Sounders FC striker Danny Musoviski is in the best form of his life. Entering the season, Musoviski had scored a career-high five goals in a season with LAFC in 2020 and Salt Lake City in 2023 . Musoviski scored his fifth goal in five games last Saturday during the Sounders’ 3-1 win over the Houston Dynamo. So to say Musoviski is on a roll is an understatement. Head coach Brian Schmeichel started his post-game press conference with a verbal bouquet of flowers for Musoviski.
“We complimented a player who a lot of people wrote off, maybe even including myself, if I have to be honest with everybody, a guy who now has etched his name in the record book, head of Clint Dempsey, arguably the best American striker, goal scorer that this country has ever produced Raul R Diaz, a absolute beast in his day. Obefhemi Martin, a guy that played in the highest levels and unbelievable player for this club, Jordan Morris, leading scorer of this club, said Schmetzer. “Danny Masoski’s scoring five goals and five consecutive games. I have to tip my hat in, you know, That kid has done a great job for this club.”
More importantly for Musoviski and the Sounders is that the team is undefeated in it’s last five games winning four of five games with a 1-1 draw at Colorado. Midfielder Albert Rusnák scored a brace in Saturday’s win, and it is his play behind Musoviski that is giving the striker room to roam in front of opposing goal mouths. The recent play of Paul Rothrock on the wing, coupled with the interplay of Obed Vargas and Cristian Roldan, has been instrumental in the Sounders’ resurgence of late.
WING AND WING BACK PLAY
The recent shift of formation to a 4-2-3-1 has enabled Rothrock, Pedro de la Vega, and now Ryan Kent to find space in which to attack when in transition. On Saturday, the Sounders’ first goal was initiated by a Cristian Roldan steal and pass to Kent, who passed the ball back to Roldan, who fed a streaking Rothrock on the right flank. Rothrock squared up once he reached the Sounders primary assist zone and crossed a perfect pin point pass to a streaking Musvosiki who headed the ball into the back of the net 21 minutes into the game for the earl 1-0 lead.
GIVING UP NECESSARY SET PIECE
The Sounder’s lack of composure allowed the home side to level the game at 1-1 in ten minutes. A Kent foul led to a free kick 25 yards from goal on the right side. A perfect kick by Houston’s Hack McGlynn found the head of a streaking Femi Awodesu for the equaliser. Awodesu went from hero to goat for the home side when he was issued a red card seven minutes later for a handball infraction that negated a clear and obvious goal-scoring opportunity. While trying to defend pass from Frei to Musoviski swatted the ball just outside of the goal box. While no penalty was awarded the damage was done for Dynamo as they were down to ten men.
INSTANT DIVIDENDS
Pedro de la Vega was inserted for Rothrock to start the second half with instant results. Kent had started the game for De la Vega. With Kent on the left and De la Vega on the right side of the pitch the Sounders were off to the races. The speed and pace the two dynamic player makers possess overwhelmed the ten man Dynamo. One minute into the second had Yemeir fed a perfect slide rule pass to De la Vega who then fed a streaking Rusnack for the tap for the 2-1 lead. The Sounders extended their lead to 3-1 in the 57th minute when Kent slalomed through the Dynamo on the left side and slotted the ball to a poaching Rusnack who tapped sitter home.
NURVEY ENDING
Despite the Sounders’ attacking prowess, the Dynamo were able to generate several chances that forced eye-stopping saves by Frei. As has been the case for countless games Frei get the Dynamo at bay when needed and the Sounders were able to keep their shape defensively and hang on for the 3-1 win.
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POST GAME NOTES
MATCH NOTES
- Seattle is now 19-6-11 all-time against Houston in MLS since Seattle joined the league in 2009. Including the MLS Cup Playoffs, the Rave Green have not lost to the Texas side since 2021. The two teams drew 0-0 earlier this year at Lumen Field.
- With tonight’s result and at the time of writing, Sounders FC sits in fourth place in the Western Conference with 19 points (5-3-4).
- Goalkeeper Stefan Frei made his 500th all-competition appearance since joining MLS in 2009, spread across his time with both Toronto and Seattle. Frei recently celebrated 400 appearances for Sounders FC, becoming just the seventh player in league history to achieve that milestone with one organization.
- Danny Musovski’s goal in the 22nd minute was his fifth-consecutive match with a tally, joining Fredy Montero and Obafemi Martins as the only players in club history to score in five-consecutive matches in a single regular season. Raúl Ruidíaz scored in six-straight regular-season matches (9/29/18 – 3/16/19), but over the course of two seasons, and he did not appear in those matches consecutively.
- Musovski’s five goals this season tie the most goals the striker has ever scored in a single season, doing so with LAFC in 2020 and Real Salt Lake in 2023.
- Albert Rusnák’s goals in the 46th and 58th minutes were his fourth and fifth strikes in MLS, giving the Slovakian international six in all competitions, tying with Musovski for most on the team. It was third time Rusnák has scored multiple goals for Seattle in all competitions. He notably scored a hat trick against Columbus last season (September 7, 2024).
- Paul Rothrock and Cristian Roldan recorded assists on Musovski’s goal. It was Rothrock’s third assist in MLS and Roldan’s sixth, the most on the team in MLS play. Jesús Ferreira leads the team with seven all-competition assists.
- Pedro de la Vega recorded his second assist of the season on Rusnák’s second-half strike, with Yeimar earning his first helper of the 2025 campaign. Ryan Kent added the assist on Rusnák’s second goal, his third of the season, all in the last two games.
- Head Coach Brian Schmetzer made one change from last weekend’s win over St. Louis CITY SC, with Ryan Kent replacing Pedro de la Vega. It was Kent’s first start for Seattle since joining the team on March 31. The England native recorded two against St. Louis, the first assists of his MLS career.
- Seattle next continues its three-match road stretch with a trip to LAFC on Wednesday, May 14 at BMO stadium (7:30 p.m. PT / Apple TV, 93.3 KJR FM, El Rey 1360 AM) before playing Cascadia rival Portland Timbers on Saturday, May 17 at Providence Park (6:30 p.m. PT / Apple TV, FS1, FOX Deportes, 93.3 KJR FM, El Rey 1360 AM).
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 3 – Houston Dynamo FC 1
Saturday, May 10, 2025
Venue: Shell Energy Stadium
Referee: Victor Rivas
Assistants: Felisha Mariscal, Diego Blas
Fourth Official: Luis Diego Arroyo
VAR: Jorge González
Attendance: 19, 802
Weather: 75 degrees and mostly cloudy
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA – Danny Musovski 22’
HOU – Femi Awodesu (Jack McGlynn) 32’
SEA – Albert Rusnák (Pedro de la Vega, Yeimar Gómez Andrade) 46’
SEA – Albert Rusnák (Ryan Kent) 58’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
HOU – Brooklyn Raines (caution) 10’
SEA – Yeimar Gómez Andrade (caution) 34’
HOU – Artur (caution) 37’
HOU – Femi Awodesu (ejection) 38’
SEA – Kim Kee-hee (caution) 45’+10’
SEA – Osaze De Rosario (caution) 84’
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Frei – Captain; Alex Roldan, Yeimar Gómez Andrade (Jonathan Bell 55’), Kim Kee-hee, Nouhou; Obed Vargas, Cristian Roldan; Paul Rothrock (Pedro de la Vega PT), Albert Rusnák (Jesús Ferreira 66’), Ryan Kent (Georgi Minoungou 66’); Danny Musovski (Osaze De Rosario 79’)
Substitutes not used: Andrew Thomas, Kalani Kossa-Rienzi, Danny Leyva, João Paulo
Total shots: 14
Shots on goal: 4
Fouls: 12
Offside: 3
Corner-Kicks: 5
Saves: 3
Houston Dynamo FC – Jonathan Bond; Griffin Dorsey, Ethan Bartlow (Felipe Andrade 64’), Femi Awodesu, Daniel Steres; Jack McGlynn, Artur (Júnior Urso 65’), Brooklyn Raines; Ondřej (Lingr Toyosi Olusanya 80’), Ezequiel Ponce (Sebastian Kowalczyk 70’), Amine Bassi (Pablo Ortiz HT)
Substitutes not used: Erik Dueñas, Nicolás Lodeiro, Gabriel Segal, Blake Gillingham
Total shots: 16
Shots on goal: 4
Fouls: 12
Offside: 0
Corner-kicks: 8
Saves: 1
