Missing three starters due to various injuries, the Kansas City Wizards saw their three-game winning streak come to end, falling 2-1 to FC Dallas on Saturday evening at Arrowhead Stadium.
The Hoops got goals from forward Kenny Cooper, his third of the season, and the first MLS goal from midfielder Juan Toja as Dallas won for the first time in Kansas City in nearly eight seasons.
The Wizards were missing center back Jimmy Conrad, out with a broken jaw, and midfielder Carlos Marinelli with a hamstring injury, both suffered over the last couple of weeks. In addition, forward Scott Sealy, who returned to action last week in a substitute role after missing three games, was again unavailable for Kansas City head coach Curt Onalfo.
Still, the Wizards started out looking to attack Dallas from the outset. After Eddie Johnson was fouled on the right wing, Jose Burciaga Jr.'s free kick from 25 yards out found a rising Sasha Victorine, whose strong header forced FC Dallas goalkeeper Dario Sala to go airborne. Sala, playing his first match after a six-game suspension, pushed the ball over the middle of the crossbar to keep his side from an early hole.
But FC Dallas began to look right at home and should have gone ahead in the 11th minute with quick passing at the top of the Wizards' penalty area. On the right, Cooper played square for Abe Thompson, who drew a defender before laying smoothly off to the left for the waiting Ramon Nunez. Nunez struck for net, only to see his shot bang off the underside of the crossbar.
Responding two minutes later, the ex-Dallas striker Johnson ran onto a through ball to go at Sala. With a defender on his back, Johnson shot but was denied by the quick right hand of the Argentinean goalkeeper, who soon gathered the ball away from danger.
The Hoops pulled in front on their next chance in the 19th minute. Receiving a throw-in on the right edge of the Wizards area, Thompson flipped the ball to the supporting Dax McCarty, who volleyed the ball first time to Cooper in the box. The 6-foot-3 Cooper easily beat K.C. center back Nick Garcia in the air and made good on a well-placed, glancing header that Wizards' goalkeeper Kevin Hartman could only desperately swat at as it flew over him into the goal.
Cooper's third goal of the season put an end to the Wizards' shutout streak at 306 minutes and put them on their heels for the first time at Arrowhead Stadium this year.
Attacking play continued to be theme and Wizards' forward Yura Movsisyan looked to be the Wizards' protagonist in the 28th minute as he split two FC Dallas backs to gain space for a clear shot. However, the second-year player mis-hit his shot, toeing it weakly to Sala.
Even though they had not won in Kansas City since a shootout victory on Sept. 18, 1999, FC Dallas continued to force their will on the game as their possession game showed itself often in the final 10 minutes of the half. And despite a drive by Victorine drive from 40 yards at Sala moments earlier, the Hoops would find joy again in the first minute of stoppage time near the end of the half.
From the right wing, Nunez played a ball over the top to midfielder Toja racing into the area. Taking the ball down, Toja sprinted past K.C. defender Jack Jewsbury and while falling got enough of the ball to put it past Hartman and inside the far post to give FC Dallas a deserved two-goal advantage, despite pleas for handball on the play.
Kansas City began the second half forcing the issue, and eight minutes in, they had four opportunities in succession. Taking a free kick 36 yards out from the center of midfield, Jewsbury drilled a shot that Sala had to punch away. The rebound fell to Wizards' captain Kerry Zavagnin, who shot right at Sala. With Sala down on the field, Movsisyan latched on to the ball and hit hard for goal only to strike Sala again. Moments later Movsisyan shot again, this time over the bar.
Movsisyan endeavored yet again in the 60th minute, this time working the ball down the left wing and then crossing for Johnson fading to the far post. Johnson headed toward the end line and then back-heeled for Arnaud, who was stonewalled by a well-positioned Sala at the near post.
The Kansas City barrage continued in the 68th minute, this time through a slicing run from Arnaud. He beat two defenders to the right of the FC Dallas goal and curled a left-footed shot that went tantalizingly across the face of the net for a goal kick.
Wanting to increase the offensive pressure even more, substitute Ryan Pore entered the contest four minutes later as Onalfo went to three forwards.
It wasn't until second half stoppage time that the offensive surge paid dividends. Taking a free kick wide on the left wing, Arnaud found rookie Michael Harrington, whose header quickly found the netting to the left of Sala, spoiling the shutout in his first game back.
But the Wizards could not take advantage in the remaining time and FC Dallas had a rare but well-deserved victory in Kansas City thanks to an efficient attack and a solid effort in goal by Sala.
Bob Rusert is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
