The Seattle Sounders came into the 2017 season with high hopes in their defense of the MLS Cup. They got off to a rough start, notching 45 fairly terrible minutes before dominating the Houston Dynamo in the second half. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to dig themselves out of the two-goal hole they had secured for themselves.
High-risk, high-reward tactical lineups
From the get go the Sounders and Dynamo were in a setup that both sides could exploit. Houston’s aggressive offensive posture didn’t include either of their wingers supporting defense. That duty instead relied solely on the Dynamo midfield which was out manned by the Sounders 4-man midfield.