Rachel Daly nets goal to take No. 4 Houston Dash to the NWSL Challenge Cup Final

Topics: NWSL Challenge Cup, Houston Dash, Rachel Daly, Portland Thorns, Sky Blue FC, Chicago Red Stars

Forward and English international Rachel Daly broke the tournament’s three-game and approximately 360-minute goal drought to take Huston to the NWSL Challenge Cup final. The Dash will face the winner of the later semifinal, either No. 6 Chicago Red Stars or No. 7 Sky Blue.

The goal drought in the NWSL Challenge Cup playoffs has finally come to an end. No goal had been scored since rookie Morgan Weaver bagged in a winner for Portland in the first playoff game of the tournament. But Rachel Daly’s header has given life back to the tourney.

The goal came in the 69th minute when a cross was whipped in from a corner. The ball hit the crossbar after an initial header and Daly was able to push the ball through traffic into the goal.

Rachel Daly is from another planet

She gets her 3rd goal of the tournament for @HoustonDash. pic.twitter.com/Zo7UW9AxJd
— CBS Sports Soccer (@CBSSportsSoccer) July 22, 2020

As usual, Daly put her physical on the line to get to the header scraping her knee in the process. Nonetheless, the goal brought a sense of security and confidence for the Dash that had failed to score in their previous three games.

The goal was ultimately served as the game winner securing a spot for the Texan team in the Challenge Cup Final. They will play the winner for the game between Sky Blue FC and the Chicago Red Stars. That game will kick off on Wednesday, July 22, at 10 p.m. ET.