SEATTLE, WASH. – Playing its first MLS home match in three weeks, Seattle Sounders FC (2-1-1, 7 points) secured a full three points against the Houston Dynamo (1-2-2, 5 points) in front of 39,860 fans on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field. A skillful first-half goal from forward Obafemi Martins established a narrow lead for the Rave Green, while the club’s backline secured the win after Sounders FC went down a man due to a Gonzalo Pineda red card in 56th minute of play. With the victory, Sigi Schmid’s side has earned wins in two of its first three home matches in the young MLS season. Sounders FC now readies itself for back-to-back Western Conference road trips to Los Angeles and Colorado over the next two games.
With the win, Seattle advances to 5-3-2 all-time versus the Dynamo, including a 5-0-1 record at CenturyLink Field. In the 39th minute, Obafemi Martins scored his first-ever goal against Houston, putting the Rave Green into the lead with a spinning strike inside the area. With that game-winning tally, Sounders FC is now 21-1-0 when Martins scores a goal. It marked his first game-winning goal of the season and a ninth match-decider with the club. Martins has scored in each of the three matches he has played in so far this season.
After Pineda was sent off in the 56th minute for a high challenge on Houston’s Ricardo Clark, Seattle’s backline banded together to ensure the victory. For the second time in club history (2009), Sounders FC has posted a cleansheet in three of its first four MLS fixtures. Goalkeeper Stefan Frei is currently tied for the league-high in shutouts (3). Tonight’s shutout effort was also bolstered by the return of midfield stalwart Osvaldo Alonso, who made his first start of the 2015 campaign. The Cuban Designated Player recorded 73 minutes in his opening appearance of the year.
Sounders FC now turns its attention to long-time rival LA Galaxy, with the Raven Green heading to Southern California for a nationally televised clash on FOX Sports 1 on Sunday, April 12. Kickoff at the StubHub Center is slated for 4:00 p.m. PT.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 1 – Houston Dynamo 0
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Venue: CenturyLink Field
Referee: Ted Unkel
Assistants: Corey Rockwell, Paul Scott
Fourth Official: Allen Chapman
Attendance: 39,860
Weather: Partly cloudy and 52 degrees
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA – Obafemi Martins (Clint Dempsey) 39’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
SEA – Andy Rose (caution) 17’
HOU – Luis Garrido (caution) 39’
HOU – Ricardo Clark (caution) 45+3’
HOU – Jermaine Taylor (caution) 52’
SEA – Gonzalo Pineda (ejection) 56’
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Frei; Tyrone Mears, Brad Evans-C, Chad Marshall, Dylan Remick; Andy Rose, Osvaldo Alonso (Zach Scott 73’), Gonzalo Pineda, Lamar Neagle (Micheal Azira 60’); Clint Dempsey (Leo Gonzalez 87’), Obafemi Martins
Substitutes not used: Troy Perkins, Aaron Kovar, Marco Pappa, Chad Barrett
Total shots: 5 (Martins, 2)
Shots on goal: 2 (Alonso/Martins, 1)
Fouls: 11 (Mears, 3)
Offside: 0
Corner-kicks: 3 (Three players, 1)
Saves: 2 (Frei, 2)
Houston Dynamo – Tyler Deric; Kofi Sarkodie, Jermaine Taylor, Raul Rodriguez (David Horst 26’), DaMarcus Beasley; Boniek Garcia (Leonel Miranda 72’), Ricardo Clark, Luis Garrido (Will Bruin 64’), Nathan Sturgis, Brad Davis; Giles Barnes


Substitutes not used: Joe Willis, Rob Lovejoy, Alexander Lopez, Chandler Hoffman
Total shots: 15 (Barnes/Sturgis, 4)
Shots on goal: 2 (Barnes/Clark, 1)
Fouls: 13 (Barnes, 4)
Offside: 1 (Taylor, 1)
Corner-kicks: 7 (Davis, 6)
Saves: 1 (Deric, 1)
MATCH NOTES
- Seattle advances to 5-3-2 all-time versus the Houston Dynamo, including a 5-0-1 record at CenturyLink Field. Tonight’s result extends the winless streak for the visiting team in the matchup to 10. Seattle has never been shutout by the Dynamo.
- With an effort totaling 73 minutes, Osvaldo Alonso made his first start of the 2015 campaign. Alonso, a four-time Sounders FC MVP, holds franchise records in games played (173), games started (169) and minutes played (14,684). He joins Leo Gonzalez, Zach Scott and Brad Evans as the only players to appear in each of the club’s seven seasons.
- In the 39th minute, Obafemi Martins scored his first-ever goal against Houston Dynamo. With the game-winning tally, Sounders FC is now 21-1-0 when Martins scores a goal. It marked his first game-winning goal of the season and a ninth match-decider with the club. He has scored in each of the three matches he has played in so far this season.
- For the second time in club history (2009), Sounders FC has posted a cleansheet in three of its first four MLS fixtures. Goalkeeper Stefan Frei is currently tied for the league-high in shutouts (3).
- Tonight’s attendance of 39,680 marks the 110th consecutive MLS sellout at CenturyLink Field, extending the club’s active MLS record.
- In three matches, Clint Dempsey is tied-first on the team with three goals and ranks first with two assists. He has tallied either a goal or an assist in each match he’s appeared in.
- Seattle advances to 2-0-0 on the season when leading at halftime.
POST-MATCH AUDIO: Additional post-match audio available here.
