Curt Onalfo promised an attacking style of play at his first press conference as head coach in November. He and the Wizards did not disappoint in the first game of the 2007 MLS campaign.
Kansas City scored two goals in the game's first ten minutes and three in the opening 45 en route to winning the season opener, 4-2, over defending Supporters' Shield Champion D.C. United for the first time since July 9, 2005.
U.S. National Team forward Eddie Johnson was the brightest star on a rainy, cold night in the Nation's capital, contributing on all four Kansas City goals. He scored a goal, added two assists and got behind the D.C. United defense, leading to Kansas City's fourth goal.
Rookie midfielder Michael Harrington kicked off the scoring in the 3rd minute off assists from Johnson and defender Jose Luis Burciaga, Jr., to record the fastest-ever goal in a Wizards opening game and the fastest by any MLS player in their first game.
D.C. United's Jaime Moreno previously held the record, scoring in the 4th minute August 7, 1996, against Tampa Bay Mutiny. The goal was also the fastest in a Kansas City Wizards head-coaching debut.
Burciaga Jr. played a long ball ahead to Johnson to start the play. Johnson flicked the ball on to Harrington, who was sprinting down the left flank and beat 2006 MLS All-Star Facundo Erpen to the ball. Harrington calmly played the ball between the legs of goalkeeper Troy Perkins from 8 yards out into the right-side netting.
Johnson wasn't done there, taking a pass from strike partner Scott Sealy in the penalty area five minutes later and laying the ball off for midfielder Sasha Victorine. Victorine buried the ball from 12 yards out past a diving Troy Perkins, into the upper-right corner and put Kansas City ahead 2-0.
D.C. United answered back three minutes later. Erpen found Brazilian striker Luciano Emilio with a diagonal ball over the top. Emilio was all alone behind the Wizards back line and slid the ball past Kansas City keeper Kevin Hartman.
D.C. United's second goal came off a Christian Gomez free kick from 35 yards out. Gomez launched a heavy, knuckling shot, and Kansas City goalkeeper Kevin Hartman deflected the ball but could not keep it out of the net.
Kansas City answered back in stoppage time of the first half, when midfielder Davy Arnaud deftly blocked a ball, which ricocheted to Johnson, who sprinted past D.C. United backs and buried a breakaway shot from 10 yards out.
The Wizards did not sit back and defend in the second half, scoring the lone goal of the second frame on another explosive play from the ever-dangerous Johnson.
Nine minutes into the second stanza, Johnson wreaked havoc on the D.C. United defense again, this time slipping behind the defense after an excellent through ball from Victorine and shooting on Perkins. Perkins made the save, but the ball deflected straight to Sealy, who slotted the ball into the open net between three United defenders for the insurance goal.
Kansas City shut down D.C. United for the entire second half. The Wizards began to control the ball more and made fewer pushes forward in an effort to keep the ball away from D.C.'s explosive attack.
Hartman was solid in goal, stopping 3 shots and controlling his penalty area well. He continually distributed the ball quickly, allowing Kansas City to transition immediately from defense to offense, finding Wizards players streaking down each flank.
Kansas City's next match comes Wednesday, April 18, in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup match at Real Salt Lake. The Open Cup match will be broadcast live on 97.3 FM. They next compete in MLS competition Saturday, April 21, at the Chicago Fire. The game will be shown on HDNet.
The Wizards home opener comes Wednesday, April 25, against expansion side Toronto FC. Toronto Head Coach Mo Johnston played in Kansas City under his current assistant, Bob Gansler, who remains the winningest coach in Kansas City history.
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Wizards Notables:
Of the Wizards ten shots, nine were on goal.
Kansas City rookies Michael Harrington (1st Round MLS SuperDraft) and Aaron Hohlbein (1st Round MLS Supplemental Draft) made their professional debuts against D.C. United. Both started the game and played 90 minutes. Harrington currently holds the starting left midfield spot. Hohblein started in place of defender Nick Garcia, who was lost to suspension due to a red card in the 2006 season finale in New York.
Harrington became the first Wizards rookie to score in the first game of the season in franchise history.
Harrington's goal was the fastest in franchise history in a season opener. Mo Johnston scored in the 5th minute in a 3-2 loss at United (3/21/98).
Both the Wizards first two goals came faster than the previous record for the fastest goal in a head-coaching debut. Alexi Lalas scored in the 10th minute in Bob Gansler's first game as head coach May 8, 1999.
The Wizards goals in the 3rd and 11th minute marked the fastest first two goals in Kansas City history. The previous record was August 29, 1998, when the Wizards scored two goals in the first 14 minutes (Chung, Johnston).
Last year, Eddie Johnson recorded 2 goals and 1 assist. In the first half against D.C., Johnson had 1 goal and 2 assists. It was Johnson's first-ever multi-assist game in 6 MLS seasons. Johnson has only recorded 2 or more assists in 2 seasons in his career.
Saturday marked the 11th time in franchise history the Wizards have scored 3 or more goals in the first half. Twice, the Wizards scored three goals in the first half against United (6/20/96; 5/15/99).
The Wizards also scored three goals in the first half of the 2000 season opener, beating the Chicago Fire, 4-3 (3/25/00).
The Wizards last scored 4 goals in a game in a 4-0 victory over the Columbus Crew August 12, 2006.
Kansas City last scored 4 goals in a road game May 14, 2005, in a 4-0 victory at the Columbus Crew.
D.C. last surrendered 4 or more goals at home in a 5-2 loss August 26, 2006, against Los Angeles.
Kansas City improved to 7-3-2 all-time in season openers. Two of the three losses have come at D.C.
Kansas City improved to 12-14-6 all-time against United (4-9-4 at RFK Stadium). Last season, D.C. United swept the season series, 4-0.
The Wizards last win vs. DC United was July 9, 2005 at RFK.
D.C. United featured scoreboard recognition of Lamar Hunt in a memorial tribute. Highlights of the video included pictures of the 2000 MLS Cup, and Hunt at Arrowhead Stadium.
Kansas City Wizards partner Atlas AC took on archrival CD Chivas Guadalajara Saturday at Estadio Jalisco in Guadalajara, Mexico.
The Wizards hosted watch parties at both 810 Zone locations. Reserve players and staff gathered at the Plaza 810 Zone to take in the Wizards win at United with fans and stayed afterward to view the Atlas-Chivas match.
