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The Washington Spirit scored twice in the first half to open the 2025 NWSL season with a 2-1 win against the host Houston Dash on Friday.

Makenna Morris and Ashley Hatch scored for the Spirit, who picked up where they left off last season when they finished second in the league before falling in the NWSL final.

Maggie Graham scored for the Dash, who finished last in the 14-team league in 2024.

Morris was in the right place at the right time to give the Spirit a 1-0 lead in the 16th minute. Hatch got her leg on a cross into the box to direct the ball on target. Goalkeeper Jane Campbell got her hands in front to push it away, but Morris was at the top of the six-yard box to collect it and bury the rebound.

Hatch capitalized on another fortunate bounce for the visitors to make it 2-0 in the 33rd minute. Chloe Ricketts fired a shot from outside the box that hit the crossbar and dropped down but stayed out. Hatch beat Campbell, who was off her line, to the loose ball and deposited it into the open cage.

Graham cut the deficit in half in the 74th minute. Avery Patterson took a feed from Evelina Duljan on the right side and served a cross to the opposite side, where Ryan Gareis headed it toward the net and deflected it off Graham to make it 2-1.

–Field Level Media