In their last visit to Utah this season, the Kansas City Wizards were handed their second loss in as many games as they fell 3-1 to Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
The Wizards fell victim to an energetic start from Real. Pressing right from the kickoff, the home side charged toward the K.C. goal where Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman had to dive to deflect away a Kyle Beckerman drive just 10 seconds in.
Shortly thereafter from a corner, two of Real's recently signed Argentinians combined to put the home side into the lead. Making his MLS debut, Javier Morales drove a hard ball to the top of the goal area that defender Matias Mantilla stooped to nod into the Wizards net after just 40 seconds.
The score -- 40 seconds into the match -- set a new record for Real, eclipsing the record for earliest goal in a game set by Brian Dunseth in 2005. It was the second quickest goal scored in a game this year (RSL allowed a goal to Chivas USA's Maykel Galindo after 28 seconds), and tied the 18th-quickest in MLS history.
The first serious chance created by the Wizards came in the 24th minute when Scott Sealy took on RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando. Sealy the was the beneficiary of a perfectly struck pass from Carlos Marinelli that found Sealy as he barreled through the Salt Lake defense. The Wizards striker received the ball just before a sliding Rimando knocked it away.
Following the corner, Salt Lake countered with a chance of their own. Beckerman had a wide open volley at about the penalty spot, but Hartman was well positioned for the save.
A nervous moment for the Wizards came in the 35th minute when Kurt Morsink went down after it appeared he was struck in the face by the studs of Jean-Martial Kipre's high boot. Morsink didn't appear to receive any lasting effects from the collision, and Kipre received a yellow card for the foul.
Kansas City's hole deepened in the 42nd minute. Alecko Eskandarian picked off a pass in midfield and sprung the third of RSL's new South American signings, Fabian Espindola, on the left side. Espindola carried into the area and beat Hartman at the near post with a hard drive just off the turf.
On the other side of the break the Wizards came out pressing to get back into the match. Jimmy Conrad narrowly missed the goal frame in the 50th minute. Eloy Colombano, who came on for Kerry Zavagnin at the half, lofted a ball in that found Conrad, who tried to tuck it inside the far post with a simple flick of the head. But, the Wizards defender couldn't get enough on it, and the ball bounced just wide of the post.
Just a couple minutes later the Wizards were storming the Salt Lake penalty area again. Jose Burciaga Jr, sent another high ball in front of the RSL net. Sasha Victorine got his head on the end of the pass from Burciaga, but sent his header right at Rimando.
The pressure paid off in the 69th minute as Eddie Johnson buried a volley from the top of the penalty area. After a pass came in Victorine that bounced into the air, he was able to backheel it toward Johnson. With his back to goal, the Wizards sniper spun and drilled a first-time side volley past a diving Rimando and into the far side netting.
A header from Marinelli nearly snuck past Rimando in the 75th minute. The shot from the Argentinian midfielder slipped between a pair of Salt Lake defenders, and was about to cross the goal line when Rimando leaped to smother it.
After several minutes of Kansas City controlling the flow of the match, Hartman was tested by a blistering shot from Kipre. The Salt Lake defender beat a pair of Wizards defenders and then unleashed a scorching shot that Hartman punched away from danger.
Five minutes from time Hartman was beaten again by one of the most unlikely of shots. Andy Williams received the ball just as he crossed the center line. The Salt Lake midfielder then looked up and lofted shot that cleared Hartman and tucked inside the post, to the delight of the Salt Lake crowd.
Scott McAllister is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
