Disaster struck early for the Red Stars and they were never able to recover giving the Houston Dash a 2-0 win in the NWSL Challenge Cup Championship.
On a counterattack in the 4th minute, tournament MVP Rachel Daly sprung Kristie Mewis on the left flank. Mewis beat Red Stars Defender Kayla Sharples around the left corner causing Sharples to pull on Mewis’s shoulder bringing Mewis to the Rio Tinto Stadium turf. Sharples earned a yellow card for the foul and Houston earned an early penalty kick.
Sophie Schmidt stepped up to the spot and sent Red Stars Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher the wrong way giving Houston a 1-0 lead.