Dallas Trinity FC traveled to Audi Field for the penultimate road game of the regular season. Edging the season series over DC Power FC with a win and two draws, Pauline MacDonald’s side hoped to get back on track after a tight loss in Tampa.
Trinity started off on the front foot, and took a well deserved lead in the 26th minute through Sealy Strawn. The 17-year-old swept home a low Chimoa Ubogagu cross for the latter’s joint league-leading sixth assist.
Allie Thornton also tied a USL Super League attacking stat in the first half as she joined Carolina’s Mia Corbin on 12 goals. Hannah Davison forced a turnover in the attacking third, finding Thornton ahead. The Arlington native turned and launched a ball over Morgan Aquino’s head for the 33rd minute score.
Dallas finished out the first half well, but immediately struggled after the break as DC Power pressed aggressively. One of DC’s two half time substitutes made brought the game back into play just nine minutes into the second period.
“This league is so competitive and any game that you go into, you need to be a 90-minute team,” said Davison after the game. “Our first 45 minutes was who we are. We’ll go back, take the good from the first half and remind ourselves of who we are.”
A long cross-field pass to Susanna Friedrichs pulled the entire Dallas team out of position. DC cycled possession along the top of the Dallas area before Katie Duong laid off to Loza Abera. Maddy White got a hand to the Ethiopian’s shot but couldn’t keep it out.
An awkward deflection off captain Amber Brooks started a move that saw DC draw level in the 63rd minute. Emily Colton and Gianna Gourley combined down Dallas’ right, with the latter unleashing a low shot from a wide position that White could only redirect into the path of Friedrichs to finish with a tight angle.
Dallas’ injury troubles worsened as Deborah Abiodun hobbled off the field unable to put pressure on one leg.
DTFC finally looked to restore the lead in the closing stages of the game, but were caught on the break in the fifth minute of stoppage time. A smartly played ball out of the midfield found Friedrichs racing down DC’s right side. With the ball directed forward to Abera, the 31-cap international cut back across Jenna Walker before curling home left-footed from outside the area.
“The objective is to make the playoffs, which is what we have to re-focus on,” said Head Coach Pauline MacDonald. “We’ll take the good, all of the good that we showed in the first half. We just need to make sure to correct the mistakes and learn quickly, in relation to how to control the game for 90 minutes.”
The late defeat all but guarantees Carolina Ascent home advantage ahead of Dallas through the playoffs. Dallas can now only match Ascent’s current points tally of 46 with two games left to play. MacDonald’s players have two weeks to rest up before the final road game in Fort Lauderdale on May 24.