moving the ball quickly. But it just comes down to the last third. We're having a tough time scoring right now, or at least creating opportunities," Serioux said. "The upside to it is we prevented them from scoring a goal. We haven't done that in a while, shutting out a team. Hopefully we can just keep progressing this way over the next couple of games heading into the playoffs."
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS
For the third consecutive season, the Kansas City Wizards' playoff fate will come down to the final weekend of the season, after a 2-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls on Saturday night at Giants Stadium. The Wizards have 37 points with a game to play, now tied for seventh place overall with the Chicago Fire, two points ahead of the Colorado Rapids and four ahead of the LA Galaxy ahead of their Thursday-Sunday doubleheader.
LAST MATCH
• The Wizards came into the game with just one win in their last seven games as they gamely tried to secure a place in the MLS postseason for the first time since 2005, while the Red Bulls were already secure in their place and matchup despite a five-game winless run.
• All the goals came in a six-minute span midway through the first half. The Red Bulls pulled level in the 18th minute from the penalty spot. Dave van den Bergh's cross from the left side banged off Jose Burciaga Jr's arm, and referee Mark Geiger immediately awarded the penalty, which Juan Pablo Angel thumped home.
• But three minutes the Wizards were level. Davy Arnaud swung in a free kick from the left touchline and Jack Jewsbury rose up to send a glancing header goalward for his second goal on the campaign.
• Yet three minutes later, the Red Bulls had pulled back in front. Burciaga lost the ball on the turf and Dane Richards alerted latched onto it, racing free toward goal before sliding a centering pass that Angel tapped in for his 19th goal on the season.
• New York goalkeeper Jon Conway then secured the full three points for the Red Bulls in the second half after Carlos Mendes hauled down Scott Sealy in the area and Geiger again called for a spot kick. But Conway dove to his right to stop Eddie Johnson's effort.
• Wizards head coach Curt Onalfo made two changes to the team that drew 1-1 at home with D.C. United the previous Friday. Jimmy Conrad and Davy Arnaud both returned from suspension, coming back into the team in place of Tyson Wahl and Carlos Marinelli.
• Here's Onalfo's team (4-1-3-2): Kevin Hartman - Jack Jewsbury (Eloy Colombano 74), Jimmy Conrad, Nick Garcia, Michael Harrington - Kerry Zavagnin - Davy Arnaud, Kurt Morsink (Carlos Marinelli 70), Jose Burciaga Jr. (Sasha Victorine 46) - Eddie Johnson, Scott Sealy. Substitutes Not Used: Eric Kronberg, Ryan Pore, Ryan Raybould, Tyson Wahl
• "At halftime we emphasized holding the ball and having the bulk of the possession. We did create chances and put them on their heels and had opportunities to score," Onalfo said. "We need to go to Dallas now and get a result. That's all there is to it. We didn't play well in the first half but played better in the second."
TEAM NEWS
• It's deja vú all over again for the Wizards. In 2005, they went to Dallas needing a victory; a 2-2 draw left them in fifth place in their first year in the Eastern Conference and out of the playoff picture. Last year they went to New York needing a victory, and left the Meadowlands out of the conference top four following a 3-2 defeat.
• "We win, we're in," Jose Burciaga Jr. said. "That's the bottom line. That's all we have to do." Said Davy Arnaud: "We control our own destiny; the playoffs are still in our hands, and we determine our own fate. We will continue to work hard and push ourselves for 90 minutes during games and in training."
• The Wizards have been on the brink of qualification for the last month, yet have come away with just one point of a possible 12 over the past four matches, with losses to Chivas USA, LA Galaxy and the Red Bulls.
• "These last four games has been some of the best soccer we've played all year," Eddie Johnson said. "Our destiny is all in our hands. ... I think it's a situation where you have to be a man, look yourself in the mirror and next week put it all on the line."
• "It's very frustrating, especially when you have the opportunities to do it," Onalfo said. "We fell short, but we're forced to go down to Dallas and get three points. End of story."
• The Wizards could have secured a crucial point in the second half when Johnson stepped to the spot, but Jon Conway saved his effort to leave the Wizards 2-for-4 from penalties on the season.
• "I didn't step up," Johnson said. "The team all year has been relying on me to score goals. ... The 'keeper made a good save and I didn't hit it right. Big players step up in big games and I wasn't a big player tonight."
