Sounders match day
Seattle Sounders (13-13-5) vs. Houston Dynamo (7-13-11)
7:30 p.m. Wednesday at CenturyLink Field
TV: JOEtv. Radio: KIRO Radio 97.3 FM, El Rey 1360 AM
Looking to clinch: A playoff spot that looked highly unlikely as recently as early August can be locked up by the Sounders with two matches to spare via a win against the Dynamo. Three points would take Seattle six points clear of seventh-place Portland and lock up the total-win tiebreaker over their Cascadian rivals.
When interim coach Brian Schmetzer took over from Sigi Schmid and Nicolas Lodeiro arrived from Boca Juniors, Seattle was 10 points below the playoff cutoff line.