Kansas City and Toronto came away from Sunday's match-up with a point apiece, but it was the Wizards who pushed the action for much of the contest. Kansas City scored the game's first goal in the 18th minute and took a season-high 25 shots on the match.
Rookie midfielder Michael Harrington scored the Wizard's lone goal in the first half after a brilliant pass from playmaker Carlos Marinelli. English striker Danny Dichio scored in the first minute after halftime after a well-placed cross from Ronnie O'Brien.
The Wizards created their first two opportunities within the game's first five minutes. Both times, a Wizards defender turned defense into offense immediately with a long ball into the attacking third of the field.
In the 3rd minute, stalwart defender Nick Garcia cleared a ball up the right wing into the path of forward Davy Arnaud. Arnaud carried the ball up the flank, playing it into the middle of the field for strike partner Scott Sealy who fired an early shot just wide of goal to the right.
One minute later, rookie central defender Aaron Hohlbein played a ball over the top directly to Sealy. The ball took a large hop and Sealy hit it on one touch just wide to the left.
In the 5th minute, Toronto midfielder Ronnie O'Brien created his team's first opportunity. O'Brien found his way behind the Wizards defense at close range, but Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman was there, laying out to parry the ball clear.
O'Brien again caused problems for the home side in the 11th minute, as he took a square ball from Jeff Cunningham and fired just high of goal from the top of the penalty area.
Kansas City's own winger tallied the game's first goal in the 18th minute after a quick counterattack by the Wizards. Marinelli collected a clearance in the midfield and immediately turned up field, finding time and space through the center circle. As the Toronto defense closed Marinelli down, he played a perfectly-weighted ball into the path of Harrington streaking down the right flank.
Harrington took one touch and then unleashed a low, right-footed shot just inside the far post that goalkeeper Sam Reynolds could not reach. It was the rookie's third goal of the season. He is now second among MLS rookies in goals, assists and points. Marinelli played an excellent game, putting Wizards attackers into dangerous positions with the ball numerous times throughout his 90 minutes of play. Marinelli had not yet played a complete 90 in a Wizards uniform.
Arnaud was again involved in the attack in the 26th minute when he took a long ball from right-sided midfielder Sasha Victorine and cut inside a defender. Arnaud's right-footed shot sailed just wide of the right post.
One minute later, TFC proved dangerous. Mercurial forward Jeff Cunningham worked behind the Wizards defense with the ball and rounded Hartman near the end line. With Hartman on the ground, the Kansas City goal was left open, but an off-balance Cunningham couldn't put his right-footed effort on goal from a sharp angle near the end line.
Hartman made one of his better saves of the year just over 10 minutes later as Cunningham again caused problems in the 38th minute. Cunningham worked a give-and-go with strike partner Danny Dichio in the penalty area. After Dichio's touch, Cunningham was in on goal but his shot from point-blank range was saved by a diving Hartman.
Cunningham created one last opportunity just before the first half whistle, spinning around a Wizards defender in the penalty area and playing a cross in Dichio's direction. The ball was deflected out of bounds, however, ending the scoring opportunity and the half.
Kansas City was forced to make two substitutions at half, removing two defenders due to injuries irritated during the opening 45 minutes. Center back Tyson Wahl replaced rookie Aaron Hohlbein and forward Yura Movsisyan entered for left back Jose Luis Burciaga Jr. with Harrington showing his versatility and moving to the back line.
Toronto capitalized early against the Wizards new back line, scoring through a Dichio header in the 46th minute. Midfielder O'Brien collected a clearance near the right corner flag and gave himself space with a quick cut-back move. His right-footed cross found Dichio four yards out at the back post and the former Preston North End striker took the chance well. Dichio nodded the ball straight down and under a diving Hartman to tie the match and score the first TFC goal against Kansas City in club history.
Substitute Movsisyan made his appearance known early and often, taking seven shots in his 45 minutes of action.
Movsisyan's first opportunity came in the 55th minute after he took a pass from fellow striker Sealy and touched the ball around a TFC defender. His shot was deflected out, however, for one of Kansas City's nine corner kicks.
In the 59th minute, Cunningham nearly gave Toronto a 2-1 lead after great individual effort in the attacking third. Cunningham received a long through 25 yards from goal and carried the ball at pace toward the end line. He rounded his defender and found himself in on Hartman but his right-footed effort from inside the penalty area missed the back post by a narrow margin.
Over the next 10 minutes, Kansas City dominated the run of play. The Wizards created six quality scoring chances but could not find the back of the net.
First, in the 61st minute, Marinelli created a dangerous opportunity for himself. He collected a ball on the right side of the penalty area and worked back toward the center of the pitch with a couple quick side steps. His left-footed shot from the top of the penalty area went just wide right.
One minute later, Marinelli nearly created an opportunity for the ever-dangerous Movsisyan as his quick restart sprung Movsisyan behind Toronto's defense. Movsisyan won a hand-fight with a defender and was in on goal. Reynolds, making his first career MLS start, stood his ground deftly. Reynolds took away Movsisyan's angle and then picked the ball off the 19-year-old youth internationals foot as Movsisyan tried to round him in 10 yards from goal.
In the 63rd minute, Marinelli's vision created another dangerous chance for the Wizards. A Reynolds goal kick flew too low and Marinelli headed it back up the field immediately to a streaking Sealy behind Toronto's high back line. Sealy allowed the ball to bounce once and then unleashed a powerful, right-footed shot from 22 yards out that appeared destined for the back of the net. Reynolds, however, atoned for his misguided distribution and laid out to parry the shot clear.
Just one minute later, Kansas City pushed forward and created two immediate chances. Harrington, now at left back, pushed up the flank and made a nifty move around the last TFC defender toward the end line. His left-footed cross back toward the center of the pitch rolled through the area untouched as two Wizards dummied the ball.
Marinelli eventually corralled the pass near the opposite touch line and danced around a defender before serving up a left-footed cross toward the back post. Toronto cleared the initial ball, but Movsisyan was waiting at the top of the area and fired a left-footed shot on the half volley that missed the back post by only inches.
In the 66th minute, Movsisyan created an opportunity of his own, stealing a ball in the midfield and cutting around a TFC defender with a nifty misdirection move 30 yards from goal. Movsisyan hit a shot with his left foot from 20 yards out but the ball again sailed just inches wide of the back post past a frozen Reynolds.
Toronto's next significant chance came in the 74th minute through newly acquired attacking player Collin Samuel. Cunningham had taken a long pass and held the ball up in the right side of the penalty area. Cunningham then laid a pass back for Samuel whose one-time effort sailed over Hartman and the goal.
The Wizards gained another advantage less than two minutes later when TFC defender Andrew Boyens committed his second caution of the match.
Boyens was booked for a late tackle from behind on Victorine in the 76th minute. Referee Ricardo Salazar allowed the play to continue, however, due to Kansas City's advantage up the left flank. The ball eventually went out off a Kansas City foot and Salazar sought out Boyens, showing him first the yellow and then the red.
Toronto pressed even down a man, as Samuel took a high pass from Dichio at the top of the penalty area just one minute later. Samuel spun and fired on goal, but Hartman covered the effort for one of his five saves.
In the 83rd minute, Movsisyan again caused problems for Major League Soccer's only Canadian club as he held a ball up at the top of the penalty area and danced to his left. Again, Movsisyan fired with his left foot only to have the shot blocked out for a Wizards corner.
Over the game's final four minutes, the Wizards again pushed forward feverishly and caused four quality scoring chances. Reynolds made three of his six saves in the last four minutes of the match.
In the 89th minute, Marinelli took a free kick 28 yards from goal. His curling left-footed effort ventured toward the back post but Reynolds slid across his line to collect the shot.
In the 90th minute, Movsisyan found another opportunity off a deflected ball in the penalty area. For the third time of the second half, his left-footed effort went just inches wide of the back post.
Movsisyan put a shot on goal with his left in the 91st minute from 15 yards out but Reynolds again was perfectly positioned to save the shot.
Kansas City created the last opportunity just seconds later when second-half substitute Ryan Pore redirected a Michael Harrington cross on goal but into the arms of Reynolds as the 1-1 tie was sealed.
The Wizards are back into action immediately with the middle game of a three-game in six-day stretch Wednesday at Arrowhead. Kansas City hosts Eastern Conference rival D.C. United at noon CT on July 4 in an Independence Day showdown. The match marks the second Gail's Harley Davidson T-Shirt Wednesday of the season as the first 5,000 fans receive a special-edition navy blue Wizards t-shirt.
Kansas City then travels to Los Angeles Saturday, July 7, for goalkeeper Kevin Hartman's first match against the squad he played 10 seasons for. The match starts at 9:30 p.m. CT. The Wizards have not faced the Galaxy yet this season. LA returns to Kansas City September 27 in what may be the most exciting sporting event of 2007 in the Midwest. David Beckham and Landon Donovan lead a star-studded Galaxy squad into Kansas City to face the Wizards. Tickets are available now at all Ticketmaster outlets and kcwizards.com.
Wizards Notables:
Following the match, Kansas City sits in a second-place tie on 21 points with Red Bull New York who lost Saturday 1-0 at Columbus.
The Wizards and Red Bulls trail first-place New England by a single point. All three teams have played 13 matches.
Kansas City is now 12-24-1 all-time on Sundays.
The Wizards have scored 51 goals and allowed 73 in franchise history on Sundays.
Kansas City's last Sunday victory came August 19, 2001 in a 3-2 home win over the Colorado Rapids.
Technical Director Peter Vermes was in the lineup for the Wizards during that match.
Kansas City took a season-high 25 shots Sunday.
The previous high came June 2 vs New York when Kansas City took 24 shots in a 3-2 Wizards victory.
The Wizards outshot TFC 25-12. Kansas City has now outshot opponents a by a league-high margin of 62 shots in 2007.
Kansas City has taken 199 shots while allowing only 137.
The Wizards now lead MLS in shots (199), shots in the first half (90) and shots in the second half (109).
Kansas City's 137 shots allowed has the team tied with Houston Dynamo for third-best in MLS.
The Wizards have outshot their opponent in 9 of 13 records.
Kasnas City outshot Toronto 56-29 in three 2007 match-ups.
Forward Yura Movsisyan entered at half and generated seven shots. Movsisyan's effort equals the season high for shots by a player which was set by Eddie Johnson June 2 vs New York.
Movsisyan now holds the season high for shots in a half.
His seven second-half shots are the second-most ever taken by a Wizards player. Three times, Wizards attackers have generated eight shots in a half. Preki did the feat twice, (4/12/97 at TB; 7/6/02 vs. DAL) and Onandi Lowe did once (8/12/01 at COL). All three of these efforts came in the second half.
Kansas City also set a season high for shots in a single half with 17 in the fast-paced second stanza.
The previous high came May 12 vs. FC Dallas when Kansas City generated 16 in a 2-1 Wizards loss.
The all-time club record for shots in a half was set July 18, 1996, when the Wizards posted 18 in the second half of a 3-2 loss at the Tampa Bay Mutiny.
Harrington's last goal also came May 12 vs. FCD on a header in second-half stoppage time.
The 18th-minute goal marked the first time in the last eight games the Wizards scored the first goal.
Kansas City is now 4-0-1 when scoring first.
Harrington now has three goals, three assists and nine points; all three marks are good for second among MLS rookies.
Harrington displayed his versatility in the second half, moving to the left back position when Jose Luis Burciaga Jr. was removed due to a hamstring injury.
Kansas City used its 11th different lineup in 13 MLS games due to injuries, suspensions and U.S. National Team duty.
Argentinean playmaker Carlos Marinelli collected his 4th assist of the season to move into a tie with teammates Davy Arnaud and Sasha Victorine.
The Wizards trio is now tied for fifth in MLS in assists.
Kansas City now has 24 goals on 24 assists this season. Only Red Bull New York (25) has more assists than the Wizards.
The Wizards, Red Bulls and New England Revolution are now tied for first with 24 goals scored through 13 MLS matches (1.85 GPG).
Toronto had never scored previously against Kansas City.
The Wizards are 2-0-1 all-time against TFC and hold a 5-1 goal margin.
Forward Danny Dichio scored the first goal in franchise history and now the first goal against the Wizards in TFC history.
Three TFC players made debuts of some sort.
League goalkeeper Sam Reynolds played outstandingly in his first MLS match, stopping six shots.
Attacking player Collin Samuel, a Trinidad and Tobago international and former Dundee United (Scottish Premier League) striker, played his first MLS match for Toronto.
Defender Todd Dunivant, acquired earlier in the week from New York for defender Kevin Goldthwaite, played his first match for Toronto.
TFC assistant and former Kansas City Wizards Head Coach Bob Gansler celebrated his 66th birthday Sunday.
Current Toronto FC Head Coach Mo Johnston played for the Wizards 1996-2001, serving as team captain.
Kansas City Wizards Training and Game Schedule
Monday, July 2nd
Off
Tuesday, July 3rd
Training: 10 a.m.
Wednesday, July 4th
Kansas City Wizards vs. DC United: 12 p.m. (Metro Sports)
Thursday, July 5th
Off
Friday, July 6th
Training: 10 a.m.
Depart for Los Angeles: early afternoon
Saturday, July 7th
Kansas City Wizards at Los Angeles Galaxy: 9:30 p.m. (Metro Sports)
Sunday, July 8th
Kansas City Wizards Reserves at Los Angeles Galaxy Reserves: 11 a.m.
*All training sessions are held at the new Swope Park training facility off of 63rd and Lewis. Practice times are subject to change.
