Seattle, Wash. – The Seattle Sounders extended their unbeaten streak to five matches with a decisive 3-1 victory over the Houston Dynamo at Shell Energy Stadium on Saturday night. The Sounders capitalized on dominant spells of play, with two goals from Albert Rusnák and one from Danny Musovski, especially benefiting from Houston’s struggle after they were forced to play with ten men.
The match began with Houston putting pressure on Seattle, creating a pair of early chances through Jack McGlynn. However, Sounders goalkeeper Stef Frei made a crucial save, followed by Nouhou’s alert clearance to keep the Dynamo scoreless. Seattle gradually organized themselves, and their first noteworthy offensive push came in the 12th minute. Obed Vargas’s well-timed chip over the defense found Ryan Kent, who set up Alex Roldan for a volley, though Roldan misfired and sent the attempt wide.
The Sounders found their rhythm by the 22nd minute, when Musovski scored off a deflected cross from Paul Rothrock. Cristian Roldan initiated the play with an impressive diagonal pass, setting the stage for Musovski’s header to give Seattle the lead. However, Houston responded shortly after. In the 32nd minute, Obafemi Awodesu netted an equalizer with a strong header following a free kick from McGlynn.
Disaster struck for Houston just minutes later. Awodesu was shown a red card in the 38th minute for a handball committed while contending for a loose ball. A review determined that while the foul occurred outside the penalty area, the infraction warranted a red card for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity. This left the Dynamo shorthanded for the remainder of the match.
With the second half underway, Seattle made an immediate substitution that paid off. Pedro de la Vega came on for Rothrock, and within a minute, he connected with Roldan, who sent a slick pass to Rusnák. The midfielder struck a first-time finish, restoring the lead for the Sounders just after halftime.
In the 58th minute, Rusnák added his second, finishing off a well-constructed play that showcased Ryan Kent’s agility and vision as he navigated through the Houston defense, laying the ball off perfectly for Rusnák to complete his brace.
Despite Houston’s attempts to pull back, including a few near misses and strong saves from Frei, the Sounders maintained control for the remainder of the match. Seattle notched their second road win of the season, both victories coming against Texas teams.
As the Sounders sail into their next contest against LAFC, they currently sit with 19 points after 12 games. The team is beginning to hit its stride, showing improved offensive prowess after a shaky start to the season when they struggled to find the net.
Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer has noted the positive developments in goal-scoring, emphasizing the work made during the preseason. The Sounders, who boast nine different goal scorers so far this year, appear poised to continue their upward trajectory as they integrate new players and recover from injuries.
With a challenging road ahead, Seattle will look to carry this momentum into their upcoming matches, ready to confront their rivals while aiming to cement their position in the league standings.