The Sounders open the Western Conference finals on Tuesday against the Houston Dynamo, who has lost at home just once this season.
Repeating as MLS Cup champion is never easy, and the Sounders are about to remember why. Sure, they’ve already done some of the hardest work simply by making the playoffs, earning a first-round bye and winning their opening series. But the deeper they get, the need to win on the road becomes more pressing.
And the road has not been friendly to the Sounders, who have just a 3-6-8 record away from CenturyLink Field this season.