Seattle Sounders, Houston Dynamo Close Out MLS Season In Houston

Seattle Sounders FC closes its regular MLS season at the Houston Dynamo in a Saturday match at 1 p.m. PT.  The Sounders’ postseason playoff opponent in a scheduled October 31 home clash has yet to be determined.

Seattle has achieved a 14-9-6 record with 48 points, a club record five game winning streak and six games unbeaten in MLS play.  A win Saturday could move the team over the 50-point threshold to a glossy 51 finish.

For the host Dynamo it has been a tough season.  Houston has an 8-15-6 record and 30 points.  This is Seattle’s first visit to Robertson Stadium since being eliminated from the 2009 playoffs by Houston last November.

Goalkeeper Alex Horwath has been called up by Seattle.  He will replace injured backup Terry Boss.  Horwath played at the University of Wisconsin before signing with Major League Soccer as a pool goalkeeper.

A 1-0 extra time loss in the second leg of the Western Conference semifinals is the only Sounders FC defeat in six meetings with Houston.  Seattle is 2-0-1 in the regular season series.  It ousted the Orange from the semifinals round of the 2009 Open Cup and earned a draw in the first leg of last year's playoff series.

Not that long ago Houston enjoyed grand success.  The Dynamo won the MLS Cup in 2006 and 2007.  The Dynamo has gone 1-4-3 in its last eight home contests.  It has done better in recent road outings.  Houston is 2-1-1 in its last four outings following a 1-0 road win at San Jose this past weekend.

Star striker Fredy Montero, who has a healing quad injury and would most likely be seeing limited action at best Saturday, is officially grounded due to a yellow card he picked up late in the Chivas USA match.

The last three months have been magical for Sounders FC.  After beating Chivas USA 2-1 at home last week, Seattle sports a glossy 10-1-3 mark during the second half of the MLS regular season.

Despite a troubling start to the campaign Seattle has surged, surpassing the win and point totals achieved in its sensational first season. Going into the week, it is tied for the league's fourth best record.

Not only has Seattle become the first team to repeat as Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Champion in 27 years, no other team in the 15 year history of Major League Soccer has lost fewer matches in its first two seasons.