HOUSTON (AP) — Obed Vargas scored the decisive shootout goal after a 1-1 draw in regulation and Stefan Frei made a save on a Tate Schmitt shot in the seventh round, leading the Seattle Sounders to a Sunday’s 7-6 win and a first-round sweep of the Houston Dynamo in the best-of-three MLS Cup series.

Neither team found the net until Cristian Roldan scored in the 87th minute with a power play – his first goal in his 30th playoff appearance – to give the fourth-seeded Sounders the lead.

But Roldan also deflected the ball for an own goal in the third minute of stoppage time to level the score.

Houston was forced to play a man starting in the 66th minute for a second straight game. Héctor Herrera received a yellow card for a foul on Seattle defender Jackson Ragen, replaced with a red card for unsportsmanlike conduct after he spat at the referee’s feet as he walked away. Coco Carrasquilla came away with a red card in the first match after receiving two yellow cards four minutes apart.

Defender Nouhou Tolo, who did not have an assist during the regular season, recorded the second assist of his career in the playoffs on Roldan’s goal after coming on as a substitute two minutes earlier. Danny Levya earned his first assist in his second career playoff appearance.

Frei did not make a save in regulation in his 34th playoff start – all with the Sounders. Frei was in contention for his 15th playoff shutout until the own goal.

Steve Clark finished with six saves – three in each half – for the Dynamo in the 20th start of his playoff career.

The Sounders beat fifth-seeded Houston 5-4 in a series-opening shootout in Seattle after a scoreless duel in regulation. The Sounders went a perfect 12 of 12 on PKs in their two wins.

Seattle played Dynamo to a 2-2 draw in Houston during the regular season and beat them 1-0 at home.

Houston is now 12-3-4 all-time at home in the playoffs. Dynamo set club records with 54 points and eight road wins this season, qualifying for the playoffs for a 10th time.

Seattle has made the playoffs in 15 of its 16 seasons, winning four conference championships and two MLS Cups (2016 and 2019).

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