There were no heroics on this night as the Kansas City Wizards fell 2-1 to Chivas USA on Saturday night at the The Home Depot Center. Well, at least not for the Wizards.
Coming off the heels of a dramatic come-from-behind win against Columbus last week, the Wizards found themselves on the opposite side of the spectrum as Chivas USA's Ante Razov scored on a long-range shot in second half stoppage time to give the hosts a dramatic 2-1 win.
The two sides traded goals during a three-minute span midway through the second half, Razov striking for Chivas before Eloy Colombano equalized for the visitors in the 72nd minute.
Despite the loss, the Wizards maintain a firm hold on the sixth playoff spot with only four regular season matches remaining.
The result also clinched a playoff spot for Chivas USA and moved them into first place atop the Western Conference, and just two points behind D.C. United in the chase for the Supporters' Shield, with five games remaining for both teams.
The Wizards nearly jumped out to a quick lead. In the second minute, Ryan Pore was sent in alone behind the Chivas back line and dribbled the ball on a breakaway toward the Chivas goal, where 'keeper Brad Guzan had come well off his line. As Pore approached the penalty area, though, he pushed a low shot wide of the net.
In the seventh minute, Eddie Johnson appeared to be pulled to the ground by Chivas defender Shavar Thomas inside the penalty area. Referee Shane Moody, however, signaled for play to continue, prompting an angry outburst by the Wizards forward who felt the challenge warranted a penalty kick.
Wizards coach Curt Onalfo was forced to look to his bench in the 27th minute when Pore went down with an injury near midfield. Pore was replaced by Eloy Colombano.
Colombano brought a spark to the Wizards attack and moments after his entrance he just missed knocking in a ball near the right goal post. Then, in the 39th minute, the Argentinean nearly set up Johnson with a long cross across the Chivas penalty area that was just inches too long for the U.S. international.
Chivas striker Maykel Galindo failed to convert a good opportunity for Chivas near the end of the half when the Cuban hit a shot from 15 yards out that sailed just wide left of Kevin Hartman and the Wizards goal.
In the 45th minute, Wizards midfielder Michael Harrington picked up a knock to his right knee when he and Chivas' Francisco Mendoza both slid towards a loose ball in the Wizards half of the field. Harrington took the brunt of the challenge as Mendoza's cleat struck Harrington squarely on his right knee. Harrington was tended to by trainers before reentering the match.
Johnson would have put the Wizards ahead in the 54th minute had it not been for a tremendous save by Guzan. Johnson sped into the Chivas penalty area where a low crossing ball had been whipped in. Johnson sidefooted the ball first-time low and toward the center of the goal. Guzan, however, dropped to the ground and kicked the ball out of danger.
Chivas took the lead in the 69th minute. Ramon Nunez fed Mendoza with a long ball near the left flank that Mendoza quickly whipped across the face of goal. Razov sped towards the back post and buried the ball into the upper netting, out of the reach of Hartman. The goal as Razov's 108th of his career, tying him for second place on the all-time goal scoring list with Jason Kreis.
It took the Wizards only three minutes to respond.
Johnson charged into the Chivas penalty area and faked a shot before cutting the ball across his body and a Chivas defender and then shooting. The low shot deflected off of Guzan and sailed over his head and banged off the crossbar before falling directly at the feed of Colombano, who slammed the loose ball into the net. It was Colombano's first MLS goal.
Colombano nearly got another goal in the final moments of the match but his first-time attempt off a Johnson cross sailed just above the crossbar.
Then, in stoppage time, Chivas scored a terrific winner. Good possession saw the ball worked from left to right, where Lawson Vaughn found Razov well outside the corner of the area. From all of 25 yards out, he curled a perfectly struck shot just inside the left corner of the goal past the outstretched arms of Hartman, giving the veteran his second goal of the match and 109th of his career.
Danny Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
