Tuesday’s opening leg of the Seattle Sounders vs. Houston Dynamo MLS playoff round-of-16 matchup occurs at Lumen Field. With five victories and two draws in their past seven games, Seattle is now ranked fourth in the Western Conference and is full of confidence going into the matchup. They have given up the fewest goals in the division, so their defensive sturdiness will be vital. Seattle has won five of their previous six encounters with Houston, giving them a recent winning record that could prove advantageous in the upcoming match.
The Houston Dynamo’s tight defense, which allowed them to qualify for the playoffs by giving up the second-fewest goals, allowed them to finish fifth in the Western Conference. They hope to snap their 17-year championship drought as they return to the playoffs for the second year. However, they play a Seattle team that is difficult to defeat at home and have lost their previous two away games.
Joshua Atencio, Joao Paulo, and Leo Chu are injured, while Obed Vargas and Nouhou Tolo are suspended. Therefore, Seattle will be without them. Following his recovery from a knee injury, Raul Ruidiaz is anticipated to start from the bench. Bradley Smith, Amine Bassi, and Nelson Quinones are all out for Houston because of knee problems, as is Lawrence Ennali. These key player absences will certainly add an element of unpredictability to the match.
Seattle Sounders to win is the wager, and the prediction is strong. With their recent form, defensive sturdiness, and a strong winning record against Houston, the confidence in Seattle’s potential victory is high.