International Friendly
CommunityAmerica Ballpark - Kansas City, Kansas
Weather: 89 and cloudy
Attendance: 7,061
Score: |
1 |
2 |
F |
|---|---|---|---|
Kansas City Wizards |
1 |
1 |
2 |
Atlas AC |
1 |
0 |
1
|
Scoring Summary:
KC - Nelson Pizarro (Jonathan Leathers) 37
AAC - Ulises Mendivil (unassisted) 45
KC - Michael Kraus(unassisted) 91+
The Kansas City Wizards put on a strong showing Friday night, earning a dramatic win for the second straight night. Kansas City fielded a team made up of mostly reserve players and defeated Mexican partner club Atlas AC 2-1 on goals from former open tryout participant Nelson Pizarro and second-year midfielder Michael Kraus. Kraus' goal came in the first minute of second-half stoppage time to give the Wizards a victory in their first-ever game against Atlas.
Kansas City opened the scoring in the 37th minute when rookie midfielder Jonathan Leathers found Pizarro inside the penalty area. Forward Ryan Pore had put Leathers behind the defense, and he cut quickly inside as a defender ran past him. Leathers then slid the ball square for Pizarro, who turned with the ball around a defender and slotted the ball past goalkeeper Jorge Bava to give Kansas City a 1-0 lead.
Atlas countered in the last minute of the first half after midfielder Jorge Hernandez served a corner kick into the area. The ball was popped high into the air, and forward Ulises Mendivil rose above a crowd to head the ball toward goal. Wizards defender Tyson Wahl slid to clear the ball away from the goal line, but the referees judged that the ball had already crossed the goal line, and the teams went to half tied 1-1.
The teams played an even second half as Atlas began making substitutions to get more players game action. Kansas City then struck in the first minute of second-half stoppage time through an alert play from substitute Michael Kraus.
Atlas was called for a handball near the half line, but their players did not know what was called initially. Seeing an opportunity to attack quickly, Kraus looked up and spotted Nelson Pizarro on the right flank. Kraus immediately played a ball into space for the speedy Pizarro who was free to goal. With defenders closing fast, Pizarro fired a low shot toward goal from close range. Substitute goalkeeper Pedro Hernandez blocked the first shot, but the ball squeezed between his legs and rolled across the face of goal. Kraus had immediately broke toward goal after playing the quick restart and slid the ball into the far-side netting from a tough angle to give Kansas City a dramatic 2-1 win.
The Wizards travel to Columbus next Thursday for an MLS Primetime match-up against the Columbus Crew at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN 2. Kansas City is 0-2-0 so far this season against the Crew, and next Thursday's game wraps up the season series between the clubs. The following Thursday, at least one Wizards player will take part in the 2008 Pepsi MLS All-Star game at BMO Field in Toronto. Team captain Jimmy Conrad was named to the MLS All-Star First XI Thursday in a vote of fans, players, coaches and general managers and the media.
Kansas City Wizards Line-Up: Eric Kronberg (Boris Pardo 46), Chance Myers, Rauwshan McKenzie, Tyson Wahl, Matt Marquess, Jonathan Leathers (Michael Kraus 73), Kerry Zavagnin (Ryan McMahen 46), Roger Espinoza, Lance Watson (Geoff Miles 89), Nelson Pizarro, Ryan Pore
Substitutes not used: Jed Hohlbein, Kurt Morsink
Atlas AC Line-Up: Jorge Bava (Pedro Hernandez 46), Diego Colotto, Jorge Torres (Oscar Vera 69), Hugo Ayala (Ricardo Jimenez 65), Nestor Vidrio (Omar Flores 58), Luis Robles (Edgar Pacheco 60), Jorge Hernandez (Gerardo Flores 46), Christian Valdez (Ganzalo Vargas 46), Eduardo Rergis, Mauricio Romero (Dario Bottinelli 46), Ulises Mendivil (Alfredo Sanchez 61)
Substitutes not used: Carlos Armas, Darvin Chavez, Luis Ramos
Misconduct:
AAC - Romero (Warning; Reckless Foul) 46+
AAC - Flores (Warning; Reckless Foul) 72
Stat |
AAC |
KC |
|---|---|---|
Total Shots: |
6 |
10
|
Shots on Goal: |
2 |
4
|
Saves: |
1 |
2
|
Fouls Committed: |
18 |
10
|
Offside: |
2 |
10
|
Corner Kicks: |
5 |
3 |
Referee: Edvin Jurisevic
Referee's Assistants: Geirge Major, Shane Butler
4th official: Doug Wolff
Notables:
- Kansas City is now 2-0-0 in international competition this season.
* The Wizards defeated CSD Municipal of Guatemala in the New Mexico Cup on May 31.
* Kansas City and Atlas AC have been partners since March of 2007, but tonight marked their first-ever appearance against one another.
* The Wizards are now 2-4-2 all-time against Mexican clubs and 1-0-1 against them in friendlies. All other matches have come either in Copa Merconorte or the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
* Kansas City is 2-1-2 all-time against Mexican opposition at home.
* Kansas City used roughly the same lineup as in the Open Cup game Tuesday against the Seattle Sounders.
* Only Michael Kraus and Claudio Pizarro switched, as Pizarro moved into the starting lineup and Kraus came in off the bench.
* Both Kraus and Pizarro scored.
Quotes:
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS HEAD COACH CURT ONALFO
On the game
"Atlas is a very good team. We've said from the beginning that we've got a deep roster. This was a great opportunity for our young players, our reserve players, to play against experienced players that are very savvy, which is great for their development."
On the game-winning goal
"Kraus taking a quick restart was a very alert play. The fact that Nelson was making the run and 'Krausie' was alert enough to get on the end of it and put in the rebound was great. It was a great goal."
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS MIDFIELDER MICHAEL KRAUS
On his game-winning goal
"I knew it was our free kick, and I just made eye contact with Nelson Pizarro. He made a run and I just played it through to him, followed up on the play and got lucky enough to be in the right spot to get the rebound and slide it into the net."
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS FORWARD NELSON PIZARRO
On the game-winning goal
"(Michael) Kraus kicked the ball early off an Atlas foul and I just took off. I knew I just had one shot so I took it trying to see if I could get it past the goalie. It just ended up going through and 'Krausie' came from behind and scored into the open net."
ATLAS AC HEAD COACH MIGUEL BRINDISI (Through a translator)
On the game
"It was a good match. Both teams competed well. It can be difficult in the pre-season to get everyone to play as a team, but the Wizards were very solid and did well. The plus is that no one got hurt, which is always a concern during the pre-season."
On coming to Kansas City
"I would like to thank the Kansas City Wizards for being so hospitable and welcoming. It was great conditioning for the players, and great to see all the fans that came out to the game. It was very nice to see all the Latino fans in Kansas City that are supporters of both teams."
ATLAS AC FORWARD ULISES MENDIVIL (Through a translator)
On the game
"It was a very competitive game and a good match to play. We are in the pre-season and still trying to find our niche, so this was a good experience for us to get playing time together. The pre-season here was a learning experience, and the fans here were very supportive, which is a pleasure for us to see as visitors to America."
