Houston Dynamo FC Season Ends with Penalty Shootout Loss to Seattle in Game 2 of the Round One Best-Of-3 Series
November 4, 2024 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Houston Dynamo FC News Release
HOUSTON - Houston Dynamo FC fell 7-6 in a penalty shootout versus Seattle Sounders FC at Shell Energy Stadium tonight to bring their 2024 season to an end in Game 2 of the Round One Best-of-3 Series in the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs.
The two sides played to a 1-1 draw in regulation after Cristian Roldan opened scoring for Seattle in the 87th minute, before Houston forced the Sounders into an own goal in the 93rd minute.
In the penalty shootout, every player converted their attempt until Houston's seventh kick, when goalkeeper Stefan Frei dove to the right and blocked defender Tate Schmitt's attempt with his legs.
Similar to Game 1 in Seattle, Houston played the final 25 minutes of the match with 10 men after VAR determined captain Héctor Herrera showed unsporting behavior.
In Game 1 on Monday, the Dynamo and Sounders played to a scoreless draw in regulation, with the Sounders winning the ensuing penalty shootout 5-4. Despite playing a majority of the second half with 10 men after midfielder Adalberto Coco Carrasquilla was shown a red card, Houston still managed to secure their 10th clean sheet of the year. Carrasquilla was suspended for tonight's match.
Altogether, Houston followed up last season's run to the Western Conference Final with another playoff appearance, marking the first time with consecutive postseason appearances since 2013 and the 10th time overall. The Dynamo also set a single-season record for road wins (8) and points (54), earning the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference with a 15-10-9 (WLD) record.
Seattle took the lead in the 87th minute when Roldan found the bottom right corner of the net following a pass from Nouhou Tolo.
Houston's goal in the third minute of stoppage time came after defender Griffin Dorsey played a ball to the middle of the box that found the back of the net off the foot of a Sounder.
Notably, goalkeeper Steve Clark made his 20th postseason appearance tonight.
Houston's first opportunity came in the 16th minute when Herrera whipped a corner towards the top of the box, finding the head of defender Erik Sviatchenko for an on target shot.
Forward Ezequiel Ponce almost found the back of the net minutes later after a ball from Dorsey found the Argentine striker for a right-footed shot that was cleared off the goal line by Seattle's backline.
Ponce had another dangerous chance in the 40th minute when forward Aliyu Ibrahim played a ball to Ponce near the six-yard box for a strike that found the legs of Frei.
The Dynamo generated another scoring opportunity in the 53rd minute with Herrera found Ponce on a run towards the box, but his shot found the feet of the Sounders goalkeeper again.
Herrera forced a save in the 58th minute following a left-footed shot from the top of the box.
Ibrahim forced another Seattle save minutes later with a strike that towards the inside of the far post.
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Houston Dynamo FC 1-1 (6-7 pen.) Seattle Sounders FC
Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs Round One Best-of-3 Series - Game 2
Shell Energy Stadium - Houston, Texas
Attendance: 18,859
SCORING SUMMARY
TEAM 1H 2H FT
Houston Dynamo FC 0 1 1
Seattle Sounders FC 0 1 1
SEA: Cristian Roldan 1 (Nouhou Tolo 1) 87'
HOU: Cristian Roldan (own goal) 90'+3'
SHOOTOUT:
SEA: Cristian Roldan - MAKE
HOU: Ezequiel Ponce - MAKE
SEA: Jackson Ragen - MAKE
HOU: Griffin Dorsey - MAKE
SEA: Alex Roldan - MAKE
HOU: Sebastian Kowalczyk - MAKE
SEA: Danny Leyva - MAKE
HOU: Sebastian Ferriera - MAKE
SEA: Raul Ruidiaz - MAKE
HOU: Daniel Steres - MAKE
SEA: Georgi Minoungou - MAKE
HOU: Brooklyn Raines - MAKE
SEA: Obed Vargas - MAKE
HOU: Tate Schmitt - MISS
Houston Dynamo FC: Steve Clark; Franco Escobar (Sebastian Ferreira 89'), Griffin Dorsey, Erik Sviatchenko, Micael, Artur (Tate Schmitt 89'); Amine Bassi (Daniel Steres 83'), Hector Herrera (C), Ibrahim Aliyu (Brooklyn Raines 76'); Sebastian Kowalczyk, Ezequiel Ponce
Unused substitutes: Ethan Bartlow, Andrew Tarbell, McKinze Gaines, Latif Blessing, Junior Moreno
Total shots: 18 (Ezequiel Ponce 5); Shots on goal: 7 (Erik Sviatchenko 3); Fouls: 12 (Hector Herrera 3); Offside: 2 (Erik Sviatchenko and Amine Bassi tied with 1); Corner kicks: 7; Saves: 0
Seattle Sounders FC: Stefan Frei (C); Nouhou, Jackson Ragen, Yeimar Gomez Andrade, Joao Paulo (Danny Leyva 63'); Cristian Roldan, Pedro de la Vega (Reed Baker-Whiting 90'+1'), Paul Rothrock (Georgi Minoungou 72'), Alex Roldan; Obed Vargas, Raul Ruidiaz
Unused substitutes: Nathan, Josh Atencio, Jonathan Bell, Leo Chu, Andrew Thomas, Dylan Teves
Total shots: 14 (Pedro de la Vega 3); Shots on goal: 1 (Cristian Roldan 1); Fouls: 11 (Raul Ruidiaz 3); Offside: 0; Corner kicks: 8; Saves: 7 (Stefan Frei 7)
DISCIPLINE:
HOU: Franco Escobar (caution; foul) 63'
HOU: Hector Herrera (caution; foul) 65'
HOU: Hector Herrera (ejection; unsporting behavior) 66'
HOU: Ben Olsen (caution; dissent) 67'
HOU: Artur (caution; foul) 79'
SEA: Nouhou Tolo (caution; dissent) 85'
HOU: Griffin Dorsey (caution; dissent) 85'
OFFICIALS:
Referee: Armando Villareal
Assistant: Jeremy Hanson
Assistant: Tyler Wyrostek
Fourth Official: Ramy Touchan
VAR: Daniel Radford
Weather: 82 degrees, cloudy skies
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