The Seattle Sounders secured a 1-0 victory against the Houston Dynamo on Sunday night, with Paul Rothrock scoring an early goal that proved to be the decider. Rothrock’s unassisted goal in the 22nd minute marked his fourth goal of the season and his fifth in his two-year career, spanning 10 starts and 28 appearances.
In a match where both teams had already secured playoff berths prior to kickoff, Seattle’s win was further solidified by goalkeeper Stefan Frei, who notched his 10th clean sheet of the season with one save.
Houston’s goalkeeper, Steve Clark, managed to turn away three shots but was unable to prevent the Sounders from claiming victory.
With this win, Seattle (14-9-8) leaped over the Dynamo in the standings, drawing even with the Colorado Rapids for fourth place in the competitive Western Conference. Securing a top-four position is crucial as it guarantees a home match to kick off the playoff campaign.
Looking ahead, the Dynamo will return home to face the New England Revolution on Wednesday, while the Sounders will travel to take on the Vancouver Whitecaps on the same day.
The result of this match further sets the stage for an exciting playoff run, as both Seattle and Houston gear up for the postseason amidst a highly competitive Major League Soccer season.