FOR FINAL HOME GAME
Fan Appreciation Night This Friday
The date of the Kansas City Wizards final home match has changed from the original schedule.
The game will be played this Friday, October 5 at 7 p.m. CT at Arrowhead Stadium against D.C. United.
Originally scheduled for October 6, the match will be Fan Appreciation Day and could be a preview of a 2007 MLS Cup Playoff match-up between the squads. The Wizards will offer merchandise specials and giveaways throughout the match, presented by Time Warner Cable and adidas. Players will then come out after the game for a field-level autograph session. Friday is the last chance for 2007 season ticket holders to redeem their unused season tickets.
If the season ended today, the Wizards and D.C. United would square off in a two-game playoff series, with aggregate goals deciding the contest. The first leg would be played at Arrowhead Stadium with a return match in the nation's capitol at RFK Stadium. The Wizards have a chance to clinch a playoff berth with a win and help Friday. See below for details.
Prior to and during Friday's important clash with D.C. United, the Wizards Wives Club with host a breast-cancer fundraiser benefiting the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Wives and members of Zeta Tau Alpha's Kansas City alumni chapter will be outside at Soccer Celebration selling pink soccer balls, with 50 % of the proceeds going to the Komen Foundation. Pink balls, great for autographs at the post-game session, will also be available inside the stadium at merchandise booths.
FC Dallas, Kansas City and New York
can clinch berths this week; Real Salt Lake eliminated from contention
With only three weeks left in the 2007 MLS regular season four teams have clinched playoff berths, while the remaining four spots are up for grabs in a tightly contested race to the finish. FC Dallas, Kansas City and New York can punch their tickets to the playoffs this week, while Real Salt Lake was eliminated and Toronto FC's chances hang by a thread.
The Red Bulls travel to face Toronto FC on Thursday, Oct. 4 in the ESPN2 primetime match at 7 p.m. ET, and they could clinch a playoff berth with a win, or if Columbus and Los Angeles fail to win over the weekend.
FC Dallas will clinch a spot with a win or tie over Columbus on Saturday, as Columbus is the only team that could catch them in the overall standings with 40 points. The Crew sits in ninth place with 31 points, but can earn a maximum of 40 points if they win the remainder of their games. The Wizards are the only other team that can clinch a spot this weekend, needing to win and hope that the Crew and the Los Angeles Galaxy both fail to win.
When the regular season ends on Oct. 21, the team with the most points will win the Supporters' Shield and will qualify for the 2008 CONCACAF Champions Cup. Ten MLS teams have three games remaining and three teams have four games left, including the Los Angeles Galaxy who are 3-0-1 in their last four games.
Below are the scenarios in which teams could clinch or be eliminated this week:
FC Dallas:
• Will clinch a playoff spot IF:
· FC Dallas ties or defeats Columbus on Saturday
Kansas City Wizards:
• Will clinch a playoff spot IF:
· Kansas City defeats D.C. United on Friday AND
· Columbus Crew fails to win on Saturday AND
· Los Angeles Galaxy fails to win on Sunday
New York Red Bulls:
• Will clinch a playoff spot IF:
· New York defeats Toronto FC on Thursday, OR
· Columbus fails to win versus FC Dallas on Saturday AND
· Los Angeles fails to win versus Houston on Sunday
Toronto FC:
• Will be mathematically eliminated from playoff contention IF:
· Toronto FC fails to win against New York on Thursday, OR
· Chicago ties or defeats New England on Saturday
If the season ended today, the eight teams below would qualify. They are listed according to their would-be opponents in two-game, aggregate goals playoff series:
Eastern Conference Semifinals |
Western Conference Semifinals |
|---|---|
D.C. United vs. Kansas City Wizards |
Houston Dynamo vs. Chicago Fire* |
New England Revolution vs. New York Red Bulls |
Chivas USA vs. FC Dallas |
*As the fifth team to qualify from the Eastern Conference, Chicago would shift over to become the fourth seed in the Western Conference playoff bracket. Full qualification and seeding procedure is below.
MLS CUP PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Individual clubs have information on specific dates for their respective home matches.
EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS:
Game 1: Thurs., Oct. 25 - Sun., Oct. 28
Game 2: Thurs., Nov. 1 - Sun., Nov. 4
WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS:
Game 1: Thurs., Oct. 25 - Sun., Oct. 28
Game 2: Thurs., Nov. 1 - Sun., Nov. 4
CONFERENCE FINALS:
Thurs., Nov. 8 teams and site TBD (ESPN2)
Sat., Nov. 10 teams and site TBD
MLS CUP
Sun., Nov. 18, Noon (ABC) at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.
MLS PLAYOFF RACE
Team |
Points |
Games Left |
Max Pts. |
|---|---|---|---|
<font color="blue">*D.C. United</font> |
53 |
34 |
62 |
<font color="blue">*NE Revolution</font> |
49 |
3 |
58 |
<font color="blue">*Chivas USA</font> |
48 |
4 |
60 |
<font color="blue">*Houston Dynamo</font> |
48 |
3 |
57 |
FC Dallas |
40 |
3 |
49 |
NY Red Bulls |
39 |
3 |
48 |
Kansas City Wizards |
36 |
3 |
45 |
Chicago Fire |
33 |
3 |
42 |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
<font color="red">Columbus Crew</font> |
31 |
3 |
40 |
<font color="red">Colorado Rapids</font> |
29 |
3 |
38 |
<font color="red">LA Galaxy</font> |
27 |
4 |
39 |
<font color="red">Real Salt Lake</font> |
24 |
3 |
33 |
<font color="red">Toronto FC</font> |
21 |
4 |
33 |
Key:
* Has clinched a playoff spot
Blue - Automatic berths in MLS Cup Playoffs
Black - Wildcard berths in MLS Cup Playoffs
Red - Currently out of playoffs
The qualification and seeding are as follow:
• Eight teams qualify for the 2007 MLS Cup Playoffs
• Playoff berths will be determined by points in the standings upon the completion of the regular season on Oct. 21; all 13 teams will have played 30 games.
· If two teams are tied on points, the first tiebreaker is head-to-head results, the second tiebreaker is goal differential, and the third is goals scored for the season. (Subsequent tiebreakers are available in the Fact and Record Book).
• The top two teams in each conference qualify and are seeded 1 & 2 in their respective four-team playoff conference brackets.
• The four MLS teams with the next most points, regardless of conference, receive "wildcard" berths.
· The four wildcard teams will be seeded according to conference first.
· If more than four teams qualify from one conference, those finishing lower than fourth in their conference will shift over to the other conference bracket.
· A team switching conference brackets will be seeded below all other teams in its new conference playoff bracket.
MLS GAMES THIS WEEK
(All times Eastern)
Thursday, October 4
New York Red Bulls at Toronto FC, 7:00 p.m. (ESPN2)
Friday, October 5
D.C. United at Kansas City Wizards, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 6
FC Dallas at Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m. (FSC, FSE)
New England Revolution at Chicago Fire, 8:30 p.m.
Chivas USA at Real Salt Lake, 9:00 p.m. (HDNet delayed 10 PM ET)
Sunday, October 7
Los Angeles Galaxy at Houston Dynamo, 3:00 p.m. (TeleFutura)
Toronto FC at Colorado Rapids, 8:00 p.m.
If the Kansas City Wizards qualify for the 2007 MLS Cup Playoffs, those who attended last Thursday's match-up with Los Angeles will be able to buy one playoff ticket and get one free playoff ticket for the first home playoff game. This two-for-one offer can be redeemed by bringing the ticket stub from the Wizards versus Galaxy game on 9/27/07 to (A) the Wizards front office at 8900 State Line Road from September 28th through the first playoff game or (B) bringing the 9/27/07 ticket stub to Arrowhead Stadium on the day of the first playoff game.
at Wizards Swope Park Training Center
M&I Bank, the official bank of the Kansas City Wizards, is sponsoring a special clinic Tuesday for underprivileged Kansas City kids at the Wizards new, state-of-the-art practice facility in Swope Park. Wizards stars Jimmy Conrad, Nick Garcia and Kerry Zavagnin will be on hand to teach the youngsters about soccer and make sure they have a good time.
Who: D Jimmy Conrad, D Nick Garcia, M Kerry Zavagnin
When: Tuesday, October 2; 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Where: Swope Park Training Facility, 6310 Lewis Road, Kansas City, MO
What: M&I Bank and the Kansas City Wizards are teaming up to hold a clinic for Boys and Girls Club of Kansas City. The players will instruct for an hour and a half for about 60 children. All participants will receive a 2007 team poster to be autographed by the players.
Wizards Weekly, the official Kansas City Wizards weekly highlight show, broadcast on Metro Sports Thursday at 11:30 p.m., Friday at 4 p.m. and again Saturday at 11:30 a.m., will feature Head Coach Curt Onalfo and defender Jack Jewsbury.
Onalfo and show host Brad Porter will discuss the playoff push, as the Wizards can clinch a spot this weekend with a win over D.C. United Friday and help from other teams. Jewsbury will speak to the excitement of the final three games of the season and his feeling about his position since the beginning of the season, right back.
Who: GK Kevin Hartman, M-F Davy Arnaud, D Jack Jewsbury, F Ryan Pore
When: Tuesday, October 2; 1:30 p.m.
Where: Deer Creek Golf Course, 7000 W. 133rd Street, Overland Park, KS
What: Four Kansas City Wizards players will be displaying their golf skills on Tuesday, October 2 at Deer Creek Golf Course for to raise money for Headstart of Shawnee Mission. Kevin Hartman, Davy Arnaud, Jack Jewsbury, and Ryan Pore will step off of the soccer field and onto the golf course for a whole new type of competition.
Who: M-F Edson Elcock
When: Friday, October 5; 6:00-6:30 p.m.
Where: Arrowhead Stadium, 1 Arrowhead Drive, Kansas City, MO
What: Join Kansas City Wizard player Edson Elcock on Soccer Celebration outside of Arrowhead Stadium before the game against DC United. Elcock will be signing autographs for fans at the Fan Information booth. Make sure to stop by.
Who: Mascot Dynamo the Dragon
When: Saturday, October 6; 9:00-10:00 a.m.
Where: First Bible Baptist Church, Kansas City, MO
What: Dynamo will be heading out to First Bible Baptist to greet and hang out with children participating in the ADP Sports Soccer League. He will be entertaining the children and handing out Kansas City Wizards team posters.
Monday, October 1
Training 10 a.m.
Tuesday, October 2
Training 10 a.m.
Wednesday, October 3
Training 10 a.m.
Thursday, October 4
Training 10 a.m.
Friday, October 5
Kansas City Wizards vs D.C. United at 7 p.m. CT at Arrowhead Stadium
*All training sessions are held at the new Swope Park training center off of 63rd and Lewis. Practice times are subject to change. Please call Sarah Hardy at 816-665-8442 to confirm.
