SEATTLE, WASH. - Seattle Sounders FC (6-1-4, 22 points) maintained its hot start to the 2019 MLS season on Saturday evening, as the Rave Green defeated the Houston Dynamo (6-2-1, 19 points) by a final score of 1-0. With tonight's result, Seattle vaults over the Dynamo in the Western Conference table by three points, with the club level with the second-place LA Galaxy on 22 points (LA holds the total wins tiebreaker over Seattle by one league victory). Cristian Roldan's fifth-minute stunner was enough for the home side, as the sellout crowd of 39,232 at CenturyLink Field watched Sounders FC's home unbeaten run move to 5-0-2 in 2019. Since September of 2018, Seattle has an unbeaten run of 10 consecutive regular season matches in front of the home side, four games shy of the franchise record.
Seattle wasted little time in establishing an early lead, as Roldan scored for the second time in as many weeks in the fifth minute of play, topping his effort from last Saturday in Minnesota. This time, the University of Washington product lofted a placed and powerful shot off the volley, beating Dynamo goalkeeper Joe Willis at his near post. The strike was Roldan's third of 2019, and his 17th tally since joining the Rave Green in 2015.
Defensively, Sounders FC kept a clean sheet, as goalkeeper Stefan Frei recorded one save in his fourth shutout of the season, giving him 70 in his MLS career, good for seventh all-time in league history.
Brian Schmetzer's side faces a quick turnaround following tonight's contest, with his team back under the lights of CenturyLink Field in three days' time. Seattle is set to face Orlando City SC in midweek action, as the Rave Green host the Lions on Wednesday, May 15 at 7:30 p.m. PT. Broadcast coverage is being provided by JOEtv, YouTube TV, Sports Radio 950 KJR AM and El Rey 1360 AM.
MATCH NOTES
- With tonight's result, Sounders FC is now third in the Western Conference with 22 points (6-1-4), level with second-place LA Galaxy but behind on the total-wins tiebreaker (Seattle has six victories to LA's seven, but the Rave Green have a game in-hand).
- Sounders FC is 9-4-6 all-time against Houston in MLS regular season action, including an unbeaten 8-0-2 record at home. In all, road teams have won just once in 19 meetings in the regular season between the two sides.
- Sounders FC currently has a 10-match (8-0-2) home unbeaten streak dating back to September 29 of last season. The club record for consecutive games unbeaten at CenturyLink Field is 14 (10-0-4) from March 16-September 29, 2013. Sounders FC can match the third-highest home unbeaten streak on Wednesday against Orlando City.
- With 22 points this season, this year's Sounders FC squad is tied for the third-best start through 11 games in club history. The Rave Green earned 23 points (7-2-2) through their first 11 games in 2012, and 22 points in 2014 (7-3-1). With a record of 6-1-4, this year marks the first time Sounders FC has only lost once in its first 11 contests.
- Cristian Roldan scored for the second consecutive match after converting the lone strike in last weekend's 1-1 draw at Minnesota. Roldan previously scored in back-to-back fixtures on July 19 and July 23, 2017 against D.C. United and San Jose, respectively, the latter of which was a brace. Roldan is now tied with Raúl RuidÃaz and Kelvin Leerdam for second on the team with three goals this season, giving him 17 in his MLS career.
- Stefan Frei recorded one save in his fourth shutout of the season, giving him 70 in his MLS career, good for seventh all-time in league history.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 1 - Houston Dynamo 0
Saturday, May 11, 2019
Venue: CenturyLink Field
Referee: Alex Chilowicz
Assistants: Eduardo Mariscal, Chris Elliott
Fourth Official: Elvis Osmanovic
VAR: Alejandro Mariscal
Attendance: 39,232
Weather: 76 degrees and mostly sunny
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA - Cristian Roldan 5'
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
HOU- Darwin Ceren (caution) 28'
HOU - A.J. DeLaGarza (caution) 59'
SEA - Will Bruin (caution) 78'
HOU - Alejandro Fuenmayor (caution) 90'+2'
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC - Stefan Frei; Kelvin Leerdam, Román Torres, Kim Kee-hee, Brad Smith; Jordy Delem, Cristian Roldan, Jordan Morris (Nouhou 85'), Nicolás Lodeiro - captain, VÃctor RodrÃguez (Harry Shipp 15'); Raúl RuidÃaz (Will Bruin 73')
Substitutes not used: Bryan Meredith, Jonathan Campbell, Saad Abdul-Salaam, Handwalla Bwana
Total shots: 16 (Morris/RuidÃaz, 4)
Shots on goal: 4 (Four players, 1)
Fouls: 14 (Bruin/Leerdam, 3)
Offside: 0
Corner-kicks: 8 (Lodeiro, 8)
Saves: 1 (Frei, 1)
Houston Dynamo - Joe Willis; A.J. DeLaGarza, Alejandro Fuenmayor, Maynor Figueroa, Adam Lundkvist; Matias Vera, Darwin Ceren (Boniek Garcia 86'), Tomas Martinez (Tommy McNamara 72'); Alberth Elis, Mauro Manotas, Memo Rodriguez (Romell Quioto 80')
Substitutes not used: Tyler Deric, Juan David Cabezas, Chris Duvall, Kevin Garcia
Total shots: 11 (Elis/Manotas, 3)
Shots on goal: 1 (Elis, 1)
Fouls: 14 (Ceren, 3)
Offside: 3 (Three players, 1)
Corner-kicks: 4 (Rodriguez, 2)
Saves: 3 (Willis, 3)
