Sounders secure first victory since late May, Rusnak late winner the difference against Dynamo
By Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA – After failing to find the back of the net in four of their past five outing, the Seattle Sounders bust through with an Albert Rusnak strike in the 67th minute against a ten-man Houston Dynamo. A physical battle that saw six cards in total, the Sounders were able to generate some quality and be the better attacking team, and they’ll surely take these three points given the sort of run that they’ve had that somehow keeps them at third in the Western Conference. The Sounders saw their dominance against the Dynamo at Lumen continue, and this sort of result might help the club get their attack rolling.
In warmups, the Sounders wore their MLS x Marvel collaboration tops, themed around superhero Captain America (Photo by Liv Lyons)
Leo leads the offensive attack
Sounders left winger Leo Chu has been a key factor for Seattle’s offensive over the entire course of the season, and that has remained true even through the clubs scoring drought and minimal output on the scoreboard through May and June. Chu, now in his third year with the club, has taken a major leap in his progression. The sort of presence that he provides while on the ball has resulted in many a dangerous possession for the Sounders, he has just struggled with getting a final ball on target towards his teammates in the Seattle box. While that has been a primary difference for the Sounders between goals and missed opportunities, Chu was able to help make it count today with his assist on Albert Rusnak’s game winner. Seeing the young Brazilian forward put the pieces of the puzzle together has been fun this season, and the growth displayed presents excitement for what he’ll be able to do in the coming years.
Head referee Rosendo Mendoza sends off Houston Dynamo’s Micael with his second yellow card of the night, resulting in a red card (Photo by Liv Lyons)
Card chaos
Although there was nothing to show for it once the Dynamo and Sounders headed to their locker rooms, Seattle was the better club on the stat sheet. It wasn’t much, as the club’s four registered opportunities on net all had an expected goal percentage of less than a tenth of a percent expect for a Raul Ruidiaz shot off a throw in that was blocked. Given their recent run of play, having only allowed more than one goal once over their past five matches, it made sense that the Dynamo’s defensive unit was holding up as Seattle searched for the right pocket to strike within. It was more of a feeling out half for the Sounders, as the real fireworks (in multiple ways) came in the second half of play.
The next 45 minutes after the break unleashed physical play and multiple chances for both sides in this contest. Houston wasn’t going to be pushed around by Seattle, and the Sounders weren’t going to put up with any of the Dynamo’s sly tricks here and there. Young fullback Cody Baker provided some of that brash behavior for Seattle as he tried to bring the ball up for his club on the right side of the pitch, but ended up in some trouble to warrant a card in the 54th. The physicality continued as the match went on, and Houston’s Micael managed to get himself two cards in a span of a minute to take the Dynamo down to ten men. The Sounders were given a golden opportunity with 28 minutes left to play. It was just up to Seattle, who had failed to score at home in 405 minutes before their winner, to find the back of the net.
Seattle Sounders FC midfielder Joao Paulo earned an 8.0 match rating in the win (Photos by Liv Lyons)
Rusnak’s strike the savior
With the Dynamo down a man, the Sounders desperately needed to take advantage to find the back of the net and secure a victory, considering their recent form and their struggles to extend their lead atop the Western Conference. Left winger Leo Chu continued his strong play up the solid of the field, bringing the ball up once again to attack Houston. From young Obed Vargas in the middle of the field, Chu took the ball up the side ahead of the box, finding Nico Lodeiro inside for a give and go. Near the end line, Chu sent the ball on the ground into the middle of the box where Raul Ruidiaz left it for Albert Rusnak, who fired away with his left foot with a shot that Dynamo keeper Steve Clark could hardly react to. With some beautiful passing and a strong strike, the Sounders had snapped their goal drought at home and taken advantage of Houston being down a man.
The Seattle Sounders FC defensive unit helped the club record an 11th clean sheet through 21 matches (Photos by Liv Lyons)
Defensive demonstration at fortress Lumen continues
A mainstay for the Sounders throughout their 2023 season has been their strong defensive play, resulting in their now eleventh clean sheet over the course of 21 matches played. That’s a testament to the play of the defensive backline, goalkeeper Stefan Frei, and the team as a whole ensuring that they participate in getting back to stop their opponent. While there were a few doubters when it came to Frei continuing his level of play as he continues to climb in age, he’s looked strong in his tenth year as a Seattle Sounders. A few years removed from being arguably the best defensive club in MLS, Seattle has been able to rise back up to the occasion with the likes of Nouhou and Yeimar in their regular starting roles, normally being joined by Alex Roldan (International duty) and Jackson Ragen (Yellow card accumulation), but those latter two were out of this match. Cody Baker and AB Cissoko have slid in well, with Baker specifically battling his way onto a first team contract.
Getting the continued brick wall play from Frei and this backline is critical if the Sounders are going to continue to stay around the top of the Western Conference and eventually make a deep run in the MLS playoffs, but they aren’t the aspect of this club that’s been of worry. If the Seattle attack can use this win as a launch point throughout the rest of their season to get the juices of the offense going, it’ll take a ton of pressure of the defensive unit to play so well and earn so many of these clean sheets. While they’ve been more than up to the task so far, outside of a few exceptions (Charlotte), the Sounders can’t afford to keep putting so much responsibility on their defense to keep them in these games.
Seattle Sounders FC goalkeeper Stefan Frei jumps for a save (Photo by Liv Lyons)
Quick notes
Following tonight’s win, Sounders FC moves to 32 points on the season through 21 matches played (9-7-5), with the Rave Green currently occupying third place in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference, level on points with LAFC but down a spot based on tiebreakers. St. Louis currently leads the West with 35 points.
Seattle remains unbeaten against Houston all-time at Lumen Field. Including postseason play, the Rave Green are now 12-0-3 dating back to 2009 on home turf against the Dynamo.
In the all-time series against Houston, Seattle moves to 15-5-6 in regular-season play.
On home turf at Lumen Field in 2023, Seattle now has six wins, three losses and three draws through 12 MLS contests on the EQC Pitch.
Of the Rave Green’s league-leading 11 shutouts, nine have come at Lumen Field.
Netting the go-ahead goal in the 67th minute of play, Albert Rusnák recorded his second goal of the season, his fourth in Rave Green overall. The strike was also his 46th career regular-season tally in MLS.
Léo Chú had the primary assist on Rusnák’s goal, his team-leading eighth assist of 2023, tying him for second in MLS with Nashville’s Hany Mukhtar and Columbus’ Alexandru Matan.
Club captain Nico Lodeiro earned the secondary assist on Seattle’s goal, marking his sixth assist of the season and building upon his all-time club record. The Uruguayan now has 90 career assists across all competitions for Sounders FC dating back to mid-2016, 38 more than the next closest player (Fredy Montero).
Lodeiro’s 76 regular-season assists lead MLS among active players.
With the start tonight, centerback Yeimar earned his 100th career MLS regular-season start in Rave Green. The Colombian has been a mainstay in central defense since arriving in Seattle prior to the 2020 season, helping the club to a continental title in 2022, while earning MLS All-Star and Best XI honors in 2021.
Yeimar becomes just the 18th player in Seattle’s MLS history to reach the century mark in regular-season starts (since 2009).
Keeping the clean sheet tonight, Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei recorded his 11th shutout of the season, keeping him in sole possession of first place in Major League Soccer in this category.
Earlier this season against Portland on June 3, Frei recorded his 100th shutout in the MLS regular season. By hitting the century mark, Frei became just the third player in MLS history to accomplish the feat (Nick Rimando, Kevin Hartman). Tonight was his 102nd career clean sheet.
There were two changes to Seattle’s starting lineup from its last match on June 24 against Orlando City SC, with Raúl Ruidíaz replacing Héber at forward and Abdoulaye Cissoko replacing Jackson Ragen at centerback. Ragen was suspended for tonight’s match due to Yellow Card Accumulation.
What’s next?
Following tonight’s home victory, the Sounders continue a six-match month that sees them listed as a visiting squad for four of those contests while three of them are at Lumen. The next match that the club plays is on July 8th, as Seattle will search for their first Cascadia victory of the season when the club returns to BC Place in Vancouver for a battle with the Whitecaps. The Sounders must use this victory as a launch point to furthered success and increased offensive production, considering their place in the Western Conference with Real Salt Lake just two points behind them in fourth. Seattle looks to maintain that third-place spot and hopefully even jump up a few pegs, when they battle Vancouver on Saturday the eighth with a kickoff time of 7:30PM PST.