The Kansas City Wizards snapped a two-game losing streak in style, putting three goals on the board Wednesday against the Chicago Fire to capture three important points in the tight Eastern Conference playoff race. Left back Jose Luis Burciaga Jr. (1 goal, 2 assists) and goalkeeper Kevin Hartman (6 saves including stopped penalty kick) starred as the Wizards beat Chicago for the first time in 2007 in front of 12,468 loud fans on Wednesday at Arrowhead Stadium.
Both teams will be without key players in the return match Saturday at TOYOTA Park in Bridgeview, Illinois at 7:30 p.m. CT as the Wizards Burciaga (yellow-card accumulation) and Fire defender Gonzalo Segares (red card) will be suspended as the teams face off for the final time in 2007.
With many in the crowd eager to see Mexican international Cuauhtemoc Blanco, the Fire's new designated player did not disappoint. In the 5th minute, Blanco played a long ball up the right flank for speedy winger Justin Mapp. Mapp cut inside a defender and fired on goal, but Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman smothered the shot at the near post.
In the 12th minute, Blanco again hooked up with Mapp. This time, as Mapp entered the penalty area, his legs became tangled with those of Burciaga and a penalty kick was immediately called.
Blanco stepped to the spot one minute later to take the 6th penalty of the year against Hartman. Blanco's shot went high and central, and Hartman was there to parry the ball clear for his first PK save of the season.
Kansas City's first quality scoring opportunity came in the 19th minute when midfielder Sasha Victorine whipped in a low cross for forward Eddie Johnson from the left flank. Johnson settled the ball with his chest and a took hard-hit, left-footed shot on the second touch that goalkeeper Jon Busch scrambled to cover at the near post.
In the 21st minute, Blanco nearly played provider again, curling in an out-swinging corner kick that was headed just over the bar by defender Dasan Robinson.
Chicago forward Chad Barrett made his presence felt in the 26th minute, taking a ball on the right side from former Wizards midfielder and Blue Springs High School graduate Diego Gutierrez. Barrett fired early from 20 yards out, but Hartman pushed his shot that was headed inside the far post wide on a fine diving play.
One minute later, Blanco played Barrett through on a nifty chip from the top of the arc, but Hartman came off his line quickly to block Barrett's turning, one-time effort.
Kansas City's best opportunity of the first half came in the 33rd minute as Burciaga and Arnaud stood over a free kick a full 30 yards from goal. Burciaga took a dummy step toward the ball then allowed Arnaud to crack a right-footed shot toward goal that forced a diving save by Busch. The Chicago goalkeeper was able to push the ball off the right post, but the rebound deflected into the middle of the pitch with no one in goal. Wizards forward Scott Sealy approached the ball to tap home the rebound, only to see the ball take an awkward sideways hop over his foot to a Chicago defender who cleared the ball from the goal line and ended the opportunity.
Rookie midfielder Kurt Morsink had a well-taken opportunity in the 35th minute, receiving a deft cross from Victorine on the left side of the 18-yard area. Morsink cut to his right and fired with his right foot. His shot was deflected, but Busch was able to change directions and smother the ball.
Chicago then broke through in first-half stoppage time as Blanco slotted a perfectly weighted ball between Kansas City defenders for a streaking Barrett at the top of the Wizards penalty area. Barrett took a touch then slotted the ball inside Hartman at the near post to give the Fire a 1-0 lead at the break.
Kansas City came out of the gate attacking in the second half as right back Ryan Raybould sent in a cross for Johnson in the 46th minute. Johnson rose to meet the ball with his head, but his redirect attempt floated wide of the back post.
The Wizards evened the score 1-1 in the 54th minute after fine hustle play from Arnaud. Arnaud, out of position on the left flank after a Kansas City restart, slid to win a 50-50 ball near the left touch-line that went directly to Burciaga in space on the left side of the penalty area. Burciaga proceeded to win the end line and slide a left-footed cross back diagonally toward the near post. Victorine, completing a long run out of midfield, connected with the cross at the 6-yard area and sent the ball into the upper portion of the net with his left foot for his 2nd goal of the season and first since the season opener April 14. The goal snapped a 235-minute scoreless streak for Kansas City, their longest such streak of 2007.
Chicago defender Gonzalo Segares helped the game to open up in the 66th minute, collecting his second yellow card on a tackle from behind near midfield that forced the Fire to go down a man.
Kansas City jumped on top immediately, taking a 2-1 in the 68th minute after another fine hustle play on the left flank. This time it was Burciaga winning a ball along the left touch-line and carrying it forward into space. Some Chicago players stopped, appealing that the ball had gone out of bounds, but no whistles blew and Burciaga carried the ball a full 30 yards before angling a pass back to Sealy inside the penalty area. The Trinidad and Tobago international hopped over Chicago midfielder Logan Pause with the ball and slotted the ball just inside the far post past an onrushing Busch for his 2nd goal of the season. Sealy's last goal also game in the season opener.
Arnaud nearly created a goal for himself four minutes later, taking a ball on the right side of the pitch and beating a defender inside the penalty area. Arnaud shifted the ball to his left foot and fired a curling shot that beat Busch only to hit the back post and deflect clear. It marked the fifth time this season Arnaud has hit the post.
Hartman proved his quality again on back-to-back plays in the 76th and 78th minutes. In the 76th minute, Costa Rican international and second-half substitute Paulo Wanchope played a diagonal ball through for Blanco. Hartman came off his line immediately and laid out to stop Blanco's point-blank shot. Substitute midfielder Ivan Guerrero followed the play, but his rebound effort went wide of the right post.
Wanchope took an opportunity of his own two minutes later, collecting a ball around a defender at the top of the box. His shot from just inside the penalty area was stoned, however, as Hartman came off his line and made himself large to protect the one-goal lead.
Kansas City extended the lead in the 82nd minute, as Raybould again played in a cross from his right pack position for Johnson. The Wizards leading scorer took his turn as provider, playing a nifty flick backward for Burciaga cutting in from the left wing. The ball bounced up perfectly for Burciaga who buried it with his left foot past a helpless Busch from point-blank range for his second goal.
Burciaga's goal became the game-winner one minute later, as Chicago defender Dasan Robinson picked up a consolation goal. Hartman was forced off his line to parry a Chicago free kick and collided with Wanchope and defender Jimmy Conrad. With the open goal, Robinson only had to turn and place the ball on the first touch into the open net to round out the scoring.
Neither team created a serious opportunity for the remainder of the game, and now the teams look to a return match Saturday in Chicago. Kansas City picked up three important points toward the playoff push and still sits in 4th place in the East, just one point behind 3rd place Red Bull New York. D.C. United, who beat New York 3-1 Wednesday, is 4 points ahead in 2nd with New England 7 points ahead in first.
Saturday's return in the Windy City begins a three-game in eight-day road trip that takes the squad to Chicago, Salt Lake City and Houston. Saturday's match will be broadcast live on HDNet at 7:30 p.m. CT.
