Seattle Sounders FC vs. Houston Dynamo | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

Seattle Sounders FC vs. Houston Dynamo
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 32
CenturyLink Field — Seattle
October 8 - 10:30 pm ET
WATCH: ESPN+, MLS LIVE on DAZN (Canada)

The Seattle Sounders are looking to further solidify their playoff hopes, while the Houston Dynamo are trying to keep their razor-thin postseason chances alive when the sides meet in a rare Monday night fútbol showdown at CenturyLink Field.

The fifth-place Sounders are three points above the playoff line in the West following a 4-0 win over the Colorado Rapids, while the Dynamo, 11 points below the playoff line, are undefeated in three straight after beating the San Jose Earthquakes, 3-2.

This is the first meeting this season with the Dynamo hosting the Sounders in the penultimate game of the season on Oct. 21.

Seattle Sounders FC

Seattle (14-11-5) rebounded from back-to-back losses and picked up a massive three points in a 4-0 rout of the Rapids.

Nicolas Lodeiro set up Raul Ruidiaz’s opening strike in the 22nd minute and then made it 2-0 30 minutes later. Ruidiaz struck for his second goal in the 73rd minute before Victor Rodriguez capped the scoring seven minutes later in a comprehensive, and much needed, win.

“This was a game we needed to win,” Brian Schmetzer said. “We messaged them all week about having a comeback performance from the last two games. I give all credit to those guys in the locker room. That’s an experienced group of players. We had a couple of bad results, but those guys know how to win.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: D - Jordy Delem, M - Osvaldo Alonso
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: F - Jordan Morris (torn ACL), F - Felix Chenkam (herniated disc), M - Harry Shipp (right hamstring strain), D - Brad Smith (right hamstring strain)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Stefan Frei — Kelvin Leerdam, Kim Kee-hee, Chad Marshall, Nouhou Tolo — Gustav Svensson, Osvaldo Alonso — Cristian Roldan, Nicolas Lodeiro, Victor Rodriguez — Raul Ruidiaz

Notes: Ruidiaz scored five goals in September, the most of any MLS player. Only two teammates have more than five goals this season. … Since a 3-2 loss to Portland on June 30, Seattle has allowed four goals in seven home matches (6W-1L). They scored multiple goals in all but one of those games.

Houston Dynamo

Houston (9-13-8) rallied from a two-goal halftime deficit to defeat the Quakes, 3-2, at BBVA Compass Stadium last Saturday.

After falling in a two-goal hole on a Chris Wondolowski penalty kick and an Alejandro Fuenmayor own goal, Tomas Martinez set up Mauro Manotas in the 56th minute and then struck for the equalizer 12 minutes later. Romell Quioto netted the winner three minutes from full time for the Dynamo, who have claimed seven points from their last three matches.

“Coming from 2-0 to win the game 3-2, it’s very rewarding for a team that just played three days ago and had to perform well,” Wilmer Cabrera said. “That shows that we have that fire in us.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: M - Boniek Garcia, D - Adam Lundqvist, M - Darwin Ceren
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: D - Philippe Senderos (hamstring injury), M - Eric Alexander (left hamstring injury), D - Jared Watts (right hip injury), F - Mac Steeves (hip surgery); QUESTIONABLE: D - Leonardo (right adductor injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Joe Willis — A.J. DeLaGarza, Kevin Garcia, Adolfo Fuenmayor, DaMarcus Beasley — Juan Cabezas, Darwin Ceren — Alberth Elis, Tomas Martinez, Romell Quioto — Mauro Manotas

Notes: With his goal last week, Manotas has scored 15 times in league play for the Dynamo, the most by any Houston player since 2010. … The Dynamo have won two of their last three MLS matches (1D) after going winless in their previous 10 (7L-3D). However, they have just one road win in league play in their last 20 such matches (10L-9D).

All-Time Series

Overall: Seattle Sounders FC 6 wins, 19 goals … Houston Dynamo 4 wins, 16 goals … 6 draws
At Seattle: Sounders FC 6 wins, 11 goals … Dynamo 0 wins, 2 goals … 2 draws
Last meeting at Seattle: Seattle Sounders FC 1, Houston Dynamo 0 (June 4, 2017)