For the first time in MLS history, a team has started the season with 13 unbeaten games. The Seattle Sounders set that new mark of excellence on Wednesday, dispatching the Houston Dynamo 2-0 behind goals from Kelyn Rowe and Raúl Ruidíaz.
This result, like so many of the others, was achieved despite missing a virtual starting lineup worth of players due to either injury or international callups.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 2 – Houston Dynamo FC 0
Wednesday, July 7, 2021
Venue: Lumen Field
Referee: Robert Sibiga
Assistants: Chris Elliott, Diego Blas
Fourth Official: Lukasz Szpala
VAR: Sorin Stoica
Attendance: 27,421
Weather: 72 and clear
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA – Kelyn Rowe (Alex Roldan) 63’
SEA – Raúl Ruidíaz (Brad Smith, Fredy Montero) 90’+4’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
SEA – Yeimar Gómez Andrade (caution) 33’
SEA – Danny Leyva (caution) 51’
HOU – Fafa Picault (caution) 80’
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Cleveland; Alex Roldan, Yeimar Gómez Andrade, Xavier Arreaga, Abdoulaye Cissoko, Jimmy Medranda (Brad Smith 84’); Danny Leyva (Josh Atencio 83’), João Paulo, Kelyn Rowe; Fredy Montero, Raúl Ruidíaz
Substitutes not used: Spencer Richey, Ethan Dobbelaere, Reed Baker-Whiting, Juan Alvarez, Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez
Total shots: 19
Shots on goal: 6
Fouls: 8
Offside: 0
Corner-kicks: 5
Saves: 3
Houston Dynamo FC – Marco Maric; Adam Lundkvist, Zarek Valentin, Tim Parker, Sam Junqua; Memo Rodriguez (Darwin Quintero 59’), Joe Corona, Derrick Jones (Darwin Ceren 60’), Matias Vera; Fafa Picault (Mateo Bajamich 84’), Maxi Urruti
Substitutes not used: Alejandro Fuenmayor, Ethan Bartlow, Jose Bizama, Michael Nelson, Ian Hoffmann
Total shots: 11
Shots on goal: 4
Fouls: 19
Offside: 1
Corner-kicks: 7
Saves: 4
POSTGAME QUOTES
SOUNDERS FC HEAD COACH BRIAN SCHMETZER
On going into the international break with a win at home:
“It was very important for the team to play well, that’s probably what I would say. The results are certainly, it’s an impressive, you know mini-record, record, I am proud of that fact, that we accomplished that. But tonight, I just wanted the team to perform well, because if this team plays up to its potential, I think we can win more games than we lose. We all know that at some point the streak is going to end, I am just happy it didn’t end tonight in front of a loud crowd. I thought it was great, I loved it. I thought it was a great evening.”
On the team’s overall performance today:
“Well it was very good. I told you guys at the scrum the other day that we were going to go back to being aggressive in our defensive posture. Playing five at the back, the outside backs, I knew Alex [Roldan] had had a lot of minutes, I have been trying to manage minutes with [Jimmy] Medranda and Brad [Smith] but I want our outside backs to engage higher up the field at the right times and then the other four players shift over to form a back four. And what that does is it allows us to retain the midfield numbers, because we are playing against a 4-3-3 and we are playing four players in there, we had Kelyn [Rowe], [João Paulo], Danny [Leyva], and Fredy Montero. So we outnumber them in midfield and the onus is on whoever plays right wingback and left wingback, they must be aggressive at the right moments and I think today Alex did a tremendous job of knowing when to press and you guys have seen Jimmy Medranda kind of explode here a little bit, I thought his defending from that position, his understanding of that defending, what we wanted out of that position was great tonight. So credit to the two wide guys and credit to the whole back line for coming over and shifting over when they needed to get a shutout for the team.”
SOUNDERS FC MIDFIELDER KELYN ROWE
On setting the record for most consecutive games unbeaten:
“It’s obviously a great accomplishment. We are very excited about it. It wasn’t the first thing on our mind but the fact that it happened is great to happen. But we want to make sure that this form continues but not only through the next five, 10 games but when it’s really important when it comes to the last few games of the season, getting on a run into the playoffs in full force. So, this is an amazing run but we still have a lot to learn, we still have a lot of things to tighten up and hopefully we can continue this run as long as we can and hopefully it’s towards the end of year.”
SOUNDERS FC WINGBACK ALEX ROLDAN
On winning with so many key players injured:
“It is always important when you have a win when many players are not available, for example my brother was not available and many other players are not available as well, but we have this mentality with many of our players coming in, even though they [haven’t spent a lot of time] with the rest of the team, playing on the first team, they will still be able to respond and give their best when they are playing during the game. So it was important for us to get that result even though we didn’t have a full team available to us.”
On being able to leave for international duty after a win:
“It’s important and I think it just puts, it just shows how the club has trust in me. Obviously, I would have liked more training sessions with the El Salvador team when I got there but I also think that my club is important and working for them is working towards points and wins is important, I think contributing to today’s win is something that I’ll be glad that I stayed and helped and contributed. You know, it’s always difficult too when there’s less players and you’re shorthanded and so I think staying back and helping the team and contributing to this win obviously for a small piece of history is important as well.”