Two first-half goals and a spectacular night by goalkeeper Dario Sala led FC Dallas past the Wizards on the first-ever Lamar Hunt Night in Kansas City. Dallas got goals from U.S. National Team forward Kenny Cooper and midfielder Juan Toja in the opening half. Kansas City brought a goal back in second half stoppage time on the second goal of the year from rookie midfielder Michael Harrington, but the Wizards could not equalize after creating numerous scoring chances in an explosive second half of play.
FC Dallas, one of two squads currently owned by Hunt Sports Group, had the better of the first half, scoring two goals and keeping the high-powered Kansas City offense off the score sheet.
Kansas City nearly started the scoring in the game's second minute. Defender Jose Luis Burciaga Jr., one match after scoring a 90th minute game-winner against the Columbus Crew, took a free kick from 30 yards out on the right side of the pitch. Burciaga found midfielder Sasha Victorine in the middle of the penalty area eight yards off the goal line. Victorine's header was deflected over the bar by Sala. Playing for the first time in 2007 after serving a six-game suspension, Sala stopped nine shots on the night.
Dallas nearly scored in the 11th minute when midfielder Ramon Nunez got free in the Wizards penalty area and banged his shot off the cross bar.
Two minutes later, Kansas City forward Eddie Johnson found himself alone behind the Hoops defense after a well-timed through ball from Sasha Victorine. The ball was bouncing as Johnson entered the penalty area and his shot was saved by Sala.
United States international Kenny Cooper opened the scoring in the 19th minute, redirecting a Dax McCarty cross up and over goalkeeper Kevin Hartman and into the side netting. The Wizards had not allowed a goal in 306 minutes prior to allowing Cooper's looping header.
Both teams continued attacking throughout the half, with Wizards forward Yura Movsisyan twice beating the Dallas back line. First, in the 28th minute, Movsisyan collected a free ball and split the FCD defense only to fire wide left. Then, in the 32nd minute, Victorine played a ball into space for Movsisyan but the ball was deflected away by a defender before he could take a shot.
Toja gave Dallas a two-goal lead in first half stoppage time after taking a pass from Nunez. Toja collected the ball in the penalty area and slid a shot past goalkeeper Kevin Hartman. Nothing was called and the goal was allowed, eventually standing as the game winner.
Kansas City came out energized after the half, outshooting Dallas 16-5 in the second stanza. The Wizards put six shots on goal in the final 45 minutes.
Johnson nearly tallied for the Wizards in the 53rd minute. Burciaga made a lengthy run up the left flank, winning the end line and playing the ball across for Johnson. Johnson chested the ball down, held it up then unleashed a shot. The ball beat Sala, banging off the near post and out for a FCD throw.
The best chance prior to the last-minute Harrington strike came in the 55th minute when the Wizards unleashed a flurry of shots. Sala saved two from point blank range off the foot of Davy Arnaud and Kerry Zavagnin, respectively. Movsisyan then attempted shots twice only to have the ball deflected wide to the right wing where defender Jack Jewsbury collected it and sent it back into the fray. Movsisyan rose to meet the cross, heading it just feet over the bar.
Sala stood his ground quite literally five minutes later when a point-blank blast off the foot of Davy Arnaud knocked Sala over. Sala collected the shot after a brief bobble but threw it out of play to receive medical attention.
Arnaud continued to terrorize the FCD defense in the second half but could not find the back of the net.
In the 68th minute, Arnaud eluded Dallas captain Chris Gbandi and got into the penalty area, spinning and shooting just feet high and wide of the back post. In the 73rd minute, Arnaud struck a free kick from 25 yards out that went just inches wide left of goal. Then in the 77, Arnaud struck a ball from the same distance during the run of play that forced a diving save from Sala at the back post.
Arnaud created the Wizards last-gasp goal, striking a free kick from 20 yards out on the left side of the pitch. Arnaud's cross came into the middle of the penalty area and rookie midfielder Michael Harrington redirected it into the back of the net past a helpless Sala.
The Wizards fell to 4-2-0 but remained atop the Eastern Conference standings for the time being. New England plays the late game Saturday at Los Angeles and New York plays Colorado at home Sunday afternoon. Both teams came into the weekend one point behind the Wizards for the Eastern-Conference lead. FC Dallas jumped over Colorado and into first place in the West with a 3-3-1 record.
Kansas City's next match comes next Saturday at 8 p.m. CT at Colorado in the squad's first-ever trip to new Dick's Sporting Goods Park. The game, televised nationally on HDNet, will be only the second for the Wizards against the Western Conference. Kansas City has gone 4-1-0 through five games against the MLS East.
Wizards Notables:
Kansas City celebrated Lamar Hunt Night, wearing special Lamar Hunt Memorial Kits that will be auctioned off on kcwizards.com starting next week.
Lamar's family, including wife Norma, son Clark and wife Tavia, son Lamar Jr. and wife Rita and son Daniel were on hand to watch the game and receive a special Lamar Hunt Memorial Flag during a halftime ceremony.
Commemorative videos were shown before the game and at halftime, celebrating Mr Hunt's legacy and contributions to MLS, the Wizards and the sport of soccer in the United States.
Tony Dipardo, long-time leader of the Kansas City Chiefs band and friend of the Hunt family, and his daughter Patty Dipardo-Livergood performed the national anthem prior to the match. Tony played the trumpet while Patty sang.
The Jacobo Family of Kansas City participated in the pregame coin toss. ABC's Extreme Makeover Home Edition airs Sunday night at 7 p.m., featuring the Jacobos. The Wizards have given the Jacobo Family season tickets and donated items during construction of the house.
Harrington's stoppage-time goal was the second of his MLS rookie season. He has two goals and two assists. Harrington now leads all rookies in goals, assists and points.
Arnaud's assist was his second of the season. He is tied with Harrington and Eddie Johnson for the team lead in assists.
Defender Aaron Hohlbein started in place of the injured Jimmy Conrad. Hohlbein has now stared and played the full 90 minutes in two MLS matches this year.
The Wizards 22 shots and 10 shots on goal were the highest single-game totals thus far in 2007.
Kansas City has now scored three goals in the 90th minute or later through six MLS matches.
Kansas City has been fouled 20 or more times three straight games. They came into the weekend the most-fouled team in MLS. Dallas came in the team with the most fouls committed.
Dallas' goal in the 19th minute snapped a 306-minute scoreless streak for goalkeeper Kevin Hartman and the Wizards. The streak is the second-longest of 2007 in MLS.
