coinciding with the departure of Eddie Johnson to the U.S. national team, while Real Salt Lake had suffered back-to-back losses after capturing their first victory of the season.
• In Johnson's last two games before leaving for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, he had scored a hat trick in each, becoming the first player in league history to do. And in the 19th minute, he picked up right where he left off in league play.
• Jose Burciaga Jr. lofted a long ball from the left side and Johnson skillfully brought it down before ripping a low drive in the area. It beat RSL 'keeper Nick Rimando -- but not the near post -- though Johnson coolly got to the rebound and side-footed home for his 10th goal on the campaign, putting him into a tie for the league lead.
• Wizards head coach Curt Onalfo made two changes to the team that played to a 2-2 draw with the Los Angeles Galaxy the weekend before, finally having his first-choice group available. Jose Burciaga Jr. returned to the left side of defense as Michael Harrington and Davy Arnaud both moved farther forward, and Eddie Johnson returned from international duty, as Scott Sealy was unavailable to injury and Ryan Pore returned to the substitutes' bench.
• 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 (Yura Movsisyan 57) - Eddie Johnson, Davy Arnaud. Substitutes Not Used: Will John, Eric Kronberg, Kurt Morsink, Ryan Pore, Ryan Raybould, Tyson Wahl
• "It was a great three points. At times we were not as sharp as we wanted to be. Some things were a little out of whack in the midfield, but we got things worked out and ended up playing pretty well. At times we were not as sharp as we wanted to be, but it was the first time in a while we played with our full team," said Onalfo. "Also, especially in the second half, we played against a team that played way off of us. It can be hard to be as sharp as we want when we play against that lack of pressure."
TEAM NEWS
• It was truly a boost to have Eddie Johnson back in the lineup, and he responded with his seventh goal in three games to move him into a tie with D.C. United's Luciano Emilio for the MLS Golden Boot. In his final two games before leaving for the U.S. national team, he had become the first player in MLS history to hit for back-to-back hat tricks.
• "It's great to have Eddie in our team," said Onalfo. "It changes the dynamic in our team because you have to respect his speed and that ability to get behind players and beat people on the break."
• "My last game here I had a hat trick and today I put another one in," said Johnson. "Since I have been scoring, coaches have given me freedom on the field. With all the goals, I have been playing the loads of confidence and creativity."
• Johnson said he intends to stay atop the league goalscoring table. "It's just a goal that I have set for myself. I want to score 20 goals this season. When you set your goals as high as I do and you only make it half way you are still very successful," he said. "Every day I try and think about how I can take this team to the MLS Cup, and I try and challenge myself every weekend."
• Onalfo said he feels the team needs to come together in attack with Carlos Marinelli at the playmaking position, and needs to work on their defensive shape in the midfield.
• "It wasn't a pretty game. The past few games we have been playing very pretty, but not getting the results," Jimmy Conrad said. "Tonight we did what we had to do to get the three points. I think that things are evening out a little bit, and we are getting a chance to work on some things we haven't been able to lately."
• It was also the Wizards' first clean sheet since May 5, and while they were only able to score the one goal, that stood up to relieve the sting of some previous disappointing reversals.
• "After a string of frustrating games it was nice to have one go well. We have been up against some great goalkeepers in the past few games, and (Nick) Rimando was no exception tonight. He made a couple of stellar saves on Carlos (Marinelli). We were able to get one by him tonight and we picked up the win," said Kevin Hartman.
COLORADO RAPIDS
The Colorado Rapids saw their lengthy winless streak continue in their last game, losing for the sixth time in eight games in a 1-0 loss to the New York Red Bulls on July 8 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. The Rapids have 17 points from 17 matches, still in fourth place in the Western Conference, seven points behind Chivas USA and 13 points out of the automatic playoff places.
LAST MATCH
• Colorado came into the game winless in their last seven games, having played to back-to-back scoreless draws after Wednesday's home match with Columbus, while the Red Bulls were winless in four games, dropping the first two games on their week-long road trip.
• The Red Bulls took the lead in the 19th minute through John Wolyniec. A long shot from outside the area was blocked at the top of the area, but Wolyniec picked up the rebound, still outside the box. Yet no one closed him down and he had time to size up a second shot, placing it inside the right-hand post.
• The Rapids' struggle in front of goal continued, as they controlled much of the game. But their bad luck followed -- in the 72nd minute Jovan Kirovski hit a rasping drive from outside the area that crashed off the crossbar, and in stoppage time Jacob Peterson's header clinked off the outside of the post.
• Rapids head coach Fernando Clavijo made one change to the team that played to a scoreless with the Columbus Crew on July 4. Kyle Beckerman was back from international duty and came into central midfield, replacing Daniel Wasson.
• Here's Clavijo's team (4-3-1-2): Bouna Coundoul - Dan Gargan, Facundo Erpen, Ugo Ihemelu, Brandon Prideaux - Terry Cooke, Kyle Beckerman (Daniel Wasson 46), Colin Clark (Herculez Gomez 46) - Jovan Kirovski - Nicolas Hernandez (Roberto Brown 59), Jacob Peterson. Substitutes Not Used: Jose Cancela, Nico Colaluca, Stephen Keel, Zach Thornton
• "Goals come in bundles or they don't. Right now they don't. You can see frustration in the players. What else can we do? We'll keep working in training, absolutely, but there is nothing else. Just keep our heads up and keep working," Clavijo said.
TEAM NEWS
• It was the third consecutive shutout for the Rapids and the fifth in six games. They have scored just one goal over their last 618 minutes of league play.
• "It's just not bouncing our way right now. Hopefully somebody will kick the ball in and it will all break loose, but right now it's not happening. Creating that many chances, being put into positions to score, and not scoring -- it's frustrating," Clavijo said.
• Said Herculez Gomez: "Confidence is everything for a player or a team. But if you don't have it you need to do the right things to build it. You have to concentrate. The sooner we start realizing that, the better of we will be. It's frustrating right now, but we are the only ones who can pull ourselves out of it."
• In between, the Rapids became just one of three MLS teams to advance to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup, defeating the USL First Division (second tier) California Victory 3-1 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on July 10. Jose Cancela put the Rapids ahead in the 22nd minute, knocking home a free kick, then he set up Herculez Gomez for the second in the 50th minute. After the Victory pulled a goal back through Juan Epitie in the 79th minute, Omar Cummings' goal 10 minutes later sealed the match.
• Here's Clavijo's team: Zach Thornton, Kosuke Kimura, Ugo Ihemelu, Stephen Keel, Jordan Harvey, Kyle Beckerman (Nico Colaluca 71), Daniel Wasson, Jose Cancela (Jovan Kirovski 75), Nick LaBrocca (Nicolas Hernandez 87), Herculez Gomez, Roberto Brown (Omar Cummings 46). Substitutes Not Used: Justin Hughes, Terry Cooke, Brandon Prideaux
• Since, the Rapids have made two significant player movements. On July 13, they placed Panamanian international Roberto Brown on waivers, while trading the rights to defender Chris Wingert to Real Salt Lake for two draft picks. Brown had scored three goals in 13 appearances for Colorado this season.
• Then four days later, the Rapids and Real executed another trade, this time exchanging central midfielders as Kyle Beckerman went to Real and the Rapids received Mehdi Ballouchy.
• Ballouchy was the second overall pick in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft out of Santa Clara University. The former Rapids U-23 player has scored two goals and recorded two assists for Salt Lake while playing in 46 games (40 starts) over two years. Ballouchy spent his junior year of high school at Conor Casey's alma mater, South High School in Denver. The move also allows Ballouchy to live with his wife, who is a Denver resident and has a full time career here in the Mile High City.
• Beckerman came to the Rapids in the 2002 Dispersal Draft from the now-defunct Fusion FC. In his 5-1/2 seasons on the Front Range, Beckerman has gone from an occasional starter to Rapids Golden Boot winner and U.S. national team member.
