Sky Blue FC Suffers 6-1 Loss to Houston Dash

Sky Blue FC (0-16-5, 5 points) returned to National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) action on Saturday night, suffering a 6-1 loss to the Houston Dash (9-9-5, 32 points) at BBVA Compass Stadium. The Dash featured six different goal-scorers in the contest, including Rachel Daly who scored her 10th goal of the season.

Despite the positive result, Houston was eliminated from the NWSL playoffs when the Red Stars beat the Pride on Saturday night. The Dash can’t mathematically pass the Red Stars and Utah Royals FC, the only two teams still in the playoff hunt, and the club does not hold the tiebreakers it would need to advance to the postseason either.

Houston opened up scoring in the 22nd minute of action on a sequence that started with a ball being played over the top of the Sky Blue FC defense for Daly to create a 1-v-1 with goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan. Sheridan came off her line and made a sliding save, but the rebound fell right to Linda Motlhalo just outside the 18, and she one-timed her shot into the back of the net for the early 1-0 lead.

The Dash doubled its lead in the 48th minute after a ball was thrown-in to Sofia Huerta with space on the right flank. She then took a touch towards the penalty area before sending a cross to the far post, where Veronica Latsko was waiting to redirect a header into the back of the net.

Sky Blue FC pulled within a tally in the in the 54th minute after Imani Dorsey picked Amber Brooks’ pocket inside the box and quickly slipped the ball past Houston netminder Jane Campbell to the opposite corner for the 2-1 scoreline. The goal marked Dorsey’s fourth of the season.

In the 65th minute, Kealia Ohai made a run down the left flank before delivering a cross that made its way across the goalmouth to the right side of the box. As the ball bounced into that area, Huerta found herself well-positioned to strike a volley that she tucked inside the far post, making it a 3-1 game.

Two minutes later, a penalty kick was awarded to the Dash after Madison Tiernan took down Huerta inside the box. Daly stepped up to the mark, and converted with ease to extend her club’s lead to three goals.

The Dash continued its onslaught in the 88th minute off a Kyah Simon corner kick. Simon sent a driven ball towards the top of the six, and Haley Hanson was able to inside-volley the ball over Sheridan and into the back of the net for the 5-1 scoreline.

The final tally of the night came in the 90th minute off a counter from a Sky Blue FC corner kick. The Dash cleared the ball out of danger, and it fell right to Thembi Kgatlana who was open in midfield. She turned and took off towards goal as she had plenty of real estate ahead of her. Kgatlana then shook off pressure from Amanda Frisbie and slotted home a left-footed finish to give the Dash a final 6-1 result.

Sky Blue FC will continue its current four-game road stretch next Saturday against the Washington Spirit. The New Jersey club will then travel to face Chicago before returning home to Yurcak Field on Saturday, September 8th to host the Orlando Pride.

NWSL Match Report

Match: Sky Blue FC vs. Houston Dash

Date: August 25, 2025

Venue: BBVA Compass Stadium; Houston, Texas

Attendance: 4,257

Weather: 90 degrees, partly cloudy

Scoring Summary:

NJ: 0 | 1 - 1

HOU: 1 | 5 – 6

22 HOU Linda Motlhalo

48 HOU Veronica Latsko (Sofia Huerta)

54 NJ Imani Dorsey

65 HOU Sofia Huerta (Kealia Ohai)

67 HOU Rachel Daly (Penalty Kick)

88 HOU Haley Hanson (Kyah Simon)

90 HOU Thembi Kgatlana (Haley Hanson)

Lineups:

NJ: Sheridan, Tiernan, Frisbie, Richardson, Freeman (Gibbons-63), Dorsey, Killion, Lloyd, Hoy (McCaskill-58), Johnson (Pierre-Louise), Groom

Subs not used: Casey, Meehan, Skroski

Head Coach: Denise Reddy

HOU: Campbell, Chapman, Van Wyk, Brooks, Comeau, Huerta (Kgatlana-78), Motlhalo, Ohai, Latsko (Simon-75), Daly (Prince-85), Hanson

Subs Not Used: Prudhomme, Jordan, Keever, Agnew

Head Coach: Vera Pauw

Stats Summary: HOU / NJ

Shots: 21 / 14

Saves: 4 / 6

Corner Kicks: 8 / 3

Fouls: 6 / 8

Offside: 4 / 2

Misconduct Summary:

N/A

Officials:

Referee: Danielle Chesky

Assistant Referee 1: John Krill

Assistant Referee 2: Deleana Quan

Fourth Official: Estafania Estrada