For the second consecutive game, the Kansas City Wizards found themselves empty-handed despite playing well and dominating large periods in both contests.
After a 2-0 setback to Chicago on Saturday, Wizards head coach Curt Onalfo said that his team played extremely well in the first half and then tapered off as the game wore on. The outcome in Salt Lake was completely opposite.
The Wizards dominated RSL in the second half, but that was after allowing two first-half goals -- the first coming inside the first minute of the match -- as they lost 3-1 to Real at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
"Maybe next game we'll put together two good halves," chuckled Onalfo as he described the progression of his team.
The trouble for Kansas City started early when two of the new Argentinian signings from for Salt Lake combined to give the home side an early lead. Matias Mantilla headed a corner from Javier Morales past Kevin Hartman just 40 seconds following the kickoff.
It was a game-changing setback that put the Wizards on their heels, and it took time to recover.
"You say a lot of stuff prior to going out before a game, and you say a lot of stuff in the team huddle. And then to give up a goal a minute in makes all of that null and void," said Wizards defender Jimmy Conrad.
As the half wore on the Wizards looked to be gaining more and more control, until just before the intermission Salt Lake struck again. Real's third import from Argentina, Fabian Espindola, rifled a shot past Hartman in the 42nd minute.
The timing of the second goal was eerily familiar, and it looks to be a growing trend with Kansas City.
"This is the third game in a row that we've given up a goal with less than five minutes to go before halftime," said Conrad. "It's a concentration thing. If we want to reach the goals we set at the begining of the season those things have got to stop."
It hasn't only been the timing of the goals allowed, but also the kinds of goals. The Wizards defense seems to spring leaks when it comes to set pieces.
"We're having a real mental block when it comes to set pieces," said Conrad. "We've been real soft, and it's punished us this year. We need to get a little more -- dastardly. Just to be harder to play against, and make it tough, like teams do against us."
With the newly-signed Argentinians combining to sink the Wizards early on, one might think it was the unfamiliarity with the new faces that led to the Blues not being properly prepared to handle them. But, with connections of their own and familiarity with the leagues in Argentina, Onalfo said they knew what they were facing in Salt Lake.
"We knew [Mantilla] was a solid player," said Onalfo. "We've watched enough of Espindola to know he was a good player. We didn't know Morales."
Eddie Johnson's scorching volley in the 69th minute was the lone bright spot on the scoresheet for the Wizards. Even though he's tied with New York's Juan Pablo Angel for second in the league with 13 goals this season, Johnson hadn't scored in five previous outings, and it was starting to affect the striker's confidence.
"In this game, there are phases when you're hot and then defenses start dictating their game plans based on you and try to stop you from scoring goals. The last five games it's been tough," said Johnson.
"I think I've had three or four shots on goal in the last five games and that comes from a lack of confidence from not scoring. A goal like that definitely gives me confidence in front of the goal."
With the ball bouncing around in traffic Sasha Victorine was able to backheel a pass to Johnson, who spun and smashed a side volley inside the far post. It was goal any striker would be proud of, and Johnson is no exception.
"Curt Onalfo talked all year about scoring scrappy goals," said Johnson. "The ball was bouncing around and it came to Sasha [Victorine], bounced off of one of their defenders and came to me. I knew I was in the box, so I just turned and hit it. I was hoping to catch the 'keeper off guard, and I did.
"It's one of those goals I never score. Sometimes, if I don't get the ball I end up giving up on the play. But, I stayed with the play and I scored on a half-chance."
The loss comes an inopportune time for the Wizards as they head into the last stretch of the season while trying to keep their place in the top eight in the overall standings to reach the playoffs.
But, because of their schedule, they have no time to dwell on the past. The Wizards head to Houston on Saturday for a date with Dynamo, who lead the Western Conference.
"You've got to put it behind you," said Onalfo. "You got to take some lessons from it. Get it out of our system. And go to Houston with a mentality to try and be successful."
Scott McAllister is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
