The Kansas City Wizards won a defensive battle in the first leg of the Western Conference Semifinal Series, defeating Chivas USA 1-0 at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday night.
The game's lone goal came from a Davy Arnaud free kick from some 33 yards out that skipped past Chivas goalkeeper Brad Guzan and inside his left post.
Chivas now returns home to The Home Depot Center needing to win in next Saturday's second leg, a place where they lost just one home game all season and allowed just eight goals in those games.
Chivas head coach Preki, with both Maykel Galindo and Ante Razov unavailable, put out his team in a 4-5-1 formation. Laurent Merlin was the lone forward, with Sacha Kljestan as the attacking midfielder behind him.
The system seemed to slow down the Wizards offensive attack. Most of the action of the first half involved transition at midfield, as the five Chivas midfielders ensured a deliberate pace of play.
Looking to gain the advantage from their home leg, the Wizards had the better chances early. Midfielder Kurt Morsink curled toward the goal and struck a 12-yard shot, but Guzan was right in line with it and able to handle it easily.
Then in the 12th minute, Morsink sent a looping pass that landed at the feet of forward Scott Sealy. Sealy got the ball in stride, and then made a spin move. He unleashed a 14-yard shot that Guzan deflected with a leap.
Chivas had their best movement of the first half in the 31st minute. Kljestan found Francisco Mendoza in the right corner, and after a brief drive Mendoza unloaded, but his shot was left of the goal.
The game's lone goal came in the 35th minute. After a foul on Eddie Johnson left Kansas City with a free kick almost straight out from the right post 33 yards from goal, Arnaud decided to try his luck. The ball bent around the Chivas wall, slightly deflected off Paulo Nagamura and dipped into the ground, skimming off the turf and inside the post.
Chivas came rushing back when Alex Zotinca ripped a long-range shot that Hartman parried away. Merlin returned the rebound from eight yards out, but Hartman smothered the shot in the 39th minute.
The Wizards began the second half with a flurry of shots in the 47th minute. Johnson, Arnaud, Jack Jewsbury and Sasha Victorine all had chances but were turned away by the Chivas defense. Guzan didn't have to make any saves; Chivas defenders deflected every shot.
Chivas midfielder John Cunliffe, who entered the match in the 57th minute when he came on for Zotinca, had a good opportunity four minutes after coming on. His shot from inside the area from a Bornstein pass clipped the top of the crossbar on its way over the top of the goal.
Both teams struggled to put together any sort of meaningful chances in the final 15 minutes as the midfield was full of giveaways, takeaways and harmless long balls fielded by both goalkeepers.
The Wizards held on to their slim advantage heading into the second leg, but Chivas were quite content to have kept the margin at just one goal, especially considering the home-field advantage they will enjoy next weekend.
Thomas Foote s a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
