including a 3-0 decision to the Kansas City Wizards four days previous at Arrowhead Stadium.
• TFC started strong, and nearly scored twice in the first half. An innocuous looking corner kick was nearly spilled into his own goal by Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman, and then Danny Dichio had a terrific chance when all alone in the area, but his shot was cleared off the line by K.C. right back Jack Jewsbury.
• But after the break it was a different story, and the Wizards deservedly took the lead in the 81st minute. A long ball from Michael Harrington found Eddie Johnson in the right side of the area, and he cut back to his left foot before lashing a low drive that took a deflection off a defender and slipped inside the near post for the game's lone goal.
• Wizards head coach Curt Onalfo made no changes to the team that defeated Toronto FC the Wednesday before at Arrowhead Stadium.
• Here's Onalfo's team: (4-3-1-2): Kevin Hartman - Jack Jewsbury, Jimmy Conrad, Nick Garcia, Jose Burciaga Jr. - Sasha Victorine, , Kerry Zavagnin, Michael Harrington - Carlos Marinelli (Ryan Pore 16 / Kurt Morsink 90) - Eddie Johnson, Davy Arnaud. Substitutes Not Used: Aaron Hohlbein, Will John, Eric Kronberg, Ryan Raybould, Lance Watson
• "I was extremely pleased with the result. It was a gutsy performance; we defended well and kept our shape very, very well," Onalfo said. "We had an awful lot of opportunities to score, and it didn't frustrate our guys until we finally put the ball into the back of the net."
TEAM NEWS
• Johnson had a number of chances to score before the game-winner - one, in the 65th minute, had TFC goalkeeper Greg Sutton out of position but a sliding defender denied the bid. But he finally found the back of the net for his third goal in as many games to begin the season.
• "I knew it was one of those games where you keep putting yourself in the spots and keep your focus for 90 minutes, the chances will come," Johnson said. "I just kept putting myself in those spots and the next time I was a little more composed in the box."
• Said Onalfo: "[Johnson] persevered. We've told him all season long we want him to be aggressive, take players on, take risks and that's what he did today. To his credit, he didn't give up and he got himself a goal to win the game."
• While the Wizards kept a second successive clean sheet against Toronto and goalkeeper Kevin Hartman added to his MLS-leading career total (now 64), Johnson pointed to a clearance from Jack Jewsbury in the six-yard box with Hartman beaten in the first half.
• "That save alone gave us the confidence to go into halftime 0-0. We came out in the second half with a better mentality," Johnson said. "We've got a little streak going and when everyone's working hard for each other. When you do all of the little things, you kind of create that luck."
• Count Johnson among those who was impressed with new BMO Field and the atmosphere surrounding the first-ever MLS game in Canada.
• "It was great. You know, this is what MLS has been trying to build -- a league where we can get soccer-specific stadiums that will bring a lot of fans to the game and sell out these games. Having the team in Canada, we couldn't have asked for a better place where soccer is really big and where the fans really want to come out here and support the team," he said. "These are the games you get pumped up for. From the moment we walked out, it was an environment where this is what we live, eat, breathe and sleep for."
COLUMBUS CREW
The Columbus Crew won for the first time in 2007 - while also remaining undefeated on the campaign - capturing a 1-0 victory against D.C. United last Saturday at Crew Stadium. The Crew now sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with six points from their first four games, four points out of first place entering the week, and a point behind the New England Revolution.
LAST MATCH
• The Columbus Crew were still looking for their first win on the season after three draws. D.C. United were also looking for a first win of their own -- after beginning the year with two defeats.
• The game's sole strike came in the 28th minute, after an interception in midfield led to a quick counter. Joseph Ngwenya took a pass on the left as Ezra Hendrickson steamed forward to get on the end of the return ball. Ngwenya laid the ball back and the St. Vincent & Grenadines international beat Troy Perkins with his shot, only to see it cleared off the line by defender Devon McTavish. The rebound eventually came back out to Hendrickson, and he made no mistake with his second chance.
• The match was suspended for 28 minutes at the 84-minute mark when thunderstorms rolled through the area, but in the 10 minutes after the delay (including four minutes of stoppage time), neither team really threatened.
• D.C., wearing maroon in honor of Virginia Tech University, lost for the third consecutive match to begin the season. It was the first time in league history the winners of the Supporters' Shield the previous season had lost their first three games to open the next.
• Crew head coach Sigi Schmid made one change to the team that played to a 2-2 draw with New England nine days earlier. With Andy Herron suspended for four matches, Kei Kamara came into attack as Schmid kept Ricardo Virtuoso in the team, with a slight adjustment to the team's tactical scheme.
• Here's Schmid's team (4-2-3-1): Andy Gruenebaum - Frankie Hejduk, Marcos Gonzalez, Ezra Hendrickson, Rusty Pierce - Ned Grabavoy, Danny O'Rourke - Joseph Ngwenya, Eddie Gaven, Ricardo Virtuoso (Stefani Miglioranzi 61) - Kei Kamara (Jason Garey 69). Substitutes Not Used: Brad Evans, Brandon Moss, Duncan Oughton, Robbie Rogers, Kenny Schoeni
• "Obviously, we're happy to get three points. I think we've played well at times and there's been times when we've deserved something and didn't necessarily get the maximum," Schmid said. "So for us to get three points tonight was very important and at this point, with six points, we're still in contact with everyone we want to be in contact with."
TEAM NEWS
• A year ago it also took the Crew four games to record their first victory, but instead of three ties, they started the campaign with two losses then a draw.
• "We're definitely better than we were last year. We've been in every game and we're finding a way to not beat ourselves," Schmid said. "I thought the effort tonight was superb. As long as we are maintaining that fighting spirit, we give ourselves a chance in every game, and that's something these guys have done very well for each other."
• The goal was the 23rd in league play in Hendrickson's MLS career. He's scored at least one goal in eight of his 11 seasons in the league, and it was his second since coming to Columbus before last season.
• "It was instinct. The first time I didn't hit it too well, and luckily it came back to me so I knew the second time I had to put it away," he said. "Hopefully today we have gotten some momentum going into the rest of the season and we can keep picking up maximum points at home."
• Said Schmid: "[Hendrickson] is just a tremendous competitor. There is nobody who is more intense than Ezra, and nobody wants to win a game more than he does. To see a guy like him score a goal and give us our first win, it makes me happy because there is nobody that wants to give more for the team than he does."
• The Crew did have a four-game unbeaten run a year ago, when they played to four consecutive ties from June 21-July 4.
• "Of course, we don't like to think about last season too much, but I think we are definitely playing better. We have to get points at home, and then try to pick up wins and ties on the road," Ned Grabavoy said. "We created some chances in our early games, which gave us confidence, but we were glad to finally get the win."
• This weekend could also see the debut of Argentinean star Guillermo Barros Schelotto, who was signed in mid-April by the Crew. The 35-year-old midfielder played 16 seasons in Argentina's Primera A Division, since 1997 with Buenos Aires powerhouse CA Boca Juniors, where he won a record 15 titles with that club: Apertura (1998, 2000, 2003, 2005), Clausura (1999, 2006), Copa Libertadores (2000, 2001, 2003), Intercontinental Cup (2000, 2003), Copa Sudamericana (2004, 2005) and Recopa Sudamericana (2005, 2006).
