The Kansas City Wizards' 3-2 victory against Chivas USA could help them regain a bit of swagger, perhaps begin another winning streak, and brought them back into the thick of the MLS playoff race. But the Wizards would rather remember the opening 70 minutes of Saturday's match at CommunityAmerica Ballpark than the final 20 minutes that saw them hold off a determined Chivas USA rally.
Sasha Victorine and Claudio Lopez supplied the goals in the first half and Davy Arnaud in the second half as the Wizards seemed to be home and dry after an hour. But Carey Talley converted a penalty kick in the 73rd minute and Justin Braun headed home a corner kick in the 82nd -- and K.C. goalkeeper Kevin Hartman was called upon to make a number of stellar saves late to keep Chivas from grabbing an improbable draw.
Each club came into the match on 22 points on the season and in a clump near the bottom of the MLS overall table. Kansas City had a full roster at its disposal while Chivas USA was missing forwards Ante Razov and Maykel Galindo, midfielder Sacha Kljestan and field general Claudio Suarez.
Chances came fast and furious in the opening minutes for both sides. Wizards right midfielder Michael Harrington flew in at the back post of Zach Thornton's goal in the first minute. The second-year speedster beat Chivas defender Francisco Mendoza and whipped in a rolling cross, just out of the reach of Josh Wolff at the far post.
Chivas replied in kind in the fourth minute when forward Roberto Nurse burst through the left side of the Wizards penalty area. Hartman came off his line to meet Nurse, but could do little as the attacker rounded and shot near post. Matt Marquess, starting his first match of the season, arrived just in time to slide away the ball and keep the visitors off the board.
The resulting corner was driven high on goal by Chivas USA center back Jim Curtin, but Hartman rose up to deny early joy for the Red-and-White.
Only a minute later, a Kansas City invasion into the Chivas box saw Sasha Victorine connect with the rebound of a Davy Arnaud shot only to put his attempt wide left.
But it would be the second-coming of Victorine that would find a hole in the 22nd minute. Claudio Lopez settled a pinging ball on the right wing and served a pacy, dipping ball into the box where Victorine went horizontal in front of his defender to head the ball past Thornton and into the net for the Wizards lead. Pumping his fist, Victorine celebrated the Wizards' first goal since July 17 and his first since August 22, 2007.
The lead was doubled in the 44th minute. From his own half, midfielder Kerry Zavagnin found Arnaud wide on the right and behind the Chivas USA defense. Arnaud bolted down the line, and then delivered a perfect ball for a streaking Lopez at the far post 10 yards out. The Argentinean veteran made no mistake, punching the net with one left-footed touch, giving Thornton no chance.
Chivas USA mildly threatened after the break, in the 55th minute through Braun, but his attempt went wide left of Hartman's goal.
Yet despite stating there was less room behind defenses in the tight confines of CommunityAmerica Ballpark leading up to the match, the Wizards would go Route One to take a three-goal lead.
Center back Aaron Hohlbein lofted the ball over the defense to Arnaud in the 58th minute, who touched high over the onrushing Thornton before getting a head on the ensuing bounce to put the ball over the goal line just ahead of defender Curtin, who arrived too late to clear. The goal was Arnaud's second on the season.
Chivas began their fight back in the 73rd minute after Hartman took down Chivas forward Atiba Harris in the area, surrending a spot kick. Former Wizards defender Carey Talley placed his shot powerfully in the lower left corner, just inches out of the reach of Hartman, who guessed correctly.
Looking to settle the game down, K.C. head coach Curt Onalfo injected fresh charges off the bench in Roger Espinoza (61st minute) and Nelson Pizarro (78th) as Wolff and Lopez went off respectively.
Yet Chivas remained undaunted. Braun outmaneuvered Jimmy Conrad to a Talley corner in the 82nd minute and headed the ball past Hartman. Suddenly Chivas had made a game of one they seemed out of just 24 minutes previous.
Chivas substitute Keith Savage nearly played hero five minutes later, but his hard shot from the right side was parried by Hartman. The ensuing corner forced Hartman's hand again. The 90th minute saw the veteran netminder called on yet another time as he smothered Braun coming in from the left.
After numerous minutes of stoppage time, the tension settled as the final whistle was blown and the Wizards were left to celebrate, but consider what they almost let slip.
The Wizards will head to Colorado to take on the Rapids at Dick's Sporting Goods Park next Saturday and Chivas USA will play host the Los Angeles Galaxy at The Home Depot Center on MLS Primetime Thursday on ESPN2.
Bob Rusert is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
