SANDY, Utah (Sunday, September 14, 2025) – Utah Royals FC (3-11-6, 15 points, 14th NWSL) defeated the Houston Dash (6-9-5, 23 points, 10th NWSL) at home in a midday Sunday matchup.
URFC head coach Jimmy Coenraets has named an unchanged starting lineup from last Saturday’s draw away at North Carolina. Midfielder Ana Tejada makes her second consecutive start, having returned to the XI last weekend against the Courage — her first start since June 21. Forward Cloé Lacasse also retains her place in the lineup, making her second straight start since coming back from an ACL injury.
Utah got off to a flying start, striking in the 4th minute through an unlikely source — defender Kaleigh Riehl. Riehl netted just her second-ever NWSL goal, and her first as a Utah Royal, with a well-placed header at the back post. The goal came from a right-footed inswinging corner by Lacasse, which Riehl met perfectly, sending a looping header into the back of the net. The assist marked Lacasse’s first in the NWSL and stood as the Royals’ first headed goal of the 2025 season.
In the 33rd minute, Utah continued to apply pressure and looked to have doubled their lead, but VAR intervened to rule out the goal for offside — denying Lacasse what would have been her first goal since returning from injury.
Utah would not be denied a second goal, this time courtesy of Paige Monaghan. Monaghan latched onto a long diagonal ball from Nuria Rábano, cut inside onto her left foot, and curled a perfect strike into the top-left corner. The goal marks Monaghan’s third consecutive match with a goal, a first in her NWSL career and also registers Rábano’s first assist in the NWSL.
The Royals kept pressing for a third goal, and Lacasse came close in the 56th minute. She ran onto a well-weighted through ball from Mina Tanaka and fired a shot from inside Houston’s 18-yard box, but goalkeeper Jane Campbell parried the effort away and conceded a corner to Utah.
The remainder of the second half was a back-and-forth battle, with both sides creating chances. Utah held firm to secure the win, not allowing Houston a single shot on target — the first time since 2023 the Dash have been held without one. The unbeaten run extends to five matches, along with a fourth clean sheet of the season. The result also marked the first multi-goal shutout win for the Royals since October 13, 2024, when Lacasse scored a hat trick in a 3–0 home victory over the Seattle Reign.
The Utah Royals will look to extend its five-game unbeaten run when it hosts Racing Louisville on September 19th. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. MT and tickets are available at https://www.rsl.com/utahroyals/tickets/.
UTA 2 : 0 HOU
UTA: Kaleigh Riehl (Cloé Lacasse) 4’: Lacasse set up the corner kick from the left side of the pitch sending the ball over the defense and to the far post for a waiting Riehl who headed the ball towards the far post and into the top left side of the net.
UTA: Paige Monaghan (Nuria Rábano) 45’: Capitalizing on the attack, Rábano found Monaghan in the middle of the field. Monaghan settled the ball with a touch and took a left footed shot from just outside the top of the box sending the ball over the goal keeper and into the back of the net.
LINEUPS:
Utah Royals FC (4-2-3-1): Mandy McGlynn; Janni Thomsen (Cece Kizer 78’), Kate Del Fava, Kaleigh Riehl, Nuria Rábano; Claudia Zornoza, Ana Tejada (Dana Foederer 70’), Mina Tanaka; Cloé Lacasse (Brecken Mozingo 59’), Aisha Solórzano (Bianca St-Georges 78’), Paige Monaghan © (Imani Dorsey 70’)
Subs not used: DeAira Jackson, Lauren Flynn, Abby Boyan, Madison Pogarch
Head Coach: Jimmy Coenraets
North Carolina Courage (4-3-3): Jane Campbell ©; Avery Patterson, Paige Neilsen, Katie Lind, Allysha Chapman (Lisa Boattin, 60’); Danielle Colaprico, Maggie Graham (Michelle Alozie 87’), Kiki Van Zaten (Evelina Duljan, 78’), Delanie Sheehan; Yazmeen Ryan, Clarissa Larisey (Messiah Bright 45’)
Subs not used: Sarah Puntigam, Christen Westphal, Ryan Gareis, Abby Smith, Anna Heilferty
Head Coach: Fabrice Gautrat
Stats Summary: UTA / HOU
Possession: 58 / 43
Shots: 15 / 5
Shots on Goal: 7 / 0
Corner Kicks: 4 / 4
Fouls: 16 / 13
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
UTA: Paige Monaghan (Yellow Card, 66’)
UTA: Imani Dorsey (Yellow Card, 72’)
HOU: Maggie Graham (Yellow Card, 84’)
