The Seattle Sounders (15-11-5, 50 points) continued their quest for a tenth consecutive playoff berth with a convincing 4-1 win over the Houston Dynamo (9-14-8, 35 points) on a rainy, dark, and dreary night at CenturyLink Field Monday night. The only doom and gloom came from mother nature and around here the darkened night signaled nothing more than the reminder that fall is here.
On the field, the Sounders were full of energy, purpose, and commitment despite the absence of forwarding Raul Ruidiaz ( Peru) and midfielder Gustav Svensson( Sweden) due to International team call-ups which began on October 8th and will last until October 16th. The Sounders next game will be October 17th at Orlando and the International break will surely have an effect on that game as players will be returning and need some rest. Nicolas Lodeiro ( Uruguay) and Jordy Delem ( Martinique) have also received National Team call-ups.
On Monday the last thing on Brian Schmetzer’s mind or his player was about who was missing or travel plans to participate in a National Team games. Forward Will Bruin showed no love lost for his former team as he rifled home a shot inside the Dynamo goal box to give the home side the dream start in the 18th minute. It was Bruins fourth goal against his former team in four starts since joining Seattle in January of 2017.
“For me personally, it was good to get back on the scoresheet. My minutes are limited now, so I need to make the most of them. I think I did that tonight,” Bruin said after the game. Bruin also noted that it was vital for the Sounders to get an early goal.
“That was a game where the longer it stayed 0-0, the tougher it would’ve gotten. So it was nice to get that first goal. And then Cristian (Roldan) followed up with the second one. Then coming out of halftime, we had to make sure we got the third one because 2-0 is dangerous. You don’t want it to be 2-1. We got two more and it ended 4-1.”
An exquisite counterattack that was started by Nicolas Lodeiro and ended with a Cristian Roldan goal doubled the Rave Greens lead in the 34th minute amid celebrations of 39,518 Rave Green fans who paid no mind to mother nature.
Two second-half goals by Victor Rodriguez, a slider in the 64th minute and a straight ticki, tacki play between Osvaldo Alonso, Handwalla Bwana in the 73rd minute made it 4-0 Sounders and the Rave Green faithful dispatched their gloves, hats, and umbrellas as CenturyLink Field turned into a block party.
Houston forward DeMarcus Beasley pulled one back for the visitors in the 87th minute but it was too little tool last as the Sounders recorded their second consecutive victory in which they have scored four goals.
GAME NOTES
- Sounders FC is now 15-11-5 on the season, and currently sits in fifth place in the Western Conference with 50 points. Seattlesits seven points shy of first-place FC Dallas and just three points shy of second-place Sporting Kansas City with three matches remaining in the 2018 MLS regular season.
- Sounders FC has scored four goals in consecutive games for the first time in more than four years. The club defeated Chivas USA, 4-2, on September 27, 2014, and earned a 4-1 victory at Colorado on October 5, 2014.
- Dating back to the club’s loss to Sacramento Republic FC in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on June 6, Sounders FC has accumulated a 13-4-3 record in MLS action.
- With tonight’s result, Seattle remains unbeaten against the Dynamo at CenturyLink Field, having posted a 7-0-2 record in regular season play, with an additional victory and a draw coming in MLS Cup Playoffs action.
- Seattle‘s 15 victories equal the most wins in a single season since 2017, topped only by the club’s Supporters’ Shield-winning 2014 campaign (20 wins) in that span.
- Víctor Rodríguez recorded the first brace of his MLS career, and he has now scored three goals in his last two games. The Spaniard now has seven goals and five assists in 27 appearances (including postseason) since signing with Seattle last summer.
- Nicolás Lodeiro recorded his team-leading 12th assist of the season, which equals his MLS career high set last season. He is one assist shy of the club’s single-season record of 13 held by Mauro Rosales (2011, 2012) and Obafemi Martins (2014). His 32 career regular-season assists for Seattle are two shy of the club’s all-time record of 34 held by Rosales and Fredy Montero.
- Will Bruin’s goal was his first since scoring in a 2-1 victory at Minnesota on August 8 in a 2-1 win. The forward is now tied with Raúl Ruidíaz for second in the club in goals this season (7). Including the postseason, Bruin has now scored four goals in five games all-time against his former club. He was selected 11th overall by Houston in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft before being acquired in a trade by Sounders FC on December 23, 2016.
- Cristian Roldan scored his fourth goal of the season and his first since August 18 in a 5-0 win vs. LA Galaxy. His assist on Bruin’s goal was his second in as many games. Tonight marks Roldan’s first time recording a goal and an assist in the same game since August 21, 2016 (a 2-1 win vs. Portland).
- Nouhou’s assist was the second of his MLS career and his first since July 19, 2017 in a 4-3 win vs. D.C. United.
- Handwalla Bwana recorded the first assist of his MLS career. He recorded his first MLS goal earlier this season in a 2-1 win at Toronto FC on May 9.
