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Martins' goal gives Seattle 1-0 win over Houston in MLS

SEATTLE (AP) Obafemi Martins' third goal of the season was a display of skill, doing a 360-degree spin around a defender and beating the goalkeeper with a powerful right-footed shot.

The rest of the Seattle Sounders 1-0 victory over the Houston Dynamo on Saturday night was a grind.

''It was a game we sort of had to roll up our sleeves with a little bit,'' Seattle coach Sigi Schmid said.

Seattle picked up its second victory in four games early in the MLS season thanks to Martins' goal and a third shutout from goalkeeper Stefan Frei.

Martins' goal came in the 39th minute as Seattle quickly countered off a Houston turnover. Martins took a pass from Clint Dempsey, did a 360-degree spin around Houston defender Jermaine Taylor and put enough power on the shot that goalkeeper Tyler Deric's deflection couldn't keep it out of the net.

Martins and Dempsey have scored all six goals in Seattle's four MLS matches this season.

But Seattle's challenge was handling Houston's pressure for the final 35 minutes after midfielder Gonzalo Pineda was given a red card in the 56th minute when he caught Ricardo Clark in the stomach with his left foot.

It caused a significant strategy change for Schmid and the Sounders, and, instead of trying to add another highlight-reel goal, the challenge became doing whatever was necessary to keep Houston off the board.

''It's clearly not the prettiest soccer when you're down a man and trying to hold a 1-0 score line,'' Seattle defender Dylan Remick said.

Houston outshot Seattle, but the majority of the chances were wide of the goal. Nathan Sturgis' half-volley moments after Pineda's red card went just wide of the post and may have been the Dynamo's best scoring opportunity. Houston remained winless since its season-opening victory over Columbus and has gone 259 minutes without a goal.

''We all feel like we let one slip away. I think we came here, we battled pretty well, but it's kind of a little bit the same story. (We) haven't been able to find the back of the net,'' Houston midfielder Brad Davis said. ''Had possession, been able to get into the right spots, but decision making that last little bit right in front of goal hasn't been sharp enough for us.''

Seattle welcomed back four key starters, with the return of Dempsey, Martins and defender Chad Marshall from injuries, and the season debut of midfielder Osvaldo Alonso following surgery.

Dempsey was called in for two U.S. national team matches in Europe but returned to Seattle before the first against Denmark with a slight hamstring injury. Martins suffered a quad injury in an exhibition match against Club Tijuana and Marshall had a neck strain. Dempsey, Martins and Marshall all missed last weekend's draw at FC Dallas with their injuries.

The decision to sit out against Dallas proved correct for all three, and Alonso was able to go 73 minutes in his first action of the season. Dempsey was subbed off in the 87th minute while Martins and Marshall went the entire way. Schmid said the plan was for Alonso to play 60 minutes, but the red card changed the substitution pattern.

Despite being short-handed, Seattle missed a pair of chances to take a 2-0 lead. Alonso's run through the middle of the field was denied when his left-footed shot was blocked by Deric. With less than 20 minutes left, Martins dribbled around much of Houston's defense but when he finally got a clear look on goal put his shot over the crossbar.

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