After conceding an uncharacteristic two goals in the first half, the Kansas City Wizards made a furious comeback, getting late goals from second-half substitute Davy Arnaud and forward Josh Wolff to claim a 2-2 draw with the Los Angeles Galaxy at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday night.
After consecutive 1-0 losses at home, the Wizards allowed goals from Chris Albright and Herculez Gomez 10 minutes apart to send the Wizards into the break down 2-0. But Arnaud and Wolff scored the goals that redeemed their side's previous poor defensive play.
Providing a slightly different look for K.C. was the newly-acquired Jermaine Hue, who was inserted into the lineup in place of Arnaud at right midfield by head coach Bob Gansler for the only lineup change for the home side.
The Galaxy inserted some fresh faces into the lineup with a number of front-line players given the night off. Steve Cronin went between the posts for his first MLS start. Captain Pete Vagenas, Ned Grabavoy, Cobi Jones, Pablo Chinchilla and Kevin Hartman were regular starters who were either on the bench or not even listed as a substitute.
Still, after just three minutes the Galaxy carved open the Wizards defense. Guillermo Ramirez beat Wizards back Nick Garcia wide on the left wing for a cross to an unmarked Joseph Ngwenya. The Zimbabwean drilled a header right at K.C. goalkeeper Bo Oshoniyi, who was able to hold onto the bid.
The Wizards too had a chance early on as Scott Sealy brushed the outside of Cronin's right post after receiving a clever defense-splitting ball from strike partner Wolff, firing just wide from inside the penalty area.
Combined with Sealy's near game breaker, the Wizards next foray up the field brought flashbacks from last Saturday's hmatch against the MetroStars when the Kansas City attack was fluid with chances but off the mark all night in a 1-0 loss.
There were indications the Wizards' recent struggles with finishing at home would continue when in their next foray up-field left back Jose Burciaga Jr. received a ball 30 yards out on the wing and struck a half-volley that rattled the post to the right of Cronin before being cleared.
The home side's mood didn't improve in the 26th minute. U.S. international Landon Donovan sent in a corner from the right flag that bounced once in the Wizards box and was then played poorly by Chris Albright off his chest. But he was able to beat two defenders to the ball and swipe an easy shot past Oshoniyi from close range for his first goal to give L.A. a lead.
The Galaxy began to hem the Wizards into their own end and the cracks began to show in the Kansas City defense.
In the 35th minute, center back Shavar Thomas sent an intended clearance only as far as Donovan, who quickly found Ngwenya with a quick ball to the left. Oshoniyi was able to push his hard roller around his right post giving up a corner.
Donovan served the restart, this time to the back post. Oshoniyi came out and rose up to snatch the ball but failed, allowing Gomez to put in his eighth goal of the season and continue his rich goal-scoring run.
Arnaud reclaimed his spot on the wing for the Wizards at the outset of the second half, and the Wizards started to have more effect getting forward. Wolff settled a powerful Chris Klein shot in front of a mass of players at the near post of the Galaxy's goal. Turning quickly and looking far post, Wolff struck a hard ball that Arnaud back-heeled inches outside the near post.
Continuing to play with a necessary ferocity, the Wizards pressed the attack, but it would be the 81st minute when the match would grow tighter. Arnaud hit a shot from deep on the left wing after a low cross was left for him by a teammate. The shot scurried through the box but was deflected for a corner.
Second-half substitute Preki played the ball short for Klein, who arched a far-post ball for Arnaud who again had an acute angle, but made no mistake with his downward header hitting the roof of the net.
The fourth goal of the season for Arnaud gave his side hope and five minutes more was all Kansas City needed to level the score through a quick and precise attack.
Victorine headed down a Garcia flighted cross to Sealy positioned in the middle of the box. Shielding the ball, Sealy returned the ball to Victorine and the former Galaxy man blasted a shot off the face of the crossbar that went right to Wolff. He headed home the rebound to knot the match with his eighth goal of the season.
Thanks to an injury time save by Oshoniyi on the Galaxy's Jones, the Wizards have salvaged a point and avoided their third consecutive home loss.
Combined with the MetroStars' wild 5-4 win at home against Eastern Conference-leading New England Revolution and the Chicago Fire's 2-1 victory against the Columbus Crew, the tie puts the Wizards in fourth place in the conference -- the last playoff spot -- only three points ahead of the MetroStars who have a game in hand.
MLSnet.com Man of the Match: Josh Wolff (Kansas City Wizards)
Robert Rusert is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
