A goal by Kansas City Wizards forward Scott Sealy just before halftime was countered by a piece of individual magic from D.C. United's Christian Gomez as the teams battled to an intense 1-1 draw Friday night at Arrowhead Stadium.
Needing three points to end a two-game slide and possibly clinch a playoff berth that has eluded the club since the 2004 season, the tie left the Wizards with 37 points with two games to play, though still six points ahead of ninth-place Columbus, which plays Saturday.
The visiting Black-and-Red left Arrowhead Stadium with a league-best 54 points, now five points ahead of the New England Revolution atop the race for the MLS Supporters' Shield.
Further intensifying the match was the fact that the two sides are on a collision course to meet in the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs -- with their last meeting coming at MLS Cup 2004 in Los Angeles where D.C. won 3-2 in a controversial championship match.
Key parts of each side's machinery were missing the contest with captain and center back Jimmy Conrad and offensive sparkplug Davy Arnaud forced to sit out due to red card suspensions for the Wizards, and Brazilian Fred and all-time MLS goal-scoring leader Jaime Moreno missing for D.C.
The visitors took only 36 seconds to get a chance on goal as United midfielder Christian Gomez received a pass on the doorstep of Kevin Hartman's goal. Gomez's shot was palmed away by Hartman for the Wizards' goalkeeper's 1,000th save of his career. Only two others -- Scott Garlick and Tony Meola -- had more in their MLS careers. The 1,001st came only four minutes later as Devon McTavish blasted from eight yards right at Hartman.
The Wizards were decisive in their response as their energy came through. From a long spell of possession in the United end half-chances were created through an active Eddie Johnson up top and a long-distance attempt from Jack Jewsbury at right back.
The match intensity remained as the half went on, but the chances were cut short in midfield as each team tightened their team defense. It was D.C. who threatened next as Gomez shot from a free kick deep on the left in the Wizards' end.
Hartman batted away the curling ball and his clearance eventually led to a spirited run from Johnson who beat two defenders as he raced 40 yards on the right into the United box where he beat another before the ball was swept away by the last defender, central midfielder Brian Carroll hustling back on the play.
In the 30th minute, Hartman was called on to save a bullet from the leg of McTavish, who had latched onto a half-clearance at the top of the penalty area, unleashing a thundering half-volley that Hartman stonewalled.
Sealy, returning to the lineup from a quadriceps strain, was fed deep into the left corner of D.C.'s end in the 39th minute as the Wizards looked to break the stalemate. The Trinidadian international cut right and fired a shot aimed at the upper right corner of Troy Perkins' goal. However the ball failed to curve and catch the corner as it flew past the far post.
Now the chances were again coming furiously. United back Marc Burch made a run across the top of the Wizards box in the 39th minute, battling Nick Garcia the whole way. Burch shook off Garcia enough to force Hartman to get up to tip his shot over the bar.
Then the Wizards broke through. Center midfielder Kerry Zavagnin found a streaking Johnson racing free to the right of D.C.'s goal on the edge of the area. The striker pulled back to calmly play a tame pass back to an onrushing Sealy, who struck for the lead as his shot powered into the lower left corner of the net from outside the box. The goal was Sealy's fifth of the season.
The second half picked up where the first left off, and it took only 11 minutes for D.C. to pull level. Defender Burch played a splitting ball into Gomez at the top left of the Wizards' box. The crafty Argentinean received with his back to defender Wahl but spun to face goal with the ball on his right foot. Faking his shot, Gomez put Wahl off-balance and then struck a quick shot that made its way past Hartman low inside the near post.
A midfield battle formed again as it had midway through the first half but the impassioned play did not. Wizards head coach Curt Onalfo made two changes in the 66th and 71st minutes, swapping midfielder Eloy Colombano and forward Ryan Pore for Burciaga and Marinelli respectively. United brought on midfielder Domenic Mediate and Moreno for midfielders Clyde Simms and Ben Olsen in the 61st and 73rd.
Pore tried to play set-up man in the 78th minute as Kansas City continued to fight fire with fire. The second-year forward fed Sealy at the top of the D.C. box for an open shot that erkins rushed out to the middle of the box to block. While Perkins gained his feet and scampered back to his line, a host of defenders kept Sealy at bay as he tried to get off a second shot. Three minutes later, Sealy would get another chance but shot wide left.
As full-time neared, half-chances came and went as did the full three points for either side. The Wizards will now hit the road, heading to New York and Dallas for their last two matches of the MLS campaign in their bid to return to the postseason, while United have home games against Chicago and Columbus to close out the regular season.
Bob Rusert is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
