By james art 
HOUSTON (November 3, 2024) – Houston Dynamo FC fell 7-6 on penalties to Seattle Sounders FC on Shell Energy Stadium tonight to bring their 2024 season to a close in Game 2 of a best-of-3 first-round series at Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs.
The two sides played to a 1-1 draw in regular time after Cristian Roldan opened the scoring for Seattle in the 87th minute before Houston forced the Sounders into an own goal in the 93rd minute.
In the penalty shootout, every player converted an attempt until Houston’s seventh shot, when goaltender Stefan Frei dived to his right and blocked the defender Tate Schmidt foot experience.
Like Game 1 in Seattle, Houston played the final 25 minutes of the game with 10 men after VAR determined the captain Hector Herrera displayed unsportsmanlike conduct.
In Monday’s Game 1, the Dynamo and Sounders played to a scoreless tie in regulation, with the Sounders winning the ensuing shootout 5-4. Despite playing most of the second half with 10 men behind midfield Adalberto “Coco” Carrasquila was shown a red card, Houston still managed to secure their 10th clean sheet of the year. Karakia was suspended for tonight’s game.
Overall, Houston followed last season’s run to the Western Conference Finals with another playoff appearance, marking its first back-to-back postseason appearances since 2013 and 10th overall. The Dynamo also set single-season records for road wins (8) and points (54), earning the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference with a 15-10-9 record (WLD).
Seattle took the lead in the 87th minute when Roldan found the bottom right corner of the net off a pass from Nouho Tolo.
Houston’s goal in the third minute of added time came off a defender Griffin Dorsey played a ball into the middle of the box that found the back of the net off Sounder’s leg.
In particular, a goalkeeper Steve Clark made his 20th postseason appearance tonight.
Houston’s first chance came in the 16th minute when Herrera crossed a corner towards the top of the box, finding the defender’s head Eric Sviatchenko for a shot at the target.
Forward Ezekiel Ponce almost found the back of the net minutes later after a through ball from Dorsey found the Argentine striker for a right-footed shot that was cleared off the line by the Seattle back line.
Ponce had another dangerous chance in the 40th minute in attack Aliyu Ibrahim played a ball to Ponce near the six-yard box for a shot that found the feet of Fry.
The Dynamo created another scoring opportunity in the 53rd minute, Herrera finding Ponce on a run into the box, but his shot again found its way to the feet of the Sounders goalkeeper.
Herrera made a save in the 58th minute after a left-footed shot from the top of the box.
Ibrahim forced another Seattle save minutes later with a shot to the inside of the far post.