The Kansas City Wizards opened the 2008 MLS season in their new CommunityAmerica Ballpark home Saturday night with a 2-0 victory against defending Supporters Shield winners D.C. United. Newcomers Ivan Trujillo and Claudio Lopez proved a lethal pairing as each scored early in the second half and the defense held on to send the sell-out crowd of 10,385 home happy.
The Wizards began the match in a 4-4-2 formation despite a preseason flirtation with a 3-5-2, which included rookie Jonathan Leathers in place of Chance Myers at right back after the No. 1 overall pick in this year's SuperDraft suffered a turf-toe injury.
Although quick ball movement and close-marking by both sides featured in the opening minutes, predictably the visitors were the more organized in their play, allowing them to produce two early corners. Clearly their two matches already played in the CONCACAF Champions' Cup provided an edge.
Countering for the Wizards were frontrunner Lopez and center midfielder Carlos Marinelli. The flair from the two Argentineans resulted in the Wizards first two shots within 15 minutes, though neither caused United goalkeeper Zach Wells much fuss.
As the half wore on, D.C.'s intricate passing often gave way to long diagonal balls searching to break down Kansas City's left back Michael Harrington, but the second-year player was up to the task each time. Yet that threat, combined with the Wizards' inability to hold the ball for any period of time, made United the more likely to jump on top.
And Luciano Emilio nearly cashed in at the 34th minute. Having pierced the Wizards central defense, MLS's leading goal scorer in 2007 struck right at K.C. goalkeeper Kevin Hartman, who parried the attempt away for a resulting innocuous corner. But the tight and foul-ridden half saw few attacking highlights.
A Wizards free kick opportunity closed out the first 45 minutes as Lopez was taken down on the edge of United's box by Gonzalo Martinez. A yellow was given and midfielder Jack Jewsbury drove the restart low into the wall before earning his own yellow for his tackle of D.C. striker Franco Neill as the Argentinean led a counter near midfield.
No changes were made at half giving each side more time to find their rhythm and draw the vital first blood. Two minutes in, Harrington played a crossfield ball for Jewsbury, who one-timed back into the goalmouth. Trujillo came sliding in, beat Martinez to the ball, and became the first player to score at the Wizards' new home.
A repeat of the feat came seven minutes later, but Trujillo was judged to be in an offside position before rounding Wells and scoring.
After a D.C. goal was also flagged for offside, the Wizards struck again. This time Lopez found himself one-on-one with Wells after he was played in from a swerving ball flighted by left midfielder Ryan Pore. On a diagonal run, Lopez calmly flicked his right foot, sending the ball over an outstretched Wells from 17 yards out.
The guests would not succumb easily though. Coming closest to cutting the Wizards lead in half was Peralta, after he was left unmarked in the box in the 77th minute. However, his shot was held by a diving Hartman.
D.C. buzzed the Wizards area repeatedly but United continually were denied by the solid play of the Wizards back line, and for the second year in a row Kansas City got the better of their conference rivals to open the season.
The Wizards will try to continue their wining ways in their new home next Saturday when they take on the Colorado Rapids while United will play host to Toronto FC at RFK in their home opener after taking on Pachuca in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions' Cup in Mexico on Tuesday.
Bob Rusert is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
