At one point Seattle and Houston were the hottest teams in MLS.
The clubs each were off to their best starts ever, Seattle continuing its unbeaten streak with a 1-0 win against Houston at CenturyLink Field.
That was in May.
“That seems like a lifetime ago,” said Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer, noting midfielder Cristian Roldan’s goal from 26 yards out in the fifth minute for the match’s only score.
The strain of an MLS season, including international competitions, will show on these teams when the Dynamo hosts the Sounders on Saturday at BBVA Stadium.