Thursday night's draw in Seattle sets up Houston for redemption in the opening round of Major League Soccer's playoffs. Last season and facing the same scenario against New York, the Dynamo lost 3-0 at home. A physical game at Qwest Field takes the series to Robertson Stadium with both teams able to point to things that worked. Seattle had shots hit the crossbar. Houston dominated shots on goal.
"We got three yellows, they got three yellows," Seattle coach Sigi Schmid said. "They committed 18 fouls. We committed six. They're a strong team and they're a team that has been in a lot of battles. For sure when you go to Central America and play CONCACAF games they get chippy, so they're used to that and some of our guys aren't aware of it. I don't want to make that the theme. We had some good changes. Needed to play the ball quicker and see it sooner. We had some opportunities. As long as we get some of those opportunities there, it doesn't matter if the game's physical, we'll be OK."
Seattle forward Nate Jaqua had to leave briefly in the first half to get treated for a cut on his head, the result of contact with Ricardo Clark's shoe. "A ball got up in the air and he went with his foot and I went with my head and just got there a second beforehand," Jaqua said. "I think he got up kind of early and didn't see me coming so I don't think it was malicious on his part by any means, just got me a little bit.... It just kept bleeding. They put a little band aid on it but I had a header and knocked it off, started pouring blood again."
