Houston (2-1-0) had opened its season with back-to-back road shutout wins. However, Seattle (2-0-0) needed only 23 minutes to get onto the scoreboard, and only four minutes more to record its second goal.
The first came as the Dynamo tried to clear a ball from its own penalty area. However, David Estrada swooped on it and knocked the ball in from 23 yards for his fourth goal of the young season.
Cheering from the crowd of 38,304 had hardly calmed when Houston was whistled for a penalty in the 18-yard box. Brad Evans took the penalty kick and knocked it in, low and to the left of goalkeeper Tally Hall of Gig Harbor.
That was all the scoring the Sounders would need as goalkeeper Michael Gspurning recorded his first MLS clean sheet, which dropped his goals-against average to 0.50.
Seattle’s victory came despite projected starters missing on all three lines: Eddie Johnson (hip) at forward, Mauro Rosales (knee) at midfield, and Adam Johansson (hamstring) at right back.
After his hat trick last week, Estrada was the obvious starter at forward. At midfield, coach Sigi Schmid went with Roger Levesque, and on the back line started Zach Scott. Rosales’ captain armband went to Fredy Montero.
The Sounders conclude their season-opening three-game home-stand a week from today against the San Jose Earthquakes.
Don Ruiz: 253-597-8808 don.ruiz@thenewstribune.com twitter/donruiztnt blog.thenewstribune.com/soccer
