Eddie Johnson's debut Saturday with the Kansas City Wizards was just about everything the club hoped it would be -- and probably everything that the Columbus Crew feared.
Johnson's goal in the 61st minute put the finishing touches on Kansas City's 3-1 victory over the Crew in the 2006 MLS season opener at Arrowhead Stadium.
Of the three goals, the one Johnson scored was the most artistic. Wizards midfielder Kerry Zavagnin played a ball from near the center circle to the right wing that left Crew defender Chad Marshall stumbling as he tried to deflect it.
Scott Sealy ran with the ball unmarked down the side of the penalty area and crossed in front of the goal. Johnson bolted toward the left post and tucked the cross into the goal when it seemed he might fail to catch up to it by a half-step.
"For sure, the man explodes," Wizards coach Bob Gansler said. "He is the complete package in terms of quickness and speed. But Scott also gave him a good early ball."
Almost too early, it seemed for a moment, as Johnson ripped his shirt off after scoring just as fast as he caught up to Sealy's cross. Johnson earned a yellow card from referee Mark Geiger for removing his shirt.
"Kansas City is a whole new environment, with a new group of, not players, but a group of brothers," Johnson said. "It's all about first impressions. My goal was to perform, score goals and win the fans over. And I couldn't have asked for a better ball by Scott Sealy to put me in that position."
In an effort to slow down Johnson, who celebrated his 22nd birthday on Friday, the Crew made sure to add a physical touch to their defending. Johnson suffered seven fouls from the Crew.
If Johnson suffered that many fouls every game, he would more that double the league record for fouls suffered in a season. The record holder is Davy Arnaud (111 in 2004), who sits a few cubicles away from Johnson in the Wizards locker room.
Far from complaining about the way the Crew defenders treated him, Johnson recalled some advice he received from fellow U.S. international Brian McBride.
"One of the things he told me when I started playing on the national team is when guys start doing that is to use it as motivation, that they know you're a really good player," Johnson said. "That's just a form of respect."
If Johnson goal was the icing, the first two Kansas City goals were the cake.
Arnaud scored in the 21st minute and Jack Jewsbury followed with another goal four minutes later.
"I thought we came out attacking and shutting them down, trying not to give them the confidence that they would have to be looking for on the road," Gansler said.
Kei Kamara scored for the Crew in the 33rd minute to cut the Wizards' lead to 2-1.
"The only fly in the ointment was that goal in the first half in one of their infrequent trips (in the Wizards' defensive end)," Gansler said. "There were a couple of decisions we needed to make better. Then we got a little apprehensive after that. We were teetering a little bit. Two-zero leads in the recent past haven't been good to us."
Robert Whitman is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
