The Kansas City Wizards got a late equalizer from Sasha Victorine only to fall in extra time, losing 2-1 to Real Salt Lake in their Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup qualifying match on Wednesday evening at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Victorine's late goal canceled out a first-half penalty from Jeff Cunningham and sent the game into the extra session. But in the 109th minute, Andy Williams converted a Cunningham to end the Wizards run in the nation's oldest soccer tournament and send RSL through to the next qualifying round, where they will take on the Colorado Rapids for the right to move into the tournament proper.
In just the fourth minute, Cunningham received a yellow card for knocking the ball out of Hartman's hands while the goalkeeper was holding the ball.
Then just a couple of minutes later, Hartman was forced to make a big save. A long ball out of the back for RSL found Chris Klein crashing toward the penalty area. Klein let the ball bounce a few times before hitting a first-time shot that Hartman fully extended to his right to deflect wide of the post.
The early stalemate was broken when Cunningham converted from the penalty spot for the home side in just the 11th minute. The penalty came about when Hartman was called for a foul after taking down a streaking Freddy Adu as he raced into the area.
The woodwork kept the Wizards' deficit to only a single goal. In the 18th minute Klein stepped in front of Hartman to turn a fast, rolling cross on goal from inside the goal area, but hit the angle where crossbar and post meet.
The ball was continually skipping away from both sides on the cold, wet turf. The conditions required the players' touch to be spot on.
In one such instance Eddie Johnson beat RSL goalkeeper Chris Seitz on the dribble. His move to beat Seitz required a couple of extra steps to recover control, but although he still looked to have a clear path to goal, just before he triggered his shot RSL defender Danny Torres stripped Johnson of the ball.
The Wizards came out pressing after the intermission, pinning RSL in their own end. Much of that energy looked to be coming from halftime sub Scott Sealy who nearly evened the score after just two minutes of the half.
After knocking the ball around the top of RSL box Sealy chipped Seitz, beating the RSL 'keeper but not the crossbar as it bounded away.
Carlos Marinelli made his Wizards debut in the 61st minute, coming on for Kerry Zavagnin, and the Argentinean No. 10 made his presence felt almost immediately for Kansas City. After Hartman stone-walled a 28-yard rocket from Carey Talley in the 66th minute, Marinelli took control of the Wizards offense.
In the 68th minute it was Marinelli who pressured Jack Stewart, causing the Salt Lake defender to cough up the ball deep in the RSL end. The Wizards took control and strung a few quick passes together before the ball ended back at the feet of Marinelli, who beat his mark and unleashed a blast straight at Seitz.
All the pressure from Kansas City paid off in the 88th minute on a goal from second-half sub Victorine. After an initial header from Will John that bounced between Seitz's feet, the RSL 'keeper was able to snag the ball and keep it from going over the line. However, the ball rolled free for Victorine to run on and smash into the net to bring the Wizards level.
Despite further pushes from both sides the score remained tied at 1-1 at the end of regulation, forcing the match into overtime.
Salt Lake came close to regaining the lead 11 minutes into the extra period. Williams was left alone about 30 yards from goal and the Jamaican international uncorked a line drive that shook the crossbar.
The home side then regained the lead on a rocket from Williams in the 109th minute. Following a few quick passes Cunningham pushed the ball through for Williams, who pounded in his sixth career Open Cup goal from 15 yards. That was all Real needed to end the Wizards' Open Cup run after just a single game for the sixth time in club history.
Scott McAllister is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
