The Seattle Sounders defeated the Houston Dynamo 1-0 at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, Texas, on Saturday night behind an 87th-minute goal from Paul Rothrock.
Dylan Teves, who made his first start of the season, had an early third-minute chance when his header off a Jordan Morris flicked header went over the crossbar.
Play was stopped for about an hour at the nine-minute mark because of lightning in the area.
After play resumed, Houston went down to 10 men in the 21st minute when Amine Bassi was sent off for a challenge on Nicolás Lodeiro. After no initial whistle, referee Rubiel Vazquez went to Video Review and issued a red card for dangerous conduct.
The Sounders got the first shot on goal of the match for either team in the 69th minute when Albert Rusnák’s%20in%20their%20first%20meeting%20of%20the%20season.%20Austin%20enters%20having%20dropped%20a%20Texas%20Derby%20match%20to%20FC%20Dallas%201-0%20on%20Saturday.%20%20THREE%20TAKEAWAYS%20%20Rothrock%20on%20fire%20%20The%20Sounders%20signed%20Tacoma%20Defiance’s%20Rothrock%20to%20a%20short-term%20agreement%20to%20be%20eligible%20for%20selection%20for%20this%20match.%20All%20Rothrock%20did%20was%20score%20in%20his%20third%20consecutive%20First%20Team%20match%20after%20finding%20the%20back%20of%20the%20net%20in%20each%20of%20Seattle’s%20two%20U.S.%20Open%20Cup%20matches.%20%20Road%20clean%20sheet%20%20The%20Sounders%20earned%20their%20league-leading%20seventh%20clean%20sheet%20of%20the%20year%20and%20earned%20back-to-back%20road%20MLS%20clean%20sheets%20for%20the%20first%20time%20since%202017.%20After%20blanking%20Real%20Salt%20Lake%20on%20April%2029,%20Seattle%20kept%20a%20zero%20in%20Houston%20and%20are%20third%20in%20the%20Western%20Conference%20in%20goals%20conceded%20with%20just%20nine%20through%2012%20matches.%20%20Baker%20makes%20full%20MLS%20debut%20%20After%20starting%20two%20U.S.%20Open%20Cup%20matches%20and%20coming%20off%20the%20bench%20for%20his%20MLS%20debut%20last%20weekend,%20Tacoma%20Defiance%20defender%20Cody%20Baker,%20who%20like%20Rothrock%20signed%20a%20short-term%20agreement,%20made%20his%20first%20MLS%20start%20on%20Saturday.%20The%2019-year-old%20Issaquah%20native%20has%20proved%20his%20bona%20fides%20so%20far%20this%20season%20and%20continued%20to%20show%20out%20in%20Houston.) strike from distance forced Steve Clark into a save.
The Dynamo went down to nine men in the 78th minute when Hector Herrera received a second yellow card and was sent off.
Rothrock subbed on for an injured Ethan Dobbelaere in the 83rd minute and scored his first MLS goal in his Sounders First Team MLS debut just four minutes after entering. He got on the end of an Alex Roldan cross and tapped home the match-winner at the back post.
Rothrock’s goal was the first goal that the Dynamo have conceded at home this season. The Dynamo joined the 2023 Sounders as one of only four teams in MLS history to start a season with five straight home shutouts.
The Sounders return to Lumen Field on Wednesday for their fourth match in 11 days when they host Austin FC (7:30 p.m. PT; MLS Season Pass on Apple TV | TICKETS) in their first meeting of the season. Austin enters having dropped a Texas Derby match to FC Dallas 1-0 on Saturday.
THREE TAKEAWAYS
Rothrock on fire
The Sounders signed Tacoma Defiance’s Rothrock to a short-term agreement to be eligible for selection for this match. All Rothrock did was score in his third consecutive First Team match after finding the back of the net in each of Seattle’s two U.S. Open Cup matches.
Road clean sheet
The Sounders earned their league-leading seventh clean sheet of the year and earned back-to-back road MLS clean sheets for the first time since 2017. After blanking Real Salt Lake on April 29, Seattle kept a zero in Houston and are third in the Western Conference in goals conceded with just nine through 12 matches.
Baker makes full MLS debut
After starting two U.S. Open Cup matches and coming off the bench for his MLS debut last weekend, Tacoma Defiance defender Cody Baker, who like Rothrock signed a short-term agreement, made his first MLS start on Saturday. The 19-year-old Issaquah native has proved his bona fides so far this season and continued to show out in Houston.
