Takeaways from Houston Dash's 0-0 debut meeting with Angel City FC

The Houston Dash's first visit to Hollywood was a memorable one. Maybe not for the 0-0 scoreline or the result, but because making some NWSL history and delivering a goalkeeping save for the ages is something to savor. After all, this was the first time the two teams have ever played each other. 

READ MORE: Campbell super save steals the show in LA stalemate  

Both Angel City FC and the Dash huffed and puffed, but couldn't break the deadlock. In her first match without Rachel Daly, acting Houston head coach Sarah Lowdon secured a valuable point on the road as well as the coveted fourth clean sheet of the NWSL season — the joint most of any team in the league right now.  

READ MORE: 'Focused on ourselves': Dash looking inward ahead of LA debut

The quick trip out to the west coast and back extended Houston's unbeaten streak to six matches, which equals the longest run in club history that was set in July 2017 by then-interim head coach Omar Morales. Tuesday night at the Banc of California Stadium also continued the trend of the Dash being a hard-to-bear defensive unit under Lowdon. 

Here's some takeaways from an electric 0-0 draw with Angel City FC:

New slogan just dropped

Everyone will remember the 'This Circle Does Not Break' motto that led the 2020 Challenge Cup team to victory in Utah. Well, speaking to the media on Tuesday night, Lowdon potentially christened the latest Dash slogan to help propel the team to triumph. 

"One message I said to the team was 'don't put a ceiling on us,'" Lowdon told The Striker Texas. "I think if anyone puts a ceiling on us, that's maybe on the external side, but we don't internally need to put a ceiling. We need to pull the lid off the ceiling that we have."

At this moment, it's unclear whether the slogan could be 'This Ceiling Does Break', 'Don't Put A Ceiling On Us' or perhaps just simply 'No Ceilings.' My vote would be to double down on 'Pull The Lid Off.' That sounds fun, full of surprises and ever so slightly dangerous. 

It could also connect with the improving atmosphere at PNC Stadium, where the lid is certainly beginning to peel ever so slightly off. 

Shoot on sight

One thing that was clear from Tuesday night's match was the Dash's inclination to shoot whenever a view of goal appeared. Unlike some of their previous matches, the Dash's best chances came from long range. 

In the 10th minute, Sophie Schmidt sent a laser towards the ACFC goal from nearly 30 yards out and that sort of set the tone. Marisa Viggiano and Shea Groom both hit the crossbar from outside the box with speculative efforts in the second half. 

This tactic makes sense on the road in a short week with just two practice sessions and in front of a hostile crowd. Houston's defense has been so dominant recently that it could be one moment that decides the match. So long as you don't make an error, a dicey shot from range could be the difference if the other team mishandles it. 

The style of attack did get me wondering about whether this is a trend for the Dash this season. So I went back and looked at some of Houston's shooting data for the 2022 season via Opta. It turns out the Dash is taking 37% of its shots from outside the box in 2022, with an average of 3.4 shots per match from outside the box. Those statistics rank third and fifth respectively in the NWSL. 

Against ACFC, seven of the Dash's 16 shots were from outside the box. That's nearly twice the season average of long range shots and a percentage increase of 6%. 

This tactic isn't really good or bad. For now, it's more something of a curiosity. After the Dash's high-scoring win over the Orlando Pride, something I analyzed in the aftermath of that match was the statistical anomalies that suggest Houston scored more goals than were expected of them. Tuesday night's clash at the Banc of California stadium showed another side to the low expected goal value shots that Houston are creating. On another night, the Dash could well have stolen all three points thanks to a long range effort. 

READ MORE: Takeaways from the Houston Dash's 5-0 rout of the Orlando Pride

Bombi at the “9”

While we're discussing the attack, let's talk about Maria Sánchez. When I spoke to Lowdon before the ACFC match, she mentioned that the her team had something "up our sleeve." That trick may well have been putting "La Bombi" into the forward position to play as one of the two "double nines" in the 3-4-1-2 formation.  

Did this move work? I am not sure yet. Coming to conclusions too soon belies the complex nature of soccer. I will always err on the side of patience. Take time to wait and see when it comes to most tactical decisions. One doesn't learn too much over 90 minutes. Or at least can't find too many truths beyond that one match.

So with that being said, Sanchez in the frontline against ACFC didn't work. There is an argument to be made that actually putting her closer to the opponent's goal made her less effective. Statically speaking, Sanchez was categorically less of a threat.

The Mexican international posted her lowest XG (0.02), her lowest expected assists (0.02) and her fewest key passes (1) across 90 minutes this season. One silver lining is that Sanchez did still lead the team for passes in the attacking third with nine. 

Sanchez played half the match alongside Nichelle Prince, 30 minutes beside Michelle Alozie and then at the end was switched back to her left wing back position with Michaela Abam going forward. That is a lot of variations across one match. The best creator in the team is essential to this team. And it's clear that Lowdon trusts her anywhere on the pitch. 

What might make Sanchez so dangerous is that she doesn't have to be locked into one position. Sanchez's ability to pick out teammates and shoot aren't nullified by playing as the furthest player forward. But we'll need to see more of her in the center forward position to make an assessment if it works for the Dash. 

Everybody contributes 

Houston goalkeeper Jane Campbell understandably grabbed a lot of the headlines for her dramatic double save in the second half. There was a good chance the Dash would have lost the match 1-0 had she not showed up in such an emphatic way.

Of course, a result is never completely down to just one player. And Campbell was quick to make that known when speaking to the media after the final whistle.

"It doesn't take just the 11 that start the game," said Campbell. "It takes all 28 players. Whether they're here or at home, on away trips, everybody is super important and super crucial to our performance. The bench has done amazing. Every game they've given us a spark, regardless of who comes on. And that's their job, that's everybody's job is to perform and really proud of everybody.”

Lowdon targeted unity when she took the entire 28 player roster to Kansas City, for the Dash's first away match of the regular season. Those bonds have stuck. This team is playing for each other. Showing up for leaders, like Campbell, and showing up for back ups, like Natalie Jacobs. Everyone contributes, everyone has a place. 

"The staff has just really, really led the way for us as a collective. It's up to us to follow through and kind of come together as a 28. You know, if we had 20 individuals, none of this would be happening. Whenever there's a high, there's always going to be low and vice versa," said Campbell.

"We're going to be ready for the punches that come and again, it's great, but we just got to keep moving. We don't want to be looking backandnot making playoffs,right. We have to focus onthe goal at hand and keep moving."