On Tuesday, Utah Royals FC returned to action against the Houston Dash in their first match of the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup.
Headed into this game, there were a lot of questions surrounding who would start, who had injuries, and ultimately what coach decisions would be made.
Come kickoff, Abby Smith found her first start since 2018 in goal, and Britney Ratcliffe and Diana Matheson returned to play for the first time since their respective injuries. Elizabeth Ball made her debut for Utah as well.
Right off the bat Utah came out with a really strong start.