Can’t shake the feeling that it’s all ending too soon. The Seattle Sounders have been eliminated from the first round of the MLS playoffs, falling to the Houston Dynamo 1-0 in overtime. The expansion team Cinderella story has been cut short, and Seattle soccer fans, hungry for an MLS cup in their inaugural season, are left empty-handed.

After several hard-fought battles throughout the season, it’s no surprise these two sides took over 120 minutes to resolve their differences. Yet unlike previous meetings with Houston, this match seemed an uphill battle for the Sounders from the beginning. Seattle never got a passing rhythm going, and the Dynamo dominated possession for most of the afternoon, winning midfield battles and getting to nearly every 50-50 ball first.

Ultimately, the Sounders’ offensive inconsistency--and inability to finish chances--proved their undoing. There were a few heartbreakers in the first half, as when Fredy Montero hit the side netting after beating Houston’s defense for a wide-open shot. Steve Zakuani nearly assisted Houston into an own-goal in the 36th minute, when keeper Pat Onstad had to scramble to save defender Geoff Cameron’s clearance. Seattle’s defense had to survive a Dynamo onslaught in the first half, with forward Dominic Oduro pounding several shots against Kasey Keller, including a close-call off the post in the 23rd minute.

The Sounders came out stronger in the second half, creating a few more chances on goal, but still failed to convert. Nate Jaqua missed a pair of opportunities, one on the 52nd minute off a Montero cross, the second in the 80th from a beautiful Roger Levesque set up. Houston was likewise having trouble cracking Seattle’s back line, led by Tyrone Marshall, returning from a knee injury that sidelined him for the first playoff leg. It looked for a while like these two defensive powerhouses would need penalty kicks to finish this intensely physical game.

Former USL Sounder Brian Ching drove the stake into Seattle’s season in the 96th minute, capitalizing on a missed clearance by Levesque and expertly driving a shot high to the far post. Overtime felt increasingly hopeless for the Sounders after Ching‘s goal, despite a promising attempt from Ljungberg in the 100th minute--a lofting cross that ended up floating dangerously toward the goal before getting punched over the bar by Onstad. Seattle looked worn out and wilted in the Texas humidity. Frustrations were running high in the final minutes, when James Riley’s errant tackle against Ricardo Clark earned him a red card. The emotion on the defenders’ face as he left the field spoke volumes about the heart of this team.

The soccer pub where I watched the match, The George & Dragon in Fremont, was filled to the brim with raucous fans in rave green scarves. As Seattle’s chances dwindled near the final minutes of overtime, the crowd grew quiet. It was hard to watch helplessly as our boys faltered, so far away from the sellout stadium, proud banners and inspiring cheers that buoyed them along on a charmed course all season. There’s still a certain level of disbelief: It feels too early to say goodbye, when enthusiasm for the new soccer team in town is just beginning to peak. I've never seen anything like the mutual love and support that grew immediately between Seattle fans and the Sounders' team. That spirit will be back next year, but it will never be quite the same as this initial, magical run, when the Sounders captured the city’s hearts for the first time.

Bruising play in the final 4 minutes of stoppage time. Ref finally calls a foul as Geoff Cameron trips up Nate Jaqua from behind. Ljungberg takes the kick just outside the box, but headed out by Houston's defense.

Ljungberg takes the corner, just barely over the heads of leaping Sounders in the box. Cross back in to Levesque just brushed wide.

Whistle blows on this first leg of the playoffs -- a disappointing tie for the home team.

Kasey Keller named man of the match, outstanding work in goal for Seattle tonight.

What's happened to Freddie Ljungberg? Three passes mishit and given away to Houston in the past ten minutes. He's working hard as ever but the Dynamo defense has shut down the diagonal passes much more effectively than the last few sides the Sounders have faced.

89th minute substitution for Houston -- Cam Weaver in for Brian Ching.

77th minute: Jaqua gets a brilliant pass from Ljungberg, who is fouled as he strikes a monster cross to the top of the box. With two defenders, Jaqua gets the shot off and hits the back of the net... but Onstad had stopped playing -- back at the halfway mark, the referee had blown the whistle on that Dynamo penalty against Ljungberg. Ridiculous that Salazar couldn't wait a split second to see who had the advantage before stopping play.

Soon after, Ljungberg dribbles himself into the box, under pressure taps a quick pass to Levesque in front of the goal, whose sliding shot is deflected by a Houston defender.

***Substitution: Sebastien LeToux in for Steve Zakuani in the 82nd minute. Fresh legs we need to spark some offense?

Ljungberg corner almost headed home by Nate Jaqua--his bandaged head striking an excellent shot but batted away with the quick reflexes of Pat Onstad. Best chance of the night so far.

Mike Chabala earns a yellow, former UW player. Lots of local connections on the Dynamo, creating an even better atmosphere for this match.

Brad Evans looks frustrated. After missing a clearance ball in the center of the field, he runs down an Houston player and shoves him down from behind, earning a yellow. It looks like sloppy, frustrated play after a number of missed chances in this match.

Tonight's attendance is 35,807--the largest crowd ever for an MLS cup playoff game.

Another sloppy card goes to Brian Mullan for shoving Zakuani down several seconds after he passed the ball. Emotions are obviously running high.

Around the 57th minute of this match and Kasey Keller makes a brilliant save, diving far to his left and tapping a bouncing shot wide of the net with his right arm extended to the fullest. Dangerous look from Brad Davis, great form on the dive from Keller.

Soon after, Keller at the top of the box getting ready to throw, but a Dynamo midfielder runs into the Sounders keeper, knocking the ball out of his hands. Interference foul rightly called by Salazar.

A few minutes after, Nate Jaqua taking the ball up the middle, Montero covered by two guys at the top of the box, brilliant turn using the momentum of the ball, then, facing a one-on-one with keeper Onstad, knocks a shot just wide to the left of the goal. Disappointing but great setup by both Jaqua and Montero.

***Substitution: Roger Levesque is on for Fredy Montero in the 64th minute.

Second half is under way now, crowd has quieted down a bit from their initial deluge of sound...Ljungberg and Montero playing a choppy game of back and forth on the right side, finally Montero breaking free to cross the ball inside to Brad Evans, whose header is wide left of the goal.

Evans winning a lot of air battles tonight, making his presence felt in the Houston goalbox.

Just before half, Houston's Brian Mullan mishandles the ball and is stripped by Leo Gonzalez. About the third time Gonzalez has made Mullan look foolish on the left side of the field.

After the whistle blows, Kasey Keller keeps walking after the refereeing squad for a few words--perhaps about the Onstad-Montero scuffle?

It's been a highly physical match, to say the least, between these two squads, who have to be very familiar with each other by this time of the season. Surprising number of offensive chances for what are considered the two top defenses in the MLS--Seattle had 9 shots, Houston 4 in the first half. Both sides had two shots on goal.

Brian Ching is looking dangerous as always in the middle of the Dynamo's attack. Pat Ianni needs to settle down in the back, he's playing a good aggressive game but can't afford nervy missteps. Hopefully the Sounders can channel this energy (from the crowd and the on-field skirmishes) into solid play.

39th minute: Pat Ianni mishandles a clearance, sending the ball of the end line instead of the side, giving Houston a corner. Luckily, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado is there to win the ball and boot it away.

42nd minute: Ljungberg takes a free kick from 40 yards out, floating it just over the wall and right to the head of a leaping Ianni...unfortunately the header bounces off the crossbar, but great effort to win the cross.