Kelyn Rowe scored his first goal of the season to break a scoreless tie and the streaking Seattle Sounders made history with a 2-0 victory over the visiting Houston Dynamo on Wednesday night.
The Sounders (8-0-5, 29 points) established a new MLS record of 13 straight unbeaten results to begin a season. The Los Angeles Galaxy (1996, 2010), Kansas City Wizards (2000) and Real Salt Lake (2014) all opened with streaks of 12 undefeated matches.
First goal as a Sounder ✅@Krowe210 gives us the 1-0 lead!#SoundersMatchday | #SEAvHOU pic.twitter.com/VJsGPtc04h
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) July 8, 2021
Raúl Ruidíaz added his 10th goal of the season in second-half stoppage time to tie for the league lead, and Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Cleveland made three saves to record his third shutout of the year.
The Dynamo (3-4-6, 15 points) dropped to 0-2-4 over their past six matches. Houston goalkeeper Marko Marić made four saves.
The Dynamo had a chance to tie in the 89th minute, but Maximiliano Urruti's right-footed blast went right into the midsection of Cleveland in the center of the net. Houston had a corner kick in the second minute of second-half stoppage time, but Seattle's Fredy Montero cleared the ball away from the net.
Ruidíaz then put the game away in the fourth added minute when he broke in on goal. He received the pass from Brad Smith and tapped a right-footer past Marić for the clinching tally.
WHO ELSE BUT RAÙL!?!?!@RaulRuidiazM with the stoppage-time dagger!!! #SEAvHOU | #SoundersMatchday pic.twitter.com/0oQWfTjHAd
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) July 8, 2021
Seattle held a 19-11 edge in shots. The Sounders put six on target while Houston had four. Seattle outshot Houston 10-6 in the first half and had three prime opportunities.
Ruidíaz sent a left-footer off the right goalpost in the seventh minute and also had a close-range right-footer go just wide to the left in the 24th minute. Montero was set up for a header in the 21st minute, but Marić made the save. Houston's Memo Rodríguez had two good opportunities, but his right-footed attempt in the 17th minute and left-footer in the 29th were both saved by Cleveland.
