Seattle Sounders Win Playoff Opener in Shootout

In the first match of the best-of-three MLS playoff series, the Seattle Sounders defeated the Houston Dynamo 5-4 in a penalty shootout after a scoreless draw in regulation. The Sounders dominated possession and shots, outshooting Houston 20-7, but struggled to create clear scoring opportunities, with Houston's goalkeeper Steve Clark not having to make a single save. The match was notably affected by the 66th-minute red card shown to Dynamo midfielder Coco Carrasquilla for violent conduct, which left Houston a man down. Alex Roldan scored the decisive penalty kick after both teams went perfect through the first three rounds of the shootout. Seattle's goalkeeper Stefan Frei, who had a strong season with 14 postseason shutouts, guessed correctly on one of Houston's attempts, leading to their only miss. The series now heads to Houston for Game 2 on Sunday, with a potential Game 3 scheduled for November 10 if necessary.