Kansas City (10-11-7, 37 pts) at Red Bull New York (11-11-6, 39 pts)
Saturday, October 13 - East Rutherford, New Jersey
Giants Stadium - 6:30 p.m. CT
English TV: Metro Sports (TWC 30) Español TV: TWC 5
Radio: 1340 La Gran D
Broadcast Details: Metro Sports
VYVX Conf # 2401610
Full game notes will be available online at kcwizards.com Friday.
(October 11, 2007) - The Kansas City Wizards (10-11-7, 37 pts) travel to face Red Bull New York (11-11-6, 39 pts) in a crucial match-up for the 2008 MLS Cup Playoff picture. The Red Bulls currently sit two points ahead of the Wizards in 3rd place in the competitive Eastern Conference. A win Saturday (6:30 p.m. CT on Metro Sports) would clinch a playoff spot for the Wizards and put Kansas City alone in 3rd, giving the Wizards the tiebreaker over New York with just one game to play. The Wizards defeated New York 3-2 on the strength of a second-half Eddie Johnson hat trick, his second in as many games, on June 2. Kansas City then tied New York 3-3 at the Meadowlands on June 16.
Last year, the Red Bulls eliminated the Wizards from playoff contention on the last day of the MLS regular season with a 3-2 victory at the Meadowlands behind a hat trick from Amado Guevara. A loss in New York would not end the Wizards playoff hopes but would again put their postseason aspirations on hold until the last regular-season game. If the Wizards win either of their next two matches, they are guaranteed a playoff spot. If the Wizards tie either of their next two matches and the Colorado Rapids and Los Angeles Galaxy do not go undefeated in their remaining games, the Wizards will also secure a playoff spot. Colorado has two games remaining, while the Galaxy have three.
The MLS Cup Playoffs begin on Thursday, October 25 on ESPN2 and MLS Cup 2007 takes place on Nov. 18 in Washington, D.C., where a champion will be crowned for the 12th time in League history.
Possible opponents for Kansas City in the Eastern Conference Semifinal series:
• If the Wizards finish 3rd in the East, they will play the East's second seed in the first round (currently New England).
• If Kansas City finishes 4th in the East, it will play the East's first seed in the first round (currently D.C. United).
• If Kansas City finishes 5th in the East and makes the playoffs, it will play the first seed of the Western Conference in the first round (currently Chivas USA).
• Saturday's match will feature a match-up of two of Major League Soccer's finest strikers of the 2007 campaign as Colombian Juan Pablo Angel (17 goals, 4 assists) and American Eddie Johnson (15 goals, 6 assists) look to provide the offensive spark for New York and Kansas City, respectively.
• Defender Jimmy Conrad and midfielder Davy Arnaud will be available Saturday for selection by Head Coach Curt Onalfo. Both players were forced to sit out a 1-1 tie vs. D.C. United last Friday after receiving red cards in a 1-0 loss to Los Angeles on September 27.
