The Houston Dynamo remain in search of their first victory away from home after a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Seattle Sounders FC in front of 40,258 fans at CenturyLink Field in Seattle.
Former Dynamo forward Will Bruin scored the game-winning goal with a powerful header off of a cross from midfielder Cristian Roldan in the 69th minute. The goal came late in a game where Seattle controlled possession, but Houston was able to create the more dangerous chances thanks in part to a resolute Dynamo defense that blocked several Sounders chances.
Bruin’s goal was Seattle’s first on-target shot after more than an hour of play. The Dynamo back line combined to clear 22 balls from danger and block another three shots in the game, and goalkeeper Tyler Deric claimed two more crosses before a Sounders player could get a touch to them.
Despite conceding more than 65 percent of possession, Houston had three shots on goal to Seattle’s two. The Dynamo created the first dangerous chance in the 13th minute when forwards Erick Torres and Andrew Wenger combined for a give-and-go down the right side that put Torres in on goal. The Mexican international’s right-footed shot was saved by Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei to keep the game scoreless.
Deric came up with a big play of his own in the 17th minute when Seattle defender Joevin Jones lofted a cross that drifted toward the goal and was headed toward the upper right corner if Deric didn’t intervene with a diving effort to palm it away.
Dynamo forward Mauro Manotas tried his luck with a bold 30-yard shot from the left side of the box, but Frei was well positioned to catch the shot and avoid further danger.
Late in the game, Houston created a pair of dangerous chances. Forward Alberth Elis, a second-half substitute for Torres, got free off a pass from Manotas in the 87th minute, but his left-footed effort dragged wide of the far post. Four minutes later, just after the clock struck 90 minutes, Manotas got free inside the area, but his low right-footed blast was smothered by Frei to snuff out the danger.
The Dynamo take a break next week as several players depart for FIFA World Cup Qualifying competition. The team will resume the 2017 season, presented by 76, on Saturday, June 17 at 10:00 p.m. CDT against the LA Galaxy at StubHub Center.
Seattle Sounders FC (5-6-4; 19 pts.) 1-0 Houston Dynamo (7-6-2; 23 pts.)
MLS Week 14
June 15, 2017 – CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Wash.
Attendance: 40,258
Scoring Summary:
SEA: Will Bruin 4 (Cristian Roldan 2, Osvaldo Alonso 1) 69
Seattle Sounders FC: Stefan Frei; Brad Evans (Aaron Kovar 54), Román Torres, Chad Marshall, Joevin Jones; Osvaldo Alonso ©, Cristian Roldan, Álvaro Fernández (Nouhou Tolo 75), Nicolás Lodeiro, Gustav Svensson; Will Bruin (Jordy Delem 88)
Unused Substitutes: Tyler Miller, Seyi Adekoya, Oniel Fisher, Zach Mathers
Total shots: 12 (Will Bruin 4); Shots on goal: 2 (Will Bruin 2); Fouls: 7 (Gustav Svensson 2); Offside: 4 (Will Bruin, Álvaro Fernández, Joevin Jones, Nicolás Lodeiro 1); Corner kicks: 9 (Nicolás Lodeiro 8); Saves: 3 (Stefan Frei 3)
Houston Dynamo: Tyler Deric; A.J. DeLaGarza, Adolfo Machado, Leonardo, Dylan Remick; Ricardo Clark ©, Juan David Cabezas, Alex (Boniek García 67); Andrew Wenger (Vicente Sánchez 75), Erick Torres (Alberth Elis 55), Mauro Manotas
Unused Substitutes: Joe Willis, Jalil Anibaba, Kevin Garcia, Joseph Holland
Total shots: 8 (Alberth Elis, Mauro Manotas, Erick Torres 2); Shots on goal: 3 (Mauro Manotas 2); Fouls: 13 (Alex 3); Offside: 1 (Erick Torres 1); Corner kicks: 3 (Alex 3); Saves: 1 (Tyler Deric 1)
Discipline:
HOU: Alex (caution) 28
OFFICIALS
Referee: Baldomero Toledo
Assistant Referee 1: Apolinar Mariscal
Assistant Referee 2: Gianni Facchini
Fourth Official: Baboucarr Jallow
