Call it improbable; call it a resurrection. But call the Kansas City Wizards' amazing comeback on Saturday night what it was: needed.
Down a goal as the regulation 90 minutes rolled over into stoppage time, the Wizards got a penalty kick, converted by Eddie Johnson, then a stunning game-winner from Scott Sealy barely a minute later for a 3-2 win. The Wizards became just the third team in MLS history to score the tying and winning goals in stoppage time. But more importantly, it put the club on firm footing to ensure they can get back to the MLS Cup Playoffs.
"In a two-minute period of time, we put ourselves in a great position to make the playoffs," said midfielder Kerry Zavagnin. "A loss tonight would have really damaged those chances. It's a 90-plus minute game, and no matter how you do it, the only thing that matters is three points."
The three points mean the Wizards have gotten closer to qualifying for the eight-team MLS playoffs, as they sit in the seventh spot with 36 points, one behind the New York Red Bulls. But, more importantly, it means they stay well above the fray for the final spot, where Columbus, Colorado and Chicago finished the night separated by only two points (though Colorado still has a game on Sunday).
The Wizards began well as Sealy put in a wonderful free kick from 26 yards. The goal was Sealy's third of his injury-riddled season.
"I've been doing it in practice for a while now, just never had a chance to take one in a game," said Sealy who was the victim of the foul that led to the chance. "Tonight it was in a good spot."
The goal seemed destined to send the home side on their way to an important win against a decimated Crew side missing some big players in midfielder Guillermo Barros Schelotto and starting backs Frankie Hejduk and Rusty Pierce.
Yet the determined Crew were playing for a chance at the postseason too.
"We came out very flat in the second half. They were able to capitalize and get two goals," said Sealy, referring to the Crew's three-minute blitz that led to goals from Alejandro Moreno in the 65th minute and Andy Herron in the 67th.
The turnaround turned joy into a bitter despair, especially when the game clock clicked towards the 90-minute mark.
"It was a terrible feeling," said Wizards head coach Curt Onalfo. "But you never give up hope. I knew the guys wouldn't give up. I thought we would end up tying the game."
The tie came, but not without controversy. In the 92nd minute, Zavagnin latched onto a ball put into the air by Wizards captain Jimmy Conrad. Taking a touch into the upper left corner of the Crew's box, Zavagnin and Crew midfielder Stefani Miglioranzi became entangled. Down Zavagnin went, and out came referee Andrew Chapin's whistle and he pointed to the spot.
"Down a goal in injury time we're sending a tremendous number of bodies forward, and the ball popped out top of the box," said Zavagnin. "I took one touch into the box, and there were a lot of bodies. The guy made contact with me, and the referee made the call."
Eddie Johnson stepped up to take the kick and did what a goal scorer should. But he almost missed it.
"I'm still trying to calm down after the ball hit the post," said Johnson, who saw his effort strike the inside of the left post before nestling inside in the net for his 14th goal.
"I practice [PKs] every day after training. I usually go the other way. ... But you pick one way and stick with it, even if you think the 'keeper knows where you're going to go. ... I faked him out. I almost faked myself out, too, hitting it off the post. I had him diving the other way."
The goal made the near-impossible possible.
"Eddie did a great job under that amount of pressure to get the goal. We took that momentum," said Zavagnin.
Watching on the sideline, Onalfo had only one attitude for the remaining ticks on the clock.
"Once I saw us get that point, and I saw [the Crew's] heads go down, that's when I was like -- we're going for the next one," said Onalfo, as he drove a fist forward.
Seemingly a moment later, the Wizards sealed the Crew's fate and pushed their destiny closer. Started by substitute Sasha Victorine, he found Johnson, who raced up the center of the park. Johnson played wide for supporting Argentinean Eloy Colombano, who then took the deflected pass and hooked in a pinpoint cross for Sealy running at the near post. Sealy made no mistake, heading the ball inside the frame for the win.
"Eloy played a beautiful cross, and I just tried to get my head on it, and it went in. It felt good; I knew that I was inside the near post. I knew if I got contact on it, it was going in," said Sealy.
"[I celebrated] like it was my goal," said Johnson. "We put ourselves in a bad situation again, but we showed a lot of character and how deep this team is with being down 2-1 with two minutes left in the game and being able to get three points says a lot about this club."
With just one win in their previous six games, it looked like the Wizards' playoff dreams could once again be in trouble. But Onalfo said the final two minutes changed all that, on a night that might well be long remembered.
"We're going to build on this," he said. "This was a galvanizing moment for this team."
Bob Rusert is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
