2004 U.S. Open Cup - Quarterfinals
Kansas City Wizards (MLS) vs. Dallas Burn (MLS)
Wednesday, August 4, 2004, 7:30 p.m. (CT)
Blue Valley District Activities Complex, Overland Park, KS
Weather - Partly cloudy, 78 degrees
Scoring Summary:
KC- Chris Klein (Unassisted) 52'
KC- Davy Arnaud (Unassisted) 57'
KC- Justin Detter (Davy Arnaud) 73'
KC- Alex Zotinca (Matt Taylor) 88'
OVERLAND PARK, KS (Wednesday, August 4, 2004) - The Kansas City Wizards blanked the Dallas Burn 4-0 at the Blue Valley District Activities Complex on Wednesday night and advanced to the Semifinals of the 2004 U.S. Open Cup. Lead by four second half goals, the Wizards put on quite a show for the raucous, standing room-only crowd of 2,143. The Wizards will now host the San Jose Earthquakes at BVDAC on Tuesday, August 24th with the winner advancing to face the winner of Charleston Battery-Chicago Fire in the final.
The match got off to a frantic pace for both sides, with each team taking turns with crisp passes and long periods of possession while the dueling fan clubs for Kansas City and Dallas exchanged drum beats and chants throughout the match. The Wizards created the first chance of the game in the 11th minute when Chris Klein slotted a pass through the Burn defense into the box for an on rushing Davy Arnaud. Arnaud took one touch to create space for himself and let go of a 14 yard blast from the right side towards the near post. But the ball crashed off the upper right post and back into play.
The Wizards had another great opportunity in the 28th minute when Jose Burciaga switched fields to Nick Garcia and Garcia went charging down the right flank. As Garcia drew two defenders, forward Justin Detter was rushing into open space in the middle, nearly 35 yards on goal. Garcia slipped a pass through to Detter, who had no defenders within a 10-yard radius, as he moved in on goal. But the side referee raised a very late flag signaling Detter offside.
The second half started in much the fashion as the first with both sides pressuring deep into the opposing end, but neither able to penetrate the last line of defense.
Kansas City finally broke the scoreless tie in the 52nd minute when Chris Klein dispossessed Dallas midfielder Oscar Pareja near midfield and raced in on goal, making a tremendous run from just inside the center circle. Klein weaved around one Dallas defender with one more in his back pocket. Klein found space just outside the top of the box and rifled a right-footed shot past Scott Garlick and inside the right post.
The Wizards doubled the lead just five minutes later after Chris Klein sent a ball into the box from the right side. Justin Detter squeezed between two Dallas defenders inside the six-yard box and laid out for a diving header, but his attempt was slapped away by Garlick with a great reaction. The ball quivered towards the left of Garlick, catching him out of place as Davy Arnaud ran in to collect the loose ball and pounded home his shot to put the Wizards up 2-0.
Davy Arnaud created another Wizards opportunity in the 73rd minute making a solo run down the right flank and piercing through the right side of the Dallas defense. As two Burn defenders closed in, and a third approaching, Arnaud played a perfect ball into the middle of the box where Justin Detter was alone with no one within five yards. Detter one-times a shot inside the near post to extend Kansas City's lead.
Kansas City had a chance to add another goal in the 86th minute when Klein steamrolled through the Dallas defense and played a short ball to Matt Taylor breaking in from the left side. Taylor side-stepped a defender and put a shot on frame, but Garlick reached out with his right hand to deflect the ball down and managed to collect it.
Kansas City continued to pressure right up to the final whistle and it paid off as Alex Zotinca, who came on in the 85th minute, and scored on a rocket from the right side in the 88th minute after being set up by Matt Taylor. With the 4-0 win, Kansas City will now host the San Jose Earthquakes in the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday, August 24th. The match will again be held at the Blue Valley District Activities Complex and will kickoff at 7:30 p.m. CT.
The Wizards will be off this weekend and return to MLS action on Saturday, August 14th when they host the Earthquakes at Arrowhead Stadium. The match will kickoff at 3:00 p.m. CT and will be broadcast live on ESPN2.
Kansas City Wizards Lineup (4-4-2): Tony Meola-GK; Nick Garcia, Shavar Thomas, Jimmy Conrad, Jose Luis Burciaga Jr.; Chris Klein, Kerry Zavagnin, Jack Jewsbury (Francisco Gomez-46'), Diego Gutierrez, Davy Arnaud (Alex Zotinca-85'), Justin Detter (Matt Taylor-76')
Dallas Burn Lineup (4-4-2): Scott Garlick-GK; Philip Salyer (Clarence Goodsen-80'), Steve Jolley, Cory Gibbs, Matt Behncke; Ronnie O'Brien, Simo Valakari (Brad Davis-74'), Oscar Pareja (Ramon Nunez-65'), Eric Quill; Eddie Johnson (Toni Nhleko-65'), Bobby Rhine
Officials:
Referee- Terry Vaughn
Assistant Referees- Kermit Quisenberry, Emiliano Monje
Fourth Official- Shane Butler
Attendance - 2,143
Cautions:
DAL- Philip Salyer (Reckless Foul) 23'
DAL- Cory Gibbs (Reckless Foul) 66'
KC- Alex Zotinca (Removal of Jersey) 88'
Ejections:
None
Post Game Quotes:
Kansas City Wizards Head Coach Bob Gansler
On the game:
"I thought we looked a little rusty the first half offensively. But defensively we were up to the task. The second half we revved it up a little, obviously. Kleiny's goal jumpstarted us offensively, making a great solo effort picking up the ball in the midfield. The guys are serious about this tournament."
On the depth at the forward position:
"I know it is a trite little saying, but we always say it doesn't matter who, as long as we do. Justin (Detter) just needed some confidence and Matt (Taylor) came in and showed his wears as well. I think we are deeper at the forward spot than people thought. Part of our tentativeness in the first half was because Davy didn't have his partner up top - Josh Wolff. Josh has been our catalyst and Davy can run off him. When he wasn't there to make that first run, we were tentative, but we have some talented young ones and some talented veterans ready to return."
Kansas City Wizards Midfielder Chris Klein
On the game:
"We didn't play all that well in the first half and we talked at halftime about coming out with a little more fire and intensity. Once we got that first goal it gave us a lot of confidence we needed to put that second one in and we played a lot better in the second half than we did in the first."
On reaching the semifinals after a disappointing loss in the Semis in 2002:
"I remember that one, we were up 2-0 on Columbus and we ended up losing the game. This is a tournament we want to win. From the beginning coach has talked about taking it very serious. Out owners name is in the trophy and that makes it a little more special for us. We have two games to go and we are going to go for it."
