Once again the Kansas City Wizards controlled the majority of the game but came away without the full three points, unable to capitalize on a man advantage and denied by a rookie goalkeeper making his MLS debut as they played to a 1-1 draw with Toronto FC on Sunday evening at Arrowhead Stadium.
Rookie fullback Michael Harrington provide the Wizards with an early lead that was erased in the first minute of the second half by Toronto forward Danny Dichio. The Wizards played a man up for the final quarter-hour after Andrew Boyens was sent off with a second yellow card, but TFC goalkeeper Sam Reynolds -- an "emergency call-up" -- made five second-half saves to ensure the final result.
The Wizards came into the game riding a three-game winless streak, while Toronto FC had yet to win on the road. Both teams were also missing key players due to international duty, yet both came out attacking from the outset.
Though the Wizards started out the stronger, they nearly gifted the lead to the visitors. Moving out of the back, Aaron Hohlbein, taking Conrad's center back spot, played a weak pass that Toronto striker Jeff Cunningham quickly latched straight out from goal. Cunningham fed the ball to right winger Ronnie O'Brien, and his shot forced Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman down to his right to keep his side from going down first for the eighth consecutive match.
Still, the Wizards were able to turn their chances into a goal. A long clearance was knocked down at midfield, but only as far as playmaker Carlos Marinelli in the 18th minute. Racing forward on the counter, the Argentinean played wide for a supporting Harrington. The rookie defender sent a well-placed low shot past Reynolds inside the far corner netting, and his third goal of the season put the Wizards in a rare position of having an early lead.
But the lead suited Kansas City, controlling the next 18 minutes through ample possession and wielding a well-orchestrated attack that called upon Reynolds to work on a couple of occasions.
Yet the visitors showed their conviction as Dichio and the always sneaky Cunningham threaded the Kansas City defense twice with one-two passing, forcing Hartman out of net to his left where only his feet stopped a low Cunningham shot targeted for the far corner in the 37th minute.
Toronto created more of the same in the last seconds of the first half as Cunningham played in a low, pacy cross for Dichio, whose flick had Hartman beat but was blocked by K.C. defender Jack Jewsbury.
The Wizards made two substitutions at the half as forward Yura Movsisyan and defender Tyson Wahl entered and Burciaga and Hohlbein exited, both due to injury. Harrington moved to left back and Davy Arnaud to a wide midfield position as Wizards coach Curt Onalfo had to reshuffle his lines.
Happy with the pressure they exerted on the other side of the half, Toronto FC picked up right where they left off. This time O'Brien served for Dichio from the right flank, and the Preston North End transfer had lost his marker and found space to rise above Jewsbury and drive his head forward for his fifth goal, a well-deserved 46th-minute leveler.
Both sides began to create chances, but the Wizards were the more dangerous, bringing top-class saves out of Reynolds in quick succession. In the 62nd minute, Movsisyan found himself one-on-one with an open left-footed shot at goal, but he passed the opportunity and eventually lost the chance.
Coming right back, Sealy ran onto a ball headed over the top and blasted on goal from 19 yards. Reynolds acrobatically dove to his right, parrying away the well-struck effort. The Wizards and Movsisyan continued to threaten the TFC goal, only to go wanting at least twice more in the next two minutes.
The 76th minute brought a twist to the fray as Toronto center back Boyens earned an early exit from the match for his second yellow after a tackle from behind on Wizards midfielder Sasha Victorine.
The red card provided the Wizards near full control of the ball, but they couldn't find a way through. Reynolds twice stopped Marinelli on long-range efforts, one from a free kick, and Ryan Pore got on the end of a pass in a perfect spot in front of goal but the TFC 'keeper again made the saves, allowing his team to escape with a tie. The Wizards ended the match with 25 shots on the day, 17 in the second half, and Reynolds made six saves.
Bob Rusert is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
