August 31, 2024 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL)
Utah Royals FC News Release
HOUSTON, Texas – Utah Royals (4-3-11, 15 pts) marked the continuation of the Club’s NWSL duties with a duly impressive, well-fought 3-1 win away against the Houston Dash at Shell Energy Stadium on Saturday night.
Captain Paige Monaghan netted her second goal of the domestic season, in a second consecutive game, to put the visitors ahead, and midfielders Ana Tejada, and Claudia Zornoza both added further gloss to the scoreline as the Blue-and-Gold made it four straight wins as well as four wins in six games under interim head coach Jimmy Coenraets.
URFC endured an early scare in the game after the hosts fortuitously had the ball in the Royals’ net within only the opening 12 minutes. However, the goal was subsequently chalked off for offside during the buildup and the match remained scoreless.
The first 25 minutes proved a mostly tight, cagey affair with both teams fighting to assert themselves and establish dominance, and largely canceling each other out in the process.
The Royals eventually began to dominate more areas of the game and fully assert itself on its opponents, and deservedly took the lead on the cusp of halftime, in the 44th minute, through an effectively taken set-piece. An out-swinging corner from Cloe Lacasse was flicked on at the near post by Mina Tanaka towards Kaleigh Riehl, in the middle of the box, whose fierce first-time header was saved by Jane Campbell before rebounding out to Tejada who met the ball with an even more powerful first time left-footed strike to give the visitors the lead.
With halftime drawing precariously close, goalkeeper Mandy Haught was called into crucial action in the final minutes of stoppage time when Houston forward Michelle Alozie found herself one-on-one with URFC’s world-class shot-stopper. However, Haught positioned herself perfectly to pull off a breathtaking save to deny the Nigerian international and keep the visitors’ lead intact.
New signing Lacasse managed to dribble her way into the Houston penalty area before being brought down near the edge presenting URFC with a glorious opportunity from the spot. Fellow new signing Zornoza stepped up as the designated penalty taker and finished with aplomb, arrowing a powerful, low left-footed effort which flew into the bottom right corner for the Spanish international’s first goal in Blue-and-Gold. The penalty represented URFC’s first spot kick won this season in its 18 games played…