KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Kansas City Wizards will kickoff their 10th preseason on Tuesday, February 1st as they open training camp at the Arrowhead Indoor Facility. The Wizards will spend two-weeks in Kansas City before heading to Florida for another two-week stint. Kansas City begins play in the CONCACAF Champions' Cup on Wednesday, March 9th and will kickoff their 2005 MLS campaign on Saturday, April 2nd.
The Wizards will train at the Arrowhead Indoor facility Monday-Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., followed by training sessions each afternoon and Saturdays. All training sessions are open to the media, with players and coaches available following the morning training session.
The team will continue to train in Kansas City for two weeks before departing for Tampa, Florida on Tuesday, February 15th. While in Florida, the Wizards will play a total of seven exhibition matches against MLS and College opponents as well as one against the U.S. U-17 National Team. The team will stay and train on the campus of the University of South Florida.
Following the Florida portion of preseason, the team will return for two weeks of training in Kansas City, and the opening match of the 2005 CONCACAF Champions' Cup on March 9th, then embark on a nine-day trip to San Jose, Costa Rica beginning on Tuesday, March 15th, which will include the second leg of the Champions Cup.
On Wednesday, March 16th, the Wizards will take on Deportivo Saprissa in the second match of their two-leg, opening round, aggregate goal series of the Champions' Cup. The match will kickoff at 8:00 p.m. CT from Estadio Ricardo Saprissa in San Jose, Costa Rica. The team will remain in Costa Rica following their Champions' Cup match and train until Wednesday, March 23rd when they return to Kansas City.
Kansas City will kickoff the 2005 MLS season on Saturday, April 2nd when they host former Western Conference rivals the Colorado Rapids at Arrowhead Stadium, with kickoff slated for 7:00 p.m. CT. The reigning Western Conference Champion Wizards will begin their first season in the Eastern Conference, as MLS welcomes two expansion teams, Real Salt Lake and CD Chivas USA, to the Western Conference.
Wizards Schedule for the Week of February 1, 2005
(All Times CT, subject to change)
Tues., Feb. 1st 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m., Arrowhead Indoor Training
Facility
Afternoon session
Wed., Feb. 2nd 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m., Arrowhead Indoor Training
Facility
Afternoon session
Thurs., Feb. 3rd 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m., Arrowhead Indoor
Training Facility
Afternoon session
Fri., Feb. 4th 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m., Arrowhead Indoor Training
Facility
Afternoon session
Sat., Feb. 5th 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m., Arrowhead Indoor Training
Facility
Afternoon Off
Sun., Feb. 6th Off
Upcoming Training and Exhibition Schedule
(All Time CT, subject to change)
Tues., Feb. 15 Depart for Tampa, Florida
Thurs., Feb. 17 Exhibition match vs. Real Salt Lake @ Bradenton,
FL 10:00 a.m.
Thurs., Feb. 17 Exhibition match vs. U.S. Amateur Team @ Bradenton,
FL 1:30 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 19 Exhibition match vs. U-17 USMNT @ U. of South
Florida 9:00 a.m.
Sun., Feb. 20 Exhibition match vs. San Jose @ Bradenton, FL 2:00
p.m.
Tues., Feb. 22 Exhibition match vs. U. of South Florida @ U.
of South Florida 6:00 p.m.
Thurs., Feb. 24 Exhibition match vs. Chicago Fire @ U. of
South Florida 6:30 p.m.
Fri., Feb. 25 Exhibition match vs. U. of Central Florida @ U.
of Central Florida 6:00 p.m.
Tues., March 1 Return to Kansas City
March 2-8 Training in Kansas City
Wed., March 9 WIZARDS vs. Deportivo Saprissa, Arrowhead Stadium,
7:00 p.m. CT
2005 CONCACAF Champions' Cup - First Round, Game 1
March 10-14 Training in Kansas City
Tues., March 15 Depart for San Jose, Costa Rica
Wed., March 16 WIZARDS vs. Deportivo Saprissa, Estadio Ricardo
Saprissa, 8:00 p.m. CT
2005 CONCACAF Champions' Cup - First Round, Game 2
March 17-22 Training in San Jose, Costa Rica
Wed., March 23 Return Kansas City
Sat., March 25 Exhibition match (Site and kickoff time TBD)
Sat., April 2 2005 MLS Season Opener - WIZARDS vs. Colorado Rapids
Arrowhead Stadium, 7:00 p.m. CT
* Other Exhibition matches throughout Kansas City and Mid-America will be added in the near future *
