A cliché it might be, but Kansas City Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman summarized his performance Saturday night in a 2-0 season-opening victory against D.C. United in one thought.
"It was a total team effort," he said.
The phrase it as accurate as it could be. Young players, veterans, a surprise starter and new teammates combined for the win in the Wizards' first-ever match at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.
But the game didn't begin as well as K.C. head coach Curt Onalfo would've liked.
"We started slow. Quite frankly, I expected that," he said. "D.C. United had the advantage of playing two very competitive games prior to us, and they were the sharper team for the first 20 minutes or so. Credit to our guys 'cause they just kind of gritted it out and found a rhythm."
With three players with less than three full years of experience playing on the backline with team captain Jimmy Conrad, the Wizards absorbed consistent pressure from United playmaker Marcelo Gallardo and company in the early going.
"It was great that the four in the back did their job. Michael Harrington came up with some goal-saving tackles. Jimmy and Tyson [Wahl] really organized us and gave us a calm feeling in the back," said Hartman, who gained both his all-time MLS leading 68th shutout and 128th win. "We didn't panic, and Jonathan Leathers did a great job filling in for Chance [Myers] last minute."
According to Conrad, D.C.'s high pressure helped his young posse adjust well.
"D.C. didn't allow us to play in the back. They did a good job of pressuring us, so actually, when it comes to young players, it makes their decisions really easy," he said.
But it was the Wizards attack that, in the first 16 minutes of the second half, applied the right kind of pressure.
"We started the second half outstanding after we talked about playing a little bit quicker and seeing things earlier and just kind of going at them a little bit more [during halftime]," Onalfo said.
"We haven't had our team together for a long time, but once Ivan [Trujillo], Carlos [Marinelli] and [Claudio] Lopez started to find a little bit better understanding of each other, [they made] the difference."
Newcomer Trujillo opened his MLS account in the 47th minute when he slid onto a Jack Jewsbury cross a few yards in front of United goalkeeper Zach Wells.
Lopez, the Wizards' second offseason forward acquisition, followed 14 minutes later with his first MLS goal on a classic one-touch chip over Wells at the top of the box.
"When I saw the pass, I looked around and no one else was around me," said the native of Argentina. "So I had to look at the goalkeeper and see what he was doing. I just reacted based on that."
The play was typical of the team's performance on the night. A young player steps up and a veteran adds the exclamation point.
"Coach has been getting on me in training about not looking up and not finding Claudio in space. Lucky enough tonight I was able to find him, and he put it away," said Ryan Pore, whose pass put Lopez in alone on Wells.
"It's something about this team. There's a belief in one another; there's a belief in the system," said Hartman. "I really think when you get opportunities, everybody wants to live up to the expectations."
For one night, the Wizards showed that they can put a winning performance together with whatever pieces. Time will be the real test.
"We are depleted with injuries ... we are able to overcome, and good teams do that," said Onalfo.
"We can't get excited knowing that it's one win. We just have to make sure we get a little bit better," he continued. "We haven't had our team together for a lot of time. We're going to work on all the things we need to do better, and make sure in the next game we start better than we did today."
For the Wizards, it will likely be a total team effort.
Bob Rusert is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
