Kansas City Wizards (10-9-6, 36 pts) at Chivas USA (13-6-5, 44 pts)
Saturday, September 22 - Carson, California
The Home Depot Center - 9:30 p.m. CT
English TV: Metro Sports (TWC 30) Español TV: Around Town (TWC 5)
Radio: 1340 La Gran D, ESPN Radio 97.3
Broadcast Details: Metro Sports
VYVX Conf # 2383652
(September 21, 2007) - The Kansas City Wizards (10-9-6, 36 pts) face off against Head Coach Preki and his Chivas USA (13-6-5, 44 pts) squad that has taken the MLS Western Conference by storm in 2007 during the former Wizards playmaker's first season in charge. Chivas has been on fire of late, going 6-1-2 since the All-Star break. The Wizards handed Chivas its only loss over that stretch, a 3-2 victory on an 89th minute goal on July 29. The Wizards are one of only three MLS teams to score three goals in a match against the Goats this season.
Both teams are firmly within the playoff picture but are battling to improve their seeds. Kansas City trails Red Bull New York (who hosts New England Saturday) by only a point for the 3rd seed in the East and 6th seed overall. Chivas is currently one point behind Houston Dynamo with two games in hand for the 1st seed in the West and is just five points behind D.C. United in the race for the Supporters' Shield.
Coach Onalfo's Kansas City Wizards solidified its place in the playoff race last Saturday with a dramatic come-from-behind victory over the Columbus Crew. A loss would have put Columbus just two points behind Kansas City, but stoppage-time goals from Eddie Johnson (93+') and Scott Sealy (94+') gave the Wizards all three points and pushed the cushion to eight points over the Crew and seven over the Rapids who occupy 10th and 9th place, respectively. The Chicago Fire are currently in 8th place with 31 points. The victory was a historic one, as the Wizards matched several impressive records:
*The Wizards became just the third team in MLS history to erase a stoppage-time deficit and win the game. D.C. United has done so twice, once in 2000 and once in 2003.
*It was the 13th time in MLS history two or more goals were scored in second-half stoppage time and the 5th time one team scored two or more goals in stoppage time.
*Kansas City scored goals in back-to-back minutes for the 4th time in team history, the first-ever occurrence in stoppage time.
Sealy won MLS Player of the Week honors for his two-goal performance and the Sierra Mist Goal of the Week award for his curling free kick in the first half.
Chivas boasts the best record in MLS at home this season, a perfect 9-0-2 mark. They have only surrendered four goals at home in their 11 games. Two former Wizards will likely be part of the Goats' back line as defenders Shavar Thomas and Alex Zotinca are available for Preki's inclusion. Kansas City, conversely, has been one of the better road teams in MLS, carrying a 3-5-4 record and league-high 19 road goals scored into The Home Depot Center Saturday.
