Kansas City will secure a playoff berth with a win next Saturday in Dallas. Kansas City can also qualify with a tie next weekend and help from opponents or, potentially, a loss and help. Saturday, All three goals came within a five-minute stretch in the first half as Colombian striker Juan Pablo Angel scored a penalty kick in the 19th minute, followed by a Jack Jewsbury header in the 21st minute and a second goal from Angel in the 24th minute.
Kansas City attacked early and often, creating an opportunity just 26 seconds into the match. After a quick combination in midfield, the ball came forward to Scott Sealy who laid it off diagonally for midfielder Kurt Morsink. Morsink's shot from 15 yards out, however, missed wide without troubling goalkeeper Jon Conway.
The Wizards continued attacking in the early going as midfielder Davy Arnaud created two chances in minutes 7 and 8, respectively. First, Arnaud took a free kick from 30 yards out that dipped late and was bobbled by Conway momentarily. One minute later, Arnaud collected a deflected ball and fired on goal from 25 yards out, but Conway pushed the long-range effort wide.
New York created its first dangerous opportunity in the 10th minute as right winger Dane Richards and right back Hunter Freeman combined on the right flank. Richards laid a ball back for Freeman just four yards off the end line. Freeman then swung a low cross in for a cutting Angel who fired just over the cross bar from close range.
The Red Bulls took the lead in the 19th minute after a penalty kick was awarded for a hand ball by defender Jose Luis Burciaga Jr. inside the Wizards 18-yard area. Angel stepped to the spot and buried the ball inside the left-side netting past the outstretched hands of goalkeeper Kevin Hartman to put New York ahead 1-0.
Kansas City wasted no time, equalizing just two minutes later through a header from right back Jack Jewsbury. Kansas City won a free kick 25 yards out on the left side of the pitch. Arnaud swung in a hard cross, finding Jewsbury at the near post. Jewsbury made no mistake, redirecting the ball with a snap header inside the near post past Conway to tie the score 1-1.
Angel put New York ahead for good in the 24th minute after a Kansas City giveaway at the top of the penalty area. Speedy winger Richards collected the ball and turned toward goal. As a defender slid over, he laid the ball inside for a wide-open Angel who took a touch and slotted the ball inside the near post for his 19th goal of the season and a 2-1 Red Bull lead.
Forward Francis Doe almost gave the Red Bulls a two-goal advantage in first-half stoppage time as he collected a ball in the penalty area and shot toward goal from a tough angle. His shot struck squarely off the crossbar and deflected clear, however, as referee Mark Geiger blew the halftime whistle.
Hartman denied an Angel hat-trick bid in the 51st minute to keep the Wizards within one goal. Freeman swung in a free kick to a streaking Angel 15 yards from goal. Angel's snap header was on target, but Hartman extended fully and pushed the ball wide to keep his team in the game.
Kansas City had an opportunity to level the score in the 53rd minute after forward Scott Sealy was pulled down in the penalty area in the 52nd minute. Forward Eddie Johnson stepped to the spot, but his right-footed effort was stopped by a diving Conway to keep New York in front.
In the 64th minute, Angel had another opportunity to add to the lead. Richards collected a free ball once more in midfield, quickly spinning the ball forward for Doe who back-heeled it to an onrushing Angel. Angel took a touch then fired toward goal, but his right-footed effort from inside the 18-yard area missed just wide right.
Kansas City created an opportunity through a pair of second-half substitutes in the 71st minute. Midfielder Sasha Victorine held the ball up on the left side of the penalty area, playing a back heel for overlapping midfielder Carlos Marinelli. Marinelli took the ball, beat a defender and swung a left-footed cross toward the back post. Arnaud chested the ball down, but his short-range effort was caught cleanly by Conway off a bounce.
Arnaud again played a part in a dangerous attack in the 75th minute, putting Johnson through up the right flank. Johnson won the end line with his pace and cut the ball back for a streaking Sealy. Sealy was falling after contact in the box, however, and his first shot was stopped by Conway, with a second effort cleared off the line by left back Dave van den Bergh.
Hartman again kept the game close in the 84th minute after Angel spun the ball wide for forward Josmer Altidore. Altidore hit the ball in the first touch, forcing a diving save from Hartman to keep Kansas City within a goal.
Kansas City had the game's final opportunity in the 90th minute. Marinelli cut inside from the left flank and found Johnson in the middle of the park. Johnson turned toward goal and fired a shot from 22 yards out that forced a diving save from Conway to preserve the victory for New York.
The Wizards now travel to Western-Conference foe FC Dallas Saturday, October 20 to wrap-up the 2007 MLS regular-season next at 7:30 p.m. CT on Metro Sports. Kansas City is guaranteed a playoff spot with a victory in Dallas Saturday. Further playoff scenarios are listed below.
Notables:
• Following the match, Kansas City sits 10-12-7 (37 pts) in 4th place in the competitive Eastern Conference, Red Bull New York clinched 3rd place with the victory.
• Kansas City remains in the playoff picture, currently in 8th place in MLS. The Wizards are tied with Chicago for the 7th-most points in MLS, but lose the tie-breaker to the Fire.
• Kansas City is guaranteed a playoff spot with a victory in Dallas next Saturday.
• The Wizards can also make the playoffs with a tie and losses or ties by Los Angeles and Colorado.
• Kansas City will only be eliminated from the playoffs if they lose their final match next Saturday and Colorado goes 2-0-0 and Los Angeles at least 2-0-1 over their remaining matches.
• If the season ended today, the Wizards would qualify as the 5th team from the East and move to the Western-Conference playoff bracket. Chivas USA would be the Wizards first-round opponent.
• Kansas City is now 13-14-5 all-time against New York and 2-8-6 against the Red Bulls on the road.
• Midfielder Kerry Zavagnin will miss his first match of the season next Saturday at FC Dallas after picking up his 5th yellow card of the season against New York.
• The Wizards have now conceded 7 penalty kicks this season (6 goals against) while taking 4 (2 goals).
• Kansas City has surrendered a penalty kick in each of its last three visits to New York, including the final game of the 2006 regular season in which the Red Bulls converted two penalty kicks on their way to a 3-2 victory to eliminate Kansas City from the playoffs.
• Davy Arnaud recorded his 7th assist of the season to move into a tie with Sasha Victorine for the team lead. Arnaud's career high for assists (8) was set in 2004.
• Arnaud has 23 career assists, good for 5th in team history.
• Defender Jack Jewsbury now has 2 goals on the year and 9 for his career. Both Jewsbury goals this year have come in 2-1 losses.
• Kansas City had midfielders Davy Arnaud (red-card suspension), Sasha Victorine (injury) and defender Jimmy Conrad (red-card suspension) back in the line-up following last Friday's match against D.C. when the Wizards were without the veteran trio.
