Chivas USA generated very few offensive chances Saturday and lost 3-0 to the Kansas City Wizards on Saturday evening at Arrowhead Stadium.
Jimmy Conrad, Davy Arnaud and Sasha Victorine all scored second-half goals for the Wizards, who put an end to their five-game winless run while extending the Chivas USA winless streak to 10 games. Chivas last won on May 7.
The loss also left Chivas USA winless away from home in eight games. The only point Chivas USA has gained on their travels this season was April 9 in a 3-3 draw at San Jose. But this was the first game in which Chivas USA has been shut out since May 28, a 2-0 defeat against Los Angeles.
The Wizards' only shot on goal in the opening half was by Chris Klein in the 37th minute. Klein ran at Chivas USA 'keeper Brad Guzan from an angle in the right side of the penalty area and Guzan saved Klein's attempt to sneak a shot past him at the near post. Ironically, that offensive sequence developed with a pass along the ground, this one from Josh Wolff.
It was one the few attacks that the Chivas USA defense did not have to deal with from the air. The best scoring chances for Chivas USA came from three free kicks.
The only one that made it on goal was Douglas Sequeira's header from a free kick by Ramon Ramirez in the fourth minute. Wizards goalkeeper Bo Oshoniyi caught Sequeira's header, which did not have a lot of power behind it.
The most sparks from Chivas USA might have occurred in the 28th minute when Chivas coach Hans Westerhof pulled defender Ryan Suarez off the field and inserted Francisco Gomez. Suarez was visibly upset by the move and pushed Westerhof's right hand away after the coach placed it on his left shoulder. The two argued and had to be separated by other players and staff on the bench.
The Chivas USA attack showed very little spark in the second half, especially after Kansas City went ahead 2-0 in the first 25 minutes after the break.
The Wizards broke through for the game's first goal less than one minute after the second half kickoff. Chivas USA cleared a free kick played into the penalty area by Wizards midfielder Diego Gutierrez, but the ball went directly to Kerry Zavagnin about 40 yards away from goal.
Zavagnin played the ball first time back into the area in the air to Sasha Victorine, who headed it with his back to goal to Conrad despite seemingly being in an offside position. But the flag stayed down and Conrad, who was forward for the free kick, brought the ball down to his right foot and shot past Guzan.
Chivas USA defender Ezra Hendrickson almost tied the game two minutes later, but his header went about one foot over the crossbar. Orlando Perez played a high cross from the left wing, Hector Cuadros headed it into the middle where Hendrickson headed it.
The Wizards added to their lead in the 70th minute on a goal from Arnaud. He had entered the game one minute earlier for Wolff and scored his first time on the ball after receiving a pass in the right side of the penalty area from Diego Gutierrez. Arnaud patiently cut the ball toward the inside of the field past Chivas USA defender Armando Begines. His shot went past Guzan and deflected off the left post.
Victorine added Kansas City third goal in the 85th minute, a clinical header after being left completely unmarked from about 10 yards away from goal from Klein's free kick near the right touchline.
MLSnet.com Man of the Match: Chris Klein (Kansas City Wizards)
Robert Whitman is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
CD Chivas USA (1-12-3) vs. Kansas City Wizards (5-3-6)
June 25, 2005 -- Arrowhead Stadium
Scoring Summary:
KC -- Jimmy Conrad 1 (Sasha Victorine 3, Kerry Zavagnin 2) 46
KC -- Davy Arnaud 3 (Diego Gutierrez 1) 70
KC -- Sasha Victorine 3 (Chris Klein 6) 85
CD Chivas USA -- Brad Guzan, Ezra Hendrickson, Ryan Suarez (Francisco Gomez 28), Armando Begines, Esteban Arias (Arturo Torres 79), Ramon Ramirez, Douglas Sequeira, Orlando Perez (Antonio Martinez 58), Hector Cuadros, Thiago Martins, Matt Taylor.
Substitutes Not Used: Javier Barragan, Francisco Mendoza.
TOTAL SHOTS: 10 (Ezra Hendrickson 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 2 (Ezra Hendrickson 1, Douglas Sequeira 1); FOULS: 13 (Douglas Sequeira 3); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 3 (Orlando Perez 2); SAVES: 2 (Brad Guzan 2)
Kansas City Wizards -- Bo Oshoniyi, Nick Garcia, Jimmy Conrad, Shavar Thomas, Jose Burciaga Jr. (Jack Jewsbury 61), Chris Klein, Diego Gutierrez, Kerry Zavagnin, Sasha Victorine, Josh Wolff (Davy Arnaud 69), Scott Sealy (Brian Roberts 83).
Substitutes Not Used: Dustin Branan, Justin Detter, Will Hesmer, Preki, Khari Stephenson, Alex Zotinca.
TOTAL SHOTS: 18 (Chris Klein 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Chris Klein 2); FOULS: 17 (Diego Gutierrez 4, Kerry Zavagnin 4); OFFSIDES: 2 (Chris Klein 2); CORNER KICKS: 6 (Jose Burciaga Jr. 4); SAVES: 2 (Bo Oshoniyi 2)
Misconduct Summary:
CHV -- Esteban Arias (caution; Persistent Infringement) 9
KC -- Shavar Thomas (caution; Pushing, Holding) 17
KC -- Kerry Zavagnin (caution; Reckless Foul) 69
CHV -- Antonio Martinez (caution; Reckless Foul) 85
Referee: Brian Hall
Referee's Assistants: -Nathan Clement; Steven Taylor
4th Official: Rizal Milliken
Attendance: 13,458
Time of Game: 1:48
Weather: Sunny-and-90-degrees
All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial.
