taylor Leach’s head, but from there it was chaos, and he lost his view of the ball.

“Did it go in, did it not?” Williams frantically thought to himself.

His question was answered moments later when Leach sprinted to the sideline in celebration following her last-minute equalizer to tie Houston 2-2 at BBVA Stadium Sunday night.

But it wasn’t always jubilation for Kansas City — captain Amy Rodriguez described the night as a “tale of two halves.”

After taking a 1-0 first-half lead through Rodriguez and looking the better team for 60 minutes, the wheels fell off for KC. A quickfire double from Houston was followed by a red card for KC’s Elizabeth Ball. Stoppage time seemed like the prelude to another Houston victory.

That was when Leach popped up. Defender Rachel Corsie had told Leach to leave her position as a centerback in the final minutes and float around the top of the field. Usually having little business being a threat in the opposition box, she was on hand to head home the dramatic equalizer.

“The knockdown by two goals, the red card, both in the second half when the legs are tired and away from home, I think what that shows is resilience, I think it shows a lot of grit,” Rodriguez said.

After a defensive opening six minutes, Kansas City found its footing and commanded much of the play in the first half. Houston found some success on the wings, but the first 45 minutes did not resemble at all the 3-1 victory that Houston enjoyed at Children’s Mercy Park last month.

In the previous game between the two teams, KC looked promising going forward but could not find that final pass. Inversely, Houston sustained pressure in KC’s defensive third and created multiple opportunities.

This time around, KC looked like the more threatening team, outshooting Houston 7-4 in the first half. KC scored the opening goal in the 13th minute.

Williams has been touting a game plan in which KC puts up a stout defense and attacks quickly. And that’s exactly what happened Sunday when Gaby Vincent picked up the ball in KC’s defensive third and sent a long volley over the top of Houston’s defense.

Winger Mallory Weber latched onto the end of Vincent’s long ball and sent a first-time pass across the face of Houston’s box for Rodriguez, who tapped the ball home for an easy lead.

“I thought we showed patience: the movement off the ball in midfield was very good, we were able to find Pickett a couple of times and she was able to penetrate,” Williams said. “Gaby (Vincent) I thought was finding the pockets well, and defensively we were organized, too.”

KC’s 81% passing before intermission signified a clean first half that saw smart defensive play and a controlled attack. That continued into the second half, at least until Houston forward Daly leveled it for the Dash.

All it took was a slight miscommunication between KC goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart and her backline on a deep ball in the KC box. Houston’s Ally Chapman sent in a deep cross that only reached the penalty spot, but Barnhart came rushing out for the ball and allowed Daly to direct an open header over the keeper and into an empty net.

Williams had stressed the importance of neutralizing the threat of headed goals, and it was another header that gave Houston the lead. Just six minutes after Daly’s equalizer, Groom found herself completely unmarked at the back post and headed home a corner from Kristie Mewis.

“I think they were very soft goals to give up, so very disappointed with that, we have to stop doing that,” Williams said. “That’s something that’s been plaguing us for a while, we have to get better at that and we will get better at that.”

Ball picked up her second yellow card of the game three minutes later to drop KC down to 10 players.

Three substitutions by Williams gave KC life. And the most important of those changes was Mariana Larroquette. Having been on the field for a little over 12 minutes and full of energy, she won the ball in Houston’s half and sent a quick pass into the Houston box.

Leach beat Chapman in the air and headed toward goal, but just like Williams on the sideline, Leach wasn’t even sure if she’d scored.

“I heard the post, so at first I didn’t really know if it went in until I looked up and I saw the net move,” Leach said. “Then I saw A-Rod come sprinting at me so then I went nuts.”

Leach’s late goal ensured an undefeated start to the NWSL regular season in Kansas City. After a two-game road trip, the club returns to KC on Wednesday for the regular season home opener against the Chicago Red Stars.

This story was originally published May 23, 2021 at 9:06 PM with the headline "Stoppage-time header at Houston Dash keeps KC NWSL unbeaten through 2 league games."