An unprecedented five-game road stretch will come to an end Saturday afternoon when the Seattle Sounders visit the Houston Dynamo. Although they are undefeated in those five games from Lumen Field, with a 4-1 record a road game in MLS always presents a tough challenge. The Rave Green have had to play as road warriors while the FIFA-mandated pitch renovations are underway at Lumen Field. After Saturday’s game, the Sounders will have a rest day on Sunday, then travel to Mexico for Wednesday’s Concacaf quarterfinals leg one match with Liga MX side Tigres.
FIRST THINGS FIRST
While the mouthwatering fixture between the two powerhouses from their respective leagues, Sounders head coach Brian Schmezter messaging to his team is focusing on the Dynamos.
” I know you guys want to focus on the Tigres match, but for us, our focus is Houston, which is the most important game because it’s the next,” said Schmetzer after the team practice session on Thursday afternoon.
CONTROLLING TEMPO WILL BE THE KEY
Both teams will be looking to control the tempo of the game. Schmetzer has never shied away from being aggressive and on the front foot when playing on the road. With the majority of his attacking side and midfield available, Schmetzer will look to attack Dynamo using the width of the field
The Dynamo has a formidable attack that is led by offseason acquisition Guilherme. The Brazilian winger has scored four goals and three assists in five games. Forward Lawrence Ennali scored his first goal of the season in the Dynamos’ 4-3 road loss to FC Dallas. In the loss, the Dynamo scored three goals in a span of five minutes.
“ I expect Bennie to press; they want to play an uptempo style of soccer,’ said Schmetzer .” I love Benny ( Ben Olson ). Sometimes teams take on their coach’s personality.”
MIDFIELD SHUFFLE
The Sounders midblock took another hit this week when midfielder Nikola Petkovic suffered a season-ending ACL injury during last Saturday’s training session. The team signed former Defiance player Peter Kingston to a first-team contract. Hassan Dotson has cleared concussion protocol and is eligible to play, as is Cristian Roldan. Roldan will meet the team in Houston after spending time with the USMNT. Upfront, Jordan Morris, Osaze De Rosario, and Danny Musovski are fit to play. DeRosario and Musoviski are also returning after representing their countries during the FIFA International break.
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF DEFENSE
The Dynamo defense is second-to-last in goals allowed. The Dynamo have conceded nine times in just four matches so far in 2026, with their 2.25 goals allowed/game the second-highest in the Western Conference. Only the Portland Timbers have averaged more goals allowed in the early season. Making things worse for the Dynamo will be the absence of defender Erik Sviatchenko, who was issued a red card in the Dynamo’s last game. The Sounders will look to score early with a high press.
GAME NOTES
- Seattle has won seven of their last 10 visits to Shell Energy Stadium
- Seattle has kept four clean sheets in their last four away matches
- Seattle is unbeaten in five matches, including three consecutive away wins in MLS
- Houston haven’t beaten Seattle in their last 10 meetings, dating back to October 2021
- Houston scored 8 goals in their last 5 matches but lost 0-2 at home to LAFC
- Houston lost a seven-goal thriller 4-3 at FC Dallas in their last outing
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