Seattle Sounders triumphed 1-0 in an away match against Houston on Saturday, marking week 6 of the MLS. The game’s only goal came in the 37th minute of the second half, scored by Paul Rothrock, who turned out to be the match’s standout player.
Rothrock’s contribution was invaluable, as he not only netted the winning goal but also consistently threatened the Houston defense. Meanwhile, Seattle’s goalkeeper Andrew Thomas was key in preserving the clean sheet, making four crucial saves throughout the match.
Houston’s head coach, Benjamin Olsen, opted for a 4-3-3 formation, placing Jonathan Bond in goal; Duane Holmes, Felipe Andrade, Antônio Carlos, and Franco Negri in defense; with Agustín Bouzat, Diadie Samassekou, and Lawrence Ennali controlling the midfield; and a forward line featuring Mateusz Bogusz, Ezequiel Ponce, and Guilherme.
On the flip side, Seattle’s Brian Schmetzer introduced a 4-5-1 setup, with Andrew Thomas guarding the net; Kalani Kossa Rienzi, Antino Lopez, Jackson Ragen, and Nouhou Tolo forming the defense; and in the midfield were Snyder Brunell, Cristian Roldan, Paul Arriola, Jesús Ferreira, and Paul Rothrock, supported by Danny Musovski as the sole striker.
The referee overseeing the match was Ismail Elfath.
Looking ahead, Houston will travel to face Colorado Rapids in their next match, while Seattle will host Real Salt Lake at Lumen Field.
Houston Substitutions
45’ 2T – Franco Negri left the field for Agustin Resch
75’ 2T – Duane Holmes was replaced by Ondrej Lingr
87’ 2T – Lawrence Ennali substituted by Aliyu Ibrahim, Diadie Samassekou by Héctor Herrera, and Paul Rothrock by Alexander Roldan
91’ 2T – Agustin Resch made way for Sam Vines
Yellow Card for Houston:
37’ 1T – Felipe Andrade (Unsporting Behavior)
Seattle Sounders Substitutions
60’ 2T – Jesús Ferreira off for Albert Rusnák, Paul Arriola for Hassani Dotson, and Danny Musovski for Jordan Morris
80’ 2T – Snyder Brunell replaced by Peter Kingston
Yellow Cards for Seattle Sounders:
53’ 2T – Kalani Kossa Rienzi (Unsporting Behavior) and 71’ 2T – Jackson Ragen (Unsporting Behavior)