The Kansas City Wizards took care of the first part of their crucial home-and-home series with the Chicago Fire, claiming a 3-2 victory Wednesday night at Arrowhead Stadium to end their two-game winless skid and terminate the Fire's unbeaten streak at three.
Goals by Sasha Victorine, Scott Sealy and Jose Burciaga Jr. sent the Wizards on their way, after a Chad Barrett strike gave the Fire the lead at the end of the first half. The victory gives the Wizards a nine-point lead ahead of the Fire in the Eastern Conference, a lead Kansas City will look to add to when they travel to Toyota Park as the teams meet again Saturday night.
Needing a win to right the ship and to begin securing their playoff hopes, the Wizards shook up their lineup from Sunday's 1-0 loss to the New England Revolution, beyond the exclusion of the caution suspended Carlos Marinelli. Rookie Kurt Morsink took Marinelli's spot while Ryan Raybould got a start in the back four, midfielder Sasha Victorine returned to the lineup, and Scott Sealy got the start up front with Eddie Johnson. As a result, Jack Jewsbury, Yura Movsisyan and rookie Michael Harrington took seats on the bench.
The Fire were again led by Cuauhtemoc Blanco, and perhaps partly inspired by the many fans who came out dressed in the gold and blue of his former Mexican side Club America, he ignited the first attack when he fed Justin Mapp on the right wing in the fifth minute. Mapp's cut inside beat Wizards defender Nick Garcia, but his close-range bullet was stopped by goalkeeper Kevin Hartman.
The same combination worked the same space seven minutes later, this time gaining a penalty kick when Jose Burciaga Jr. clumsily tangled with Mapp in the upper right corner of the Wizards area. Yet Blanco hit the ensuing spot kick directly at Hartman in the center of the goal, who easily saved for the home side.
It was Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch's turn next. Stationed wide and deep on the left flank, Victorine crossed over a defender's head for Johnson in the 19th minute. The second-year Wizards star unleashed a half-volley that Busch denied on the sprawl. Busch followed with a stop on the rebound from Johnson and a wary look at Johnson's third effort that went wide of his left post.
Blanco continued his mastery with three attacking feeds into Hartman's box in the ensuing eight minutes, including a deft chip over the defense on the third to Chad Barrett. But Hartman was equal to the task each time.
Johnson won a free kick 27 yards out in the 34th minute, and the Wizards had a chance to strike first against the run of play. Davy Arnaud's dead ball strike was deflected off the near post by Busch and then laid down in front of goal. A following Sealy whiffed on the easy chance and the threat was cleared.
Blanco and his teammates would not falter on their next opportunity. Seconds into first-half stoppage time, Blanco played a 25-yard diagonal ball into Barrett's path. Fading away from a recovering Raybould, the 22-year-old striker let the ball run to him before striking a left-footed shot past Hartman at his near right post. The roar that arose from the crowd was joy for Blanco as his class had provided opportunities all half.
Having dug themselves a hole in their last four matches, and 13 times on the season, the Wizards would have to find a way out. But first, they were nearly foiled again by Blanco in the 51st minute. This time he played through for Chris Rolfe who went far post, only to be denied by Hartman.
The Wizards retaliated three minutes later and this time found the equalizer. Wide on the left, Burciaga whipped in a sharp roller into the Fire area where an open Victorine one-touched the ball past a helpless Busch. The Wizards' first goal in more than 2-1/2 games seemed to release some built-up tension as Victorine and his teammates emphatically celebrated in front of their supporters club where Blanco had the half before.
Momentum then firmly swung to the Wizards in the 66th minute as Chicago back Gonzalo Segares earned his second yellow card within 14 minutes and was sent off.
Now up a man, the Wizards took control. Burciaga, playing a ball that perhaps had rolled out of play, pulled in a low cross from the left corner. At near the spot, Sealy lifted the ball over defender Logan Pause, recovered from his leap over the player, and sent a rolling shot that found its way inside the far post for his second goal of the season.
With the Wizards up a goal and up a man, chances came at both ends. Arnaud hit the post in the 72nd minute, and Blanco was stopped alone on the far post by Hartman in the 76th.
Then two minutes on, Chicago should have knotted the match as substitute Paulo Wanchope had only Hartman to beat at the far post. The Wizards goalkeeper stopped the shot but gave up a rebound to the nearby Ivan Guerrero. His attempt beat Hartman but failed to find net as it rolled wide of the far post.
Chicago would rue the chances as Burciaga would play protagonist again, this time finishing an astute touch from Johnson in the 82nd minute. Raybould drove a ball into Johnson in the center of the Fire area with his back to goal. He touched the ball to Burciaga with a back heel flick, and the Wizards left back coolly finished from close range.
Only two minutes later, Chicago responded through a goal from Dasan Robinson, who knocked home a punched-out free kick, to sustain the tension and their chance at gaining a point. But the Wizards held on through four minutes of stoppage time for the win and a very valuable three points.
Bob Rusert is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
