Seattle Sounders face Houston Dynamo with history on their side
By Paul Taylor
Houston Dynamo may currently lead the Western Conference, but there is good reason for the Seattle Sounders to be confident ahead of their clash on Sunday.
In theory, the Seattle Sounders face a tall order on Sunday at CenturyLink Field, versus Houston Dynamo. Wilmer Cabrera’s team enter the weekend in first place in the Western Conference.
Dynamo are coming off a 5-1 romp over Real Salt Lake, while the Sounders are reeling from their demoralizing 3-0 loss in Columbus. Further, the Rave Green’s struggles to find the back of the net are highlighted by their top scorer being Clint Dempsey with just four goals, compared to Dynamo’s Erick Torres, who has 10.
And yet, the Sounders actually have an excellent chance of winning, at least if history is anything to go by. They have never lost at home to Dynamo, with five wins and two ties in seven games.
Admittedly, history doesn’t guarantee success, but Seattle have more reason for optimism, when considering their opponent’s road woes in 2017. Houston are one of just four teams yet to win away from home this season, having picked up just one point from six games.
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However, the biggest talking point entering this weekend, has been the recent controversy surrounding Dempsey and Jordan Morris. More specifically, the Sounders’ apparent request for the US Men’s National Team to release one of their forwards for the midweek game in Columbus.
As per Charles Boehm of mlssoccer.com, Sounders’ general manager Garth Lagerwey reportedly had the request denied. Interestingly though, this was refuted by USMNT head coach Bruce Arena, who claimed he never refused any request, or indeed even talked to Lagerwey.
Objectively speaking, it’s tough to know who is telling the truth, but the Sounders aren’t the only team to suffer being shorthanded. Look no further than Toronto FC, who were without Michael Bradley or Jozy Altidore on Saturday, as they lost 3-0 away to the New England Revolution.
Further, in the case of Morris at least, it’s not as if he has been particularly productive so far this season. Of course, that’s not the point, and the truth is MLS needs to fix this situation sooner than later, to help the league as a whole.
For now though, the Sounders must make do without the duo, as they prepare to entertain Houston. At least Chad Marshall will be back in the lineup after being rested in midweek, which is just as well, with Roman Torres listed as questionable, despite playing the final 16 minutes against Crew SC.
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Notes:
- Dynamo are currently tied for first in MLS with 27 goals, along with New York City FC, who have played one game more.
- Despite Seattle’s superior home record versus Houston, they had to settle for 0-0 tie the last time the two sides met at CenturyLink Field (October 13, 2016).
- Joevin Jones leads all MLS defenders with five assists this season. (Overall, he is three behind Victor Vazquez’s league-leading eight assists.)
Next: Sounders make no excuse for Columbus loss
What are you expecting from Sunday’s clash between the Sounders and Dynamo? What do you predict the final outcome will be, and why? Share your thoughts in the comments section.