Real Salt Lake forward Jason Kreis hit for goal No. 100 Saturday night to become the league's first member of the century club. Unfortunately for RSL, the one strike was not enough to overcome the visiting Kansas City Wizards, who walked away with a 4-2 win at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
While Kreis had a number of solid scoring chances throughout the match, he made history in the 72nd minute, cracking a volley into the upper corner from over 20 yards out. The goal was his ninth on the season and it was assisted by second-half substitute Dante Washington.
The Wizards, though, came out on the attack, posting a three-goal lead before RSL could get on the board. Sasha Victorine scored the first and last goals of the match for K.C., sandwiching tallies by Scott Sealy in the 52nd minute and Chris Klein in the 56th. Jordan Cila broke through for Real with a 63rd-minute strike.
Playing their third game in eight days, Real Salt Lake hosted Kansas City for the Wizards' first visit to Utah. K.C. was coming off of a pair of impressive road victories, while RSL were recovering from a defeat at New England on Wednesday.
The game did not start well for home side. For the 11th time this season Real Salt Lake opened a match by allowing a goal within the first 15 minutes.
In the 8th minute Kansas City striker Josh Wolff found Sasha Victorine unmarked in center of the area. Victorine calmly placed his shot into the lower corner to put the Wizards ahead.
A cornerkick in the closing minutes of the half proved to be RSL's best scoring chance in the first period. Kreis connected on the corner and flicked the ball to the back post, but Brian Dunseth missed an open net by a step.
The RSL goal was under siege by the start of the second half. For a three minute stretch from the 49th minute until the 52nd, Kansas City had a number of dangerous chances.
In the 49th minute RSL goalkeeper D.J. Countess stonewalled Wolff, then he saved a Klein volley in the 51st minute. But in the 52nd minute, the defense cracked.
Sealy snuck in behind the defense and got on the end of a Davy Arnaud pass. With no one to beat, Sealy easily put the Wizards up 2-0.
Less than five minutes later, the Wizards added to their lead. Wolff caught the RSL defense napping and fed a pass to Klein who poked home the visitor's third goal of the night.
Cila finally put RSL on the board in the 63rd minute. Upon receiving a pass from Rusty Pierce near the sideline, Cila beat his man and unleashed a screamer from the corner of the box past Kansas City 'keeper Bo Oshoniyi.
In the 70th minute, Kreis stood over a freekick from 25 yards. The crowd anticipated that perhaps the striker would put in his 100th career goal. But his chance went into the wall.
In the 72nd minute, Kreis pulled his club within one goal of the visitors and set off a celebration throughout the stadium with goal No. 100. Some fans celebrated by unlfurling white streamers from the stands.
It looked as though RSL would be working their way into a comeback, but those thoughts were put to rest in the 86th minute. Victorine raced through the RSL defense and beat Countess to put the comback out of reach.
MLSnet.com Man of the Match: Sasha Victorine (Kansas City Wizards)
Scott McAllister is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
Kansas City Wizards (10-5-8) vs. Real Salt Lake (5-13-4)
August 13, 2005 -- Rice-Eccles Stadium
Scoring Summary:
KC -- Sasha Victorine 6 (Josh Wolff 7) 8
KC -- Scott Sealy 7 (Davy Arnaud 3) 52
KC -- Chris Klein 7 (Josh Wolff 8) 56
RSL -- Jordan Cila 3 (Rusty Pierce 1) 63
RSL -- Jason Kreis 9 (Dante Washington 1) 72
KC -- Sasha Victorine 7 (Josh Wolff 9) 86
Kansas City Wizards -- Bo Oshoniyi, Nick Garcia, Jimmy Conrad, Shavar Thomas, Jose Burciaga Jr., Chris Klein (Dustin Branan 89), Sasha Victorine, Kerry Zavagnin (Diego Gutierrez 60), Davy Arnaud, Josh Wolff, Scott Sealy (Jack Jewsbury 73).
Substitutes Not Used: Will Hesmer, Khari Stephenson.
TOTAL SHOTS: 17 (Chris Klein 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 10 (Chris Klein 3); FOULS: 11 (Jose Burciaga Jr. 3); OFFSIDES: 7 (Chris Klein 3); CORNER KICKS: 5 (Chris Klein 3); SAVES: 3 (Bo Oshoniyi 3)
Real Salt Lake -- D.J. Countess, Nelson Akwari, Brian Dunseth, Eddie Pope (Dante Washington 63), Paul Broome, Andy Williams, Kenny Cutler, Rusty Pierce, Chris Brown, Jason Kreis, Jordan Cila (Jamie Watson 77).
Substitutes Not Used: Matt Behncke, Nikolas Besagno, Leslie Fitzpatrick, Brian Kamler, Luke Kreamalmeyer, Jay Nolly, Dipsy Selolwane.
TOTAL SHOTS: 13 (Jason Kreis 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Jason Kreis 3); FOULS: 14 (Rusty Pierce 5); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 2 (Andy Williams 2); SAVES: 6 (D.J. Countess 6)
Misconduct Summary:
RSL -- Paul Broome (caution; Dissent) 86
RSL -- Jamie Watson (ejection; Serious Foul Play) 94+
Referee: Kevin Stott
Referee's Assistants: -Greg Barkey; Emiliano Monje
4th Official: Feliciano Palomino
Attendance: 12,305
Time of Game: 1:50
Weather: Sunny-and-88-degrees
All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial.
