HERRIMAN, Utah (Thursday, April 24, 2025) - Utah Royals FC (1-3-1, 3 pts, 11th NWSL) hit the road for a visit in Texas against Houston Dash (1-3-1, 4 pts, 10th NWSL) on Friday, April 25th at 6:00 p.m. MT at Shell Energy Stadium.
Utah Royals FC enter this matchup following its first win of the season, earned in dramatic fashion against Chicago Stars FC last Friday night. The victory was secured when USWNT midfielder Ally Sentnor netted her first club goal of 2025, converting a penalty drawn by Dutch midfielder Dana Foederer in the 90+10th minute. It was a tightly contested match, with both teams recording nine shots—just one on target for each. Utah controlled the tempo with 61.8% possession and the game was largely fought in the middle third of the field, where 49% of the action took place. Utah will aim to carry the same defensive intensity into the road test at Houston, after USWNT goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn and the backline secured a first shutout of the 2025 season.
Utah remained undefeated against the Houston Dash during the 2024 NWSL season. The first meeting took place on April 27 in Sandy and ended in a scoreless 0-0 draw. Utah held the edge with eleven shots to Houston’s seven, but neither side managed to convert. The return fixture on August 31 saw a commanding 3-1 road win for Utah. Spaniards Ana Tejada and Claudia Zornoza both found the back of the net to give Utah a 2-0 lead. Zornoza then added an assist to her tally, threading a pass through to Captain Paige Monaghan, who calmly slotted it past a helpless Jane Campbell to give the Royals a comfortable 3-0 advantage with 30 minutes remaining.
WATCH LIVE on KMYU with David James & Carla Haslam :: Utah Royals FC vs. Houston Dash | Shell Energy Stadium | 6:30 p.m. MT | KMYU (2.2 over air / 12 satellite / 643 Comcast HD)
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WATCH LIVE on NWSL+ with Gary Bailey and Maura Sheridan :: Utah Royals FC vs Houston Dash | Shell Energy Stadium | 7:00 p.m. MT
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LISTEN via KSL Sports Radio (102.7 FM / 1160 AM) starting at 6:30 p.m. MT
Houston enters the match with an identical record to Utah through the first five games of the 2025 NWSL season. Both teams have recorded one win, one draw, and three losses, while also matching each other with four goals scored and eight conceded. Each side's lone victory came against Chicago Stars FC, and both suffered defeats on the road against league leaders Kansas City Current. The Dash are led by Fabrice Gautrat, who is in his first season as an NWSL head coach after previously serving as an assistant with the North Carolina Courage. Houston had an active offseason, highlighted by the acquisition of USWNT forward Yazmeen Ryan in a trade with Gotham FC. The Dash also bolstered their midfield by signing Delanie Sheehan and Danielle Colaprico via free agency. For a second consecutive week, Utah will face one of the league’s top goalkeepers—this time aiming to beat Jane Campbell and find the back of the net.
Following Friday night’s match, Utah returns to Sandy to host the attacking duo of Jaedyn Shaw and Ashley Sanchez, along with the North Carolina Courage. Kickoff on May 3 is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. MT. Tickets for the match are available at https://www.rsl.com/utahroyals/tickets/single.
