The Kansas City Wizards got back in the win column against Chivas USA in a wild back-and-forth affair at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday night as Yura Movsisyan scored the dramatic game-winner in the 89th minute to give the home side a 3-2 victory.
Kerry Zavagnin and Davy Arnaud scored on either side of halftime for the Wizards, who also saw a Carlos Marinelli penalty kick saved by Chivas USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan. The win kept the pressure on the New England Revolution, who lead the Eastern Conference and who the Wizards will face in an away-and-home series beginning Thursday.
For their part Chivas battled valiantly, getting goals from Jonathan Bornstein and Sacha Kljestan to take the initial lead and tie up the match early in the second half. But they couldn't hold off the Wizards in their second game on the road in four nights and saw their two-game winning streak come to an end.
Coming off a 2-0 win in New York on Thursday night, Chivas had the better of early chances. Chivas midfielder Francisco Mendoza made an early opportunity when he motored onto the receiving end of a give-and-go and forced Wizards netminder Kevin Hartman to save his point-blank shot from seven yards.
The sides continued to exchange forays into the other's end with Mendoza returning to threaten in the 13th minute. This time he crossed from the edge of the box deep on the right after flicking the ball past Jewsbury. Retreating, Wizards center back Nick Garcia nearly knocked the cross into his own net, instead playing it just over the crossbar.
Chivas repeatedly bottled the Wizards' attack at midfield and in the 17th minute, the pressure made them crack. Forward Ante Razov played a long ball from the midfield stripe, finding Bornstein behind Jewsbury. The Wizards defender and the on-rushing Hartman stalled the Chivas left back's progress, and Jewsbury even momentarily knocked the ball away. But it popped straight up, and Bornstein made no mistake, hooking the ball under the drawn-out Hartman for his first of the season.
Falling behind seemed to spark the Wizards, who then had two strong chances a few minutes later, as Marinelli was at the center of each. A 20-yard bullet from Marinelli off a failed clearance was saved well by Guzan. Then Marinelli drove into the Chivas box and back-heeled for Arnaud, who was taken down by Bornstein and a penalty was awarded by referee Baldomero Toledo.
Marinelli approached the spot kick coolly but failed to hit his shot hard enough as Guzan stretched to his left to palm it away for an innocuous corner.
The Wizards continued to apply the pressure. On the left wing, Michael Harrington whipped in a cross for Arnaud who went horizontal and headed the ball right at the waiting Guzan. Then Arnaud stroked a free kick into the Chivas penalty area for Ryan Raybould. Subbing for the suspended Jose Burciaga Jr., Raybould sent his chance into Guzan as well.
Guzan's clean sheet, though, would be spoiled in the 37th minute by one of the goals of the year. Gathering a ball poked back by Sasha Victorine, Zavagnin set himself and ripped a thundering, rising left-footed blast from all of 30 yards that sailed into the right-hand corner just inside the angle of crossbar and post. The goal was Zavagnin's career-high third of the season.
Preki, the former Wizards standout who for the first time was coaching against the club where he made his name, made his first substitution at halftime, bringing on English forward John Cunliffe for Frenchman Laurent Merlin. The new addition was on the end of a quick exchange in the Wizards area in 52nd minute, but failed to put the ball past Hartman from a good position.
A minute later, the match continued its see-saw ride. From a free kick near the left touchline, Arnaud played in a bounding ball that Conrad stretched for but missed, perhaps throwing off Guzan, who watched the ball pass him on its way into the far post netting.
But Arnaud's fourth goal of the season would give his side the lead for only 60 seconds. Cunliffe again made his presence known again, but this time with an exclamation point. Midfielder Sacha Kljestan cut in from the left side, attracting two K.C. defenders into the area. Cunliffe took Kljestan's pass angled pass back into the left side of the area and curled a left-footed shot over Hartman to tie the match.
Gunning for the win, Wizards head coach Curt Onalfo went with three forwards, inserting forward Ryan Pore for midfielder Victorine in the 74th minute.
But Chivas nearly made the change an absolutely necessity mere seconds later as Bornstein cut in from the right to let loose a shot that deflected slightly as it approached Hartman. The Wizards goalkeeper kept with the ball and pulled it in safely for the save.
Each team remained intent on pulling out a win in the last 15 minutes, and the final outcome was decided in the 89th minute. Garcia stepped up high in the midfield to intercept a Chivas pass, and then played a quick defense-splitting ball that found Movsisyan wide on the left wing.
Movsisyan cut inside to get free from two defenders and then struck hard for goal. His shot deflected off Chivas center back Shavar Thomas, a former Wizard, and over goalkeeper Guzan to put Kansas City in front and give his team the eventual game-winner.
Bob Rusert is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
