The Kansas City Wizards have had to wait an extra week to begin their season, and even the unenviable task of playing D.C. United at their RFK Stadium home is not going to hold them back. As a matter of fact, the Wizards can hardly contain themselves.
"I'm excited and I'm anxious because I want to get this started. I've wanted to do this for a long time," said Wizards rookie head coach Curt Onalfo.
"I love playing in D.C., just for the atmosphere," said defender Jose Burciaga Jr.
For sure, the always-rabid D.C. fans will be heard from for the entire match, but there will be some friendly faces in the crowd for local boy Onalfo. His family and a "slew" of friends will be in force and he will even be presented a lifetime achievement award pregame by McLean Youth Soccer, the suburban Northern Virginia club he has run for the last few years.
Still, the Wizards are anxious to get things started, even if it is on the road -- where, including their U.S. Open Cup qualifier at Real Salt Lake next Wednesday, they will be for four of their first five games.
"Whether we play D.C. or whether we play Salt Lake, it doesn't matter," said K.C. forward Scott Sealy. "Going on the road is going to test us early on. The young guys are going to get a taste of what it is like to be on the road for so long and finding a way to get results."
As sure as D.C. coach Tom Soehn and his players will be looking to rebound after their season-opening 2-1 loss at Colorado last Saturday, the Wizards will look to avoid a similar fate. Onalfo is even wary of revealing his lineup, one that will have to find a stand-in for regular center back Nick Garcia, suspended due to a red card received in the last match of 2006 against the New York Red Bulls.
"One thing about playing your opening game is a little bit of the element of surprise," Onalfo said. "In an ideal world you want Nicky in there. Anytime you lose a starter you have to adjust to it. But we're very confident with the players that we have to put in his position."
Last Saturday's exhibition against the USL's Seattle Sounders saw Aaron Hohlbein, a first round 2007 supplemental draft pick, start in the middle of defense next to stalwart Jimmy Conrad. Later, Burciaga slid inside with 2007 first-round draft choice Michael Harrington taking his left back spot, moving back from left midfield. But no matter the lineup, the keys to success against D.C. United are the same.
"Keys are matching the intensity and enthusiasm that D.C. will bring to their home opener, and containing the best attacking trio in Major League Soccer in [Christian] Gomez, [Luciano] Emilio and [Jaime] Moreno," Onalfo said.
"You have to play good collective soccer on both sides of the ball, be aware of those guys and make sure of the appropriate cover so they don't hurt you."
Burciaga added: "We know they're going to have the ball. If we can minimize their opportunities, we can counter because I don't think their defense is going to be strong. One of our strengths is our forwards. It's going to be a battle of which defense is going to be more organized."
The Wizards will look directly at forwards Eddie Johnson and Scott Sealy to put pressure on the D.C. back line and make the RFK field smaller so the midfield can bottle any offensive momentum Moreno and friends create.
But don't expect new playmaking midfielder Carlos Marinelli to be available, as his visa must still be approved.
"[Marinelli's visa] could be here as soon as tomorrow and as long as two weeks. The process has started already. We're hoping we will be able to use him in Chicago (the Wizards' second league contest on Saturday, April 21), if not before," said Onalfo.
No matter who features, a Wizards win would be a wonder start for this energized side anxious to get a new era under new owners and a new coaching staff going. It could also sow the seed for a happier culmination to their first season together.
"We need to get some points on the board early on so later in the year we're not struggling to find the two or three points we really need [to make the playoffs]," Sealy said.
Bob Rusert is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
