The New York Red Bulls made it three wins in a row with a third consecutive shutout -- and lengthened the Kansas City Wizards' losing streak to seven games -- with a 1-0 victory at Giants Stadium on Saturday night.
Mike Magee scored the game's lone goal in the first half and the Wizards were shut out for the fifth time during their losing streak. The Red Bulls' third consecutive victory by shutout -- all with Jon Conway in goal -- marked the first time since June, 1996, that the New York club had won three games in a row while keeping a clean sheet.
The Red Bulls were forced to tweak their starting lineup when leading scorer Jean Philippe Peguero was unavailable for selection while his transfer is being negotiated to a club in Denmark. Magee moved up to play alongside Edson Buddle and Todd Dunivant made his first start, playing on the left of the Red Bulls back four.
Playing under interim coach Brian Bliss for the first time, the Wizards came out and had the better of the attack in the opening 20 minutes, but they were unfortunate not to take the lead. In the 17th minute Eddie Johnson's open header off an Alex Zotinca corner kick sailed high over the crossbar. Three minutes later, Dutch midfielder Dave van den Bergh, making his MLS debut, pushed the ball wide of the far post.
The Red Bulls took the lead on 25 minutes on Magee's third goal of the year. Marvell Wynne played the ball up the right flank to Seth Stammler, who sent a rolling cross inside the box and Magee beat Nick Garcia to the ball, knocking the ball past Bo Oshoniyi from the edge of the six-yard box inside the near post.
The Wizards had three quality chances in the final 15 minutes of the first half, but Sasha Victorine headed Zotinca's corner off the crossbar and Johnson rolled a shot just wide of the far post from 14 yards out.
Johnson had another chance in the 57th minute, but Conway dived to his right to get a piece of his low shot from 14 yards out. Two minutes later, Chris Henderson nearly doubled the Red Bulls lead but after pulling Zotinca's jersey from behind and breaking free on goal, he put the ball over the bar.
Bliss made his first switch just after the hour mark, bringing on Jack Jewsbury for Van den Bergh.
The Red Bulls had two more chances in a one-minute span to make it 2-0 but Oshoniyi lunged to save a shot by Buddle in the 64th and then the veteran goalkeeper stopped Stammler's low shot after a Guevara free kick a minute later.
Both teams made changes in the 72nd minute as the Red Bulls brought Jerrod Laventure on for Henderson, moving Magee back into midfield and the Wizards replaced Josh Wolff with Ryan Pore.
A minute later Buddle had another opportunity go astray when his blast from the top of the 18-yard box went wide to Oshoniyi's left.
Bliss made his final substitution in the 77th minute, bringing on Scott Sealy for Jose Burciaga Jr. Two minutes later, Oshoniyi was again called into action, punching away Amado Guevara's free kick from 28 yards out.
The Wizards had their final chance in the first minute of stoppage time, but Dunivant cleared Pore's shot off the line after it slipped past a scrambling Conway after a free kick was swung over to far post from the left corner.
Each team plays their final game before the All-Star break next Saturday. The Red Bulls play at Houston while the Wizards play host to the Revolution.
Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
