who have won just once ever in Chicago, in their last visit -- came in sporting a three-game losing streak.
The game's lone goal was a thing of beauty. Justin Mapp worked his way around Matt Groenwald on the left flank and whipped in a cross, finding Andy Herron at the near corner of the goal area. The Costa Rican received the ball with his back to goal, popped it up into the air and put in a full bicycle kick past Will Hesmer inside the K.C. 'keeper's left-hand post.
Wizards head coach Bob Gansler made three changes to the team that lost 2-0 at home to the Los Angeles Galaxy at the weekend. Will Hesmer came back in between the posts, in place of Bo Oshoniyi, and Shavar Thomas came back into the back four, in place of the suspended Jimmy Conrad. Eddie Johnson made his first appearance since his return from the World Cup, partnering Josh Wolff in attack in place of Scott Sealy.
Here's Gansler's team (4-4-2): Will Hesmer - Matt Groenwald (Yura Movsisyan 74), Shavar Thomas, Nick Garcia, Jose Burciaga Jr. - Alex Zotinca, Kerry Zavagnin, Sasha Victorine, Davy Arnaud - Eddie Johnson, Josh Wolff (Scott Sealy 75). [Substitutes Not Used: Jack Jewsbury, Bo Oshoniyi, Brian Roberts, Tyson Wahl, Lance Watson]
"I thought we played a decent first half. The key is in any game, especially on the road, not to give up the first goal. And we talked about that going into the game and we talked about it at halftime," Gansler said. "When it happened it's a similar scenario then, we're playing uphill and we just didn't have enough juice to be dangerous enough in the second half and get the goal back."TEAM NEWS
Even with the addition of Johnson to the lineup, one game after Josh Wolff also came back, the Wizards are struggling to score goals. After going their first 12 games without being shut out, they've been blanked in two games in a row and three of their last four.
"You play about as well as the other team lets you. We didn't generate enough dangerous looks for ourselves, and that was the case before Josh [Wolff] and Eddie [Johnson] came back. So far, in two games, we haven't solved it, so obviously we're in a bit of a slump scoring goals," Gansler said. "We have been for awhile, but now we're getting less and less chances."
The Wizards play a third game of their last five on the road - all over a 15-day period - when they head to Colorado. "I've got to cut some of my guys slack because of our schedule. Schedule making is a difficult task, but whoever put this one together should be flogged. ... It's a lot of wear and tear. It's not exactly 60 or 70 degrees, either."
It was the second time this season in four games the Wizards lost by a 1-0 scoreline. The Wizards are 4-1-0 when scoring the first goal, 2-7-2 when they do not. Kansas City has scored the game's first goal in only twice in its last 11 games. "
"We're not doing a whole lot going forward. We're not getting enough opportunities obviously," said Wolff to the Naperville Sun. "(It's a) combination of the forwards, combination of us providing good service, good plays, good ideas and just not pulling it off in the end. At the end of the day, it's just not good enough."
"I think that collectively we play well defensively," defender Nick Garcia said. "Offensively, we need to create some more opportunities."
