Rarely will you see a MLS dominate another team as thoroughly as the Seattle Sounders did the Houston Dynamo on Friday night at Qwest Field. Even more rarely, will you see the team that dominated feel relieved to come away with a point. Yet, the Sounders must feel at least somewhat that way after needing a Steve Zakuani goal in the 80th minute to come out with a 1-1 tie.
The Sounders thoroughly outplayed and out-chanced the Dynamo, but had all kinds of trouble finishing any of those chances. Meanwhile, the Dynamo made their only real chance count when Geoff Cameron scored in the 42nd minute.
Outside of Cameron's goal, which immediately followed a Brad Davis free kick that struck the crossbar, the Dynamo struggled to do much of anything against the Sounders. Seattle held the ball for much of the game, fired off more than 20 shots and were undone by a combination of impressive saves by Dynamo goalkeeper Tally Hall and plain missed opportunities.
The result for the Sounders is their first point of the season, although it comes in easily their best game. Despite regular starters James Riley, Alvaro Fernandez and Jhon Kennedy Hurtado all being held out for a variety of reason, the Sounders had the better of the play throughout the contest.