Houston Dynamo FC set for playoff battle against Seattle Sounders FC

By Chris Price
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (October 20, 2024) Houston Dynamo FC is heading back to the playoffs! They will face the Seattle Sounders FC in Game 1 of the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs. The match will take place on Monday, Oct. 28, at 8:00 p.m. CT in Seattle. This is the first game in the Round One Best-of-3 Series. Fans can expect an exciting showdown as these two teams go head-to-head for a chance to advance in the tournament.

After the first game in Seattle, the Dynamo will return to Houston to play Game 2 on Sunday, Nov. 3, at 5:30 p.m. CT at Shell Energy Stadium. Tickets for this crucial game are available starting at $25 on SeatGeek. Fans attending the match will receive a free playoff rally towel, courtesy of Shell Energy, to help cheer on the team.

If the series is tied after two games, Game 3 will be held back in Seattle on Sunday, Nov. 10, at 6:00 p.m. CT. This game would decide who moves forward in the playoffs.

Houston Dynamo enters the playoffs as the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference. They finished the regular season with a record of 15-10-9, earning 54 points. The team also set a new club record for total points in a single season and road wins, with eight victories away from home.

In their last regular-season game, the Dynamo defeated LA Galaxy 2-1 on Decision Day, securing their playoff spot. Their opponent, Seattle Sounders, finished as the No. 4 seed with a 16-9-9 record and 57 points. This gives Seattle homefield advantage for Game 1 and Game 3, if necessary.

This is the third time Houston and Seattle have faced off in the playoffs. The Sounders currently hold a 2-1-1 record against the Dynamo in postseason play. The two teams met twice during the regular season this year. The Dynamo secured a 2-2 draw in Houston back in June but lost 1-0 in Seattle in September.

The Round One Best-of-3 Series features the top seven teams from each conference, along with two Wild Card teams. Every team in this round gets at least one home game, giving fans a chance to see their team play on their turf. If Houston can win two out of three games against Seattle, they’ll move on to the next round.

Houston Dyanmo fall short to Seattle on last home game of season.

A "minor" disagreement occured between the Houston Dynamo
and Seattle Sounders in the second half.
Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly

Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (October 21, 2018) The 19,000-plus fans at BBVA Compass Stadium was hoping for a comeback late in the game, but their wishes went unanswered as the Houston Dynamo dropped a close 3-2 decision to the Seattle Sounders on Sunday evening. The Sounders went up 2-0 by halftime, courtesy of goals by Chad Marshall and Gustav Svensson, with Houston cutting their lead to 2-1 14 minutes into the second half. Defender Kevin Garcia scored his first goal of the season for Houston, with an assist by Oscar Boniek Garcia. The Honduran posted his seventh assist of 2018. 

Fourteen minutes later, Seattle regained a two-goal lead, in the 87th minute, when Raul Ruidiaz drilled the ball past Houston goalkeeper Tyler Deric. The Dynamo added their second goal in the 89th minute, when Mauro Manotas slipped the ball into the goal past Seattle's Stefan Frei, to close out scoring for the evening.

The loss dropped the Dynamo to 9-16-8 on the season and denied head coach Wilmer Cabrera his 32nd victory in Major League Soccer. He talked about the the match after the game:

“I think we played well. We played well against a very good team. It was a good game of soccer, today – where we had the ball, we created options, we attacked. They didn't create too many options to be honest with you, but the difference was set pieces and mistakes. That team didn’t make any mistakes and on the set pieces – we suffered. They had two and we had one. (DF Chad) Marshall is wonderful—for me the best in set pieces in MLS. So, I expect that but in the second half he fixed it, (DF) Kevin (Garcia) fixed that but (MF) (Gustav) Svensson was totally free —that’s concentration and the third goal that’s a sad mistake and an unusual mistake that happened. But that’s why we needed to put (GK) Tyler Deric after one year. ‘What are we going to do. We’re not going to play him?’ We have to play him. He has to go through that. We are not in the playoffs, this is the moment for him just to go and he is back, but it’s going to help him to recover and it’s going to help him to just get that fire in him for the next season.”

In the 38 games this season, Manotas leads the Dynamo with 23 goals. Tomas Martinez and Romell Quioto lead the team in assists, both with 11. Houston currently has a 1-3-0 record in October and dropped their home record to 8-6-3.

The Dynamo close out the season on Sunday, October 28 with a road match against the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Will Bruin sends the Seattle Sounders to the MLS Cup game again

By Lou Roesch

Copyright 2017 All Rights Reserved

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON (December 1, 2017) Just as he did a week ago in helping the Seattle Sounders to a convincing road win in the first leg of the Western Conference Finals, Seattle forward Will Bruin did in his former team netting a goal and an assist as the defending MLS Cup champions defeated the Houston Dynamo 3-0 and advanced to a second straight MLS Cup title game.

Bruin, traded in the offseason to Seattle re-energized his career, and once again claimed his dominance as one of the top scorers in MajorLeague Soccer. His goal in the 73^rd minute and Seattle’s third of the game marked his third goal in as many games against his former team.

Seattle took the lead in and the series for all intents and purposes in the 22^nd minute on a perfectly weighted touch pass to Victor Rodriguez from Bruin.

Tomas Martinez was flagged for a red card in the 66^th minute just nine minutes after Clint Dempsey had pushed Seattle to a 2-0 lead.

Playing a man down, the Houston Dynamo defense could not contain the Seattle offense as Harry Shipp found Will Bruin racing into the box and tapping home a chip shot to seal Seattle’s win.

Bruin added two goals and an assist in four playoff starts in 2017 and returns to the title game for the third time in his career. The St. Louis native’s first two appearances came as a member of the Houston Dynamo.

Seattle finished off the Western Conference Finals the same way they had their previous four matches at Century Link Field. shutting out with a goal differential of plus 15.

Sounders keeper Stefan Frei extended his scoreless minutes streak to 557 most in MLS history.

Frei summed up the Sounders playoff attitude saying “Bringing home a trophy (MLS Cup title) is our focus.”

The defending champions travel to Toronto FC for a rematch of the 2016 title game at BMO Field on Saturday December 9, 2017. Game time is set for 4:00 p.m. ET.

Former Houston Dynamo star Will Bruin leads Seattle to a 2-0 playoff win

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2017, All Rights Reserved

By Lou Roesch

Special Correspondent

Copyright 2017 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (November 23, 2017)  Forward Will Bruin (No. 17, shown left) sealed Seattle’s opening leg win over his former team minutes before halftime on Tuesday night in Houston. Traded following the 2016 season after recording his worst scoring output in his six years as a Dynamo, the veteran rebounded with an 11 goal season in 2017. Bruin has become the perfect complement to Clint Dempsey, national team scoring legend.

Seattle, who seeking its second MLS Cup title in as many seasons, opened the scoring behind a Gustav Svennson header in the eleventh minute. The Swede’s unlikely goal was just in second in 32 appearances with Seattle.

Eighteen minutes later, Houston keeper Joe Willis’ stop of a Seattle penalty conversion only delayed the inevitable giving the record crowd of more than 22,000 Dynamo faithful faint hope that Houston would rebound with a win.

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2017, All Rights Reserved

Joevin Jones, pulled down in the box that led to Dynamo defender Jalil Anibaba’s red card departure from the game, delivered a perfect header to the far post. Bruin perfectly position sent a soaring header into the back of the net for his second 2017 playoff goal of the season.  It was also the second goal of the season for the former Dynamo star against his old team this season. His twelfth goal of the season put Houston in a two goal bind from which only five teams in MLS playoff history had ever rebounded to win the match.

“I heard a nice ‘F-U Bruin’ chant, so that was good,” Bruin said with a laugh. “It didn’t surprise me though. I was happy to score and get the win.”

To make matters worse for Houston, Bruin who has scored more goals than any other player at BBVA Compass Stadium raced towards the corner where he would usually greet his Dynamo teammates only this time, no one was there to celebrate the wide-eyed smiling Bruin.

Seattle needs but a 0-0 draw in the leg 2 game on Thursday at home. Bruin, who helped lead Houston to MLS Cup title games in 2011 and 2012 would like nothing more than to eliminate his old team and return the Sounders Major League Soccer’s championship game in 2017. “It would be great to be in Seattle and knock Houston out to go to MLS Cup,” Bruin said with a smile.

Five times in MLS playoffs history has a team come back from 0-2 down to win a game (not series). Never has it been done playing shorthanded.

Houston Dynamo come up short against Seattle Sounders

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2017, All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2017 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (November 21, 2017) The Houston Dynamo conceited two goals in the first half, which led to their 2-0 loss to to the Seattle Sounders in the first leg of the Western Conference Finals at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston on Tuesday, November 21, 2017. The Sounders jumped out to their early lead when defender Gustav Svensson connected off a corner kick in the 11th minute.

In the 29nd minute, Sounder defender Joevin Jones was brought down in the box, by Houston defender Jalil Anibaba. The official, deemed Jones was denied a scoring opportunity and a penalty kick was awarded. Midfielder  Nicolas Lodeiro took the kick, which was blocked by Houston goalkeeper Joe Willis. Anibaba was issued a red card; forcing the Dynamo to continue play a man down. After the red card, Houston defender Alberth Elis was issued a yellow card for arguing (dissent) about the red card.

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2017, All Rights Reserved

The Sounders added an additional goal 13 minutes later when former Dynamo forward Will Bruin headed the ball pass Willis for Seattle's second goal of the game. The Dynamo's woes continued in the first half when midfielder Toma Martinez was issued a yellow card , in the 44th minute, after he clipped a Seattle player, and ran over another. The first half ended with the Sounders up 2-0, and that is where the game ended. Houston now travels to Seattle for the second leg of conference final. They will need to best the Sounders by three goals in order to advance to the MLS final. Dynamo head coach Wilmer Cabrera (shown above left) stated after the game.

“We started off well, we created quick options right away, set pieces with Alberth, but then we conceded the first goal on a set piece, to go behind 1-0. We spoke about if something goes wrong, we just need to keep playing, trying to do our job, and do not make silly mistakes where we have to play with 10 men. But it happened. And that's difficult. When you're losing 1-0 against a team like the Seattle Sounders and even though Joe did very well on the PK, then we conceded the second goal too soon and we went to halftime. I told the guys that we needed to do a different type of job. We needed to defend a little bit better, and we have to take the risk to leave two forwards up front. So Alberth and Mauro went up front just to take a risk and to try to see if we could have got the ball right there and tried to counter attack and try to go at them. I think we have a few options, but we have to put that in. And we didn't punish them and…the game is over and now we have to think that we need; we have to prepare ourselves for Seattle. In Seattle, can we win? Yes. We're going to go with the mentality that we can win that game. Because we have a good team and we can be dangerous. We can defend better; we have to defend better. It's going to be a tough game, but we have to have a good mentality, and we're going to take risks over there. We're going to take risks, because that's the one option. So it's another 90 minutes at their home and we need to prepare ourselves for those 90 minutes. It's going to be the last 90 minutes for us or it's going to be some kind of miracle, and I believe in that.”

Elis discussed the outcome after the game with the press.

“We never expected this would happen. But this is football and there’s 90 minutes left. We are going to try our best and leave everything on the field in Seattle. This is football. We have to recover from this game, give our all and fight for our ticket to the final. They scored a goal from a defensive error during a set piece. I don’t think we have conceded from a corner kick this whole season. Then we get a player sent off and it became difficult for us to get back into the game. For a comeback, we have to play a perfect game if we want to win. We know it will be difficult like the game in Portland. But this is football and we know that anything can happen.”

Houston Dynamo, Seattle Sounders Western Conference Game Sold Out

Photo by Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2017 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly

Copyright 2017 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (November 10, 2017) A limited number of Standing Room Only tickets are all that remain for the Houston Dynamo's Western Conference Championships match against the Seattle Sounders scheduled for  Tuesday, November 21, 2017 at BBVA Compass Stadium. All reserved seats for the match have been sold out.

The match will be the second meeting in posts season for the two teams.  The two sides met in the 2009 Western Conference Semifinals, with the Dynamo advancing 1-0 on aggregate in the two-leg series thanks to a goal from Brian Ching, in the 96th minute of the second leg.

The Dynamo and the Sounders have met 16 times in regular-season action, with Houston trailing the all-time series 4-6-6. The teams met twice this season, with Houston capturing a 2-1 victory on Opening Day at BBVA Compass Stadium and Seattle garnering a 1-0 victory at Century Link Field on June 4.

The Dynamo closed the regular season with a record of 13-10-11 and 50 points, good for fourth in the Western Conference table. Seattle finished tied atop the West with a 14-9-11 mark and 53 points.

The Dynamo won the MLS Cup in 2006 and 2007, becoming the second team in league history to repeat as champions. Their 31 games played in the postseason are the most by any club since 2006 and their four MLS Cup Final appearances are tied for the most in the league over that time span. This is Houston’s seventh trip to the Conference Championship in its 12-year existence and first since 2013.

Torres first Dynamo goal leads Houston to a 2-1 win in 2017 season opener

Erick Torres (9)
Photo by Darla Tamulitis
La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2017 All Rights Reserved

By Lou Roesch

Special Correspondent 

Copyright 2017 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (March 5, 2017) What a difference a year makes.The Houston Dynamo could not have started the 2017 season any better on Saturday night at BBVA Compass Stadium. Erick Torres scored, newcomer Romell Quito scored in his first MLS start and appearance the reworked Houston Dynamo defense stood strong all night. Just four days earlier head coach Wilmer Cabrera told the assembled media that it would be one step at a time and that Seattle was that first step. The 2-1 win over the defending MLS Cup champion sent a crowd of 20,000 plus home and enthusiastic about the season to come.

Torres’ first goal as a Houston Dynamo in the 20^th minute was just the beginning of the fireworks at BBVA Compass Stadium. Signed two seasons ago, Torres had never really lived up to the expectations heaped upon him. Now under the tutelage of a head coach who believes in him and coached him to a 15 goal season with Chivas USA in 2014, “Cubo” was as fresh at the end of his more than 90 minutes on the pitch as he was in the beginning of the match. The 24 year old earlier in the week predicted a 20 goal season smiled and terrorized the Sounders defense. The most fit and happiest since he joined the Dynamo, Torres not only scored the opening goal but tied for the team lead in shots with four.

“Happy, happy for these three points, for the team and that I was able to score my first goal. I really wanted to celebrate; I really wanted to score my first goal. Thank God it was possible and we got the three points,” said Torres following the match. “It was very important for me to be able to score. To be honest, I released a lot of the pressure I had for scoring, but those are soccer things. I always take that pressure as a professional. I knew that the fans are expecting things from me; that’s just a reality. The front office and the owners of this club are expecting many things from me as well. I take everything as it comes, I trust my qualities. I know what I am capable of doing. Now that I was able to score, I feel much better, I feel much more confident to keep working during the week and go for all other ones that will come this season.”

Romell Quioto (12)
Photo by Darla Tamulitis
La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2017 All Rights Reserved

The goal came on a free kick giving Torres his 23 career MLS goal, the most by a Mexican born player. As the kick from 20 yards out rippled the nets, the Dynamo forward flashed a smile fans may become very used to this season as he raced towards the crowd in celebration of a great weight that had been removed. As any great scorer will tell you, a goal of that magnitude is about vision and execution.

“That’s something that people haven’t seen me do a lot, continued Torres, but I try to practice them as well. I try to analyze what my teammates do on free kicks. I saw it was an area where I have seen my ex-teammates in Mexico, (defender) Raul Lopez, who usually goes to that area and seeks the goalies post. I remembered that it always works for him. I decided to take the ball. I talked with (FW Romell) Quioto and (FW) Alberth Elis about blocking the keeper’s vision. That’s how it went.”

Torres playing in his 52^nd MLS game was one of Dynamo vice-president Matt Jordan’s first signings. At that time, Jordan remarked that the Mexican international was one of the most intelligent and dynamic young attackers in MLS and COCNCACAF. After the first 20 minutes, he had to be smiling on the inside after watching number 9 bend a low arcing shot past Sounders keeper Stefan Frei as he nervously paced the president’s club concourse. 

Houston and Torres faced the Columbus Crew next Saturday in the second step of a 34 step season. Kick-off is set for 7:30p.m. CDT.

Houston Dynamo take down defending MLS Cup Champion Seattle Sounders

Photo by Darla Tamulitis
La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2017, All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2017 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (March 4, 2017) The Houston Dynamo scored two goals in the first half and went on to down the 2016 MLS Cup champion Seattle Sounders in the season debut for both teams on Saturday, March 4, 2017. The 20,748 fans in attendance at Houston’s BBVA Compass Stadium saw forwards EricTorres and Romell Quioto score the goals in the 20^th and 42^nd minute, respectively. The Houston win was the first over Sounders since August 17, 2013.

Torres’ goal was the result of a free kick, which he got by Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei at the far post. Quioto’s goal was a 20-yard kick that went just inside the upper post of the net. The Sounders’ goal can in the 58^th minute when forward Clint Dempsey received a rebound after Houston goalkeeper Tyler Deric deflected a shot from defender Jowvin Jones. Both Torres’ and Dempsey’s goals were unassisted. Quioto’s score was from an assist from Torres.

Houston and Seattle battle to draw in MLS action at BBVA Compass Stadium

Alex Monteiro De Lima (14) goes up for a header versus Seattle.
Photo by Darla Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2016 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2016 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (April 10, 2016) The Houston Dynamo scored with 10 minutes remaining in the first half and held on until added time in the second half when the Seattle Sounders scored the equalizer to tie the score a 1-1 at BBVA Compass Stadium on Sunday, April 10, 2016. With the draw, the Dynamo moved to 1-2-2 for the season, while Seattle posts a 1-3-1 record. The draw was the second of the season at home for Houston and raised their season point to four.

The Dynamo goal, which came in the 35th minute, was scored by forward Giles Barnes and was the second of the season for the Houston captain. The assist was credited to defender Jaili Anibaba, his first for 2016. The draw was the fourth all-time for the Dynamo against the Sounders, with Houston remaining unbeaten against Seattle in Houston. They have three home wins against Seattle in six meetings, with three games ending in a draw. In their last matchup, they battled to a 1-1 draw on October 18, 2015 at BBVA Compass Stadium. The draw was also the second for Houston head coach Owen Coyle against Seattle, who now posts a 0-1-2 record against the Sounders.

In the final seconds of the four-minute added time, Seattle forward Oalex Anderson sent a pass from the far post to defender Chad Marshall, who tapped it past Houston goalkeeper Joe Willis for the draw. The goal was Marshall’s first of the season and Anderson’s assist was his first of 2016.

Next up for the Houston Dynamo will be a rare Friday evening game, on April 15 against the Los Angeles Galaxy. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CDT in Houston, The Sounders will host Philadelphia in their next match, on Saturday, April 16, 2016.