TULSA, Okla. - The Kansas City Wizards throttled expansion team Real Salt Lake 4-1 in their final exhibition match of the preseason in Tulsa, Oklahoma Friday night. Following a scoreless first half and allowing Salt Lake to take the lead early in the second half, the Wizards responded with four unanswered goals in an explosive display of offense in the second half. They would finish the match outshooting their opponent 17-6.
The match served as the final tune-up for the Wizards before they open the 2005 MLS regular season next weekend. The Wizards will host the Colorado Rapids at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday, April 2nd at 7:00 p.m. CT.
The Wizards completely outplayed Salt Lake in the opening period, out-shooting them 10-1, including three great chances, but could not manage to break the scoreless tie. In the 24th minute, Jose Burciaga lined a left-footed freekick through the Real Sal Lake wall that forced goalkeeper D.J. Countess to make a reaction punch at the ball sending it quivering high in the air and allowing a Salt Lake defender time to position himself to clear the ball over the endline.
Five minutes later Davy Arnaud made a slashing run into the box losing his defender in the process, but rushed his shot and sent the ball pounding into the crossbar and back into play. In the dying minutes of the first half, Chris Klein would make a nice run to the top of the box on the right side. He paused for a second and then unleashed a wicked shot from 20 yards out that again forced Countess to make a desperate leaping stab at the ball and deflecting it high over the crossbar.
Kansas City continued their torrid pace in the second half, controlling the speed of play and pushing deep into the RSL defensive third. In the 54th minute Davy Arnaud, with his back to the goal, laid a soft pass out to the left flank that Jose Burciaga sprinted on to in full stride. He held off two defenders as he moved diagonally into the box before taking a low, hard shot from a tight angle just ten yards out. But Countess was able to get down in time and deflect the ball over the endline.
Salt Lake would shatter the Wizards momentum in the 56th minute when a rare charge into the Wizards end allowed midfielder Luke Kreamalmeyer to get off a low, curling ball into the box from the right side. Defender Rusty Pierce, positioned at the far post, got a head on the ball and sent a lofting shot across the mouth of the goal that was too high for Ohsoniyi's outstretched hands, and skimmed just under the crossbar, settled into the back of the goal.
After surrendering their upper hand on the match for a short spell, the Wizards would regain momentum and their work effort would pay off. In the 70th minute Chris Klein sent a cross into the box that deflected off the near post and settled at the feet of several RSL and Wizards players just yards from the goalline. Diego Gutierrez emerged from the pack to poke the ball over the endline to even the score at one goal apiece.
Klein would help give the Wizards the lead just two minutes later after sending a brilliant ball forward over the RSL back line. A Salt Lake defender managed to get a head on the ball before it came to ground, but Jewsbury was there on the left to scoop up the ball, take two touches and rifle a shot past D.J. Countess and into the far netting.
Jewsbury and Klein again combined for the Wizards third goal in the 84th minute, this time on a textbook, two-on-one breakaway. Jewsbury charged towards goal down the left side with Klein to his right and Matt Behncke, the lone defender, struggling to decide which player to cover. Behncke chose to attack the ball with no help in sight, allowing Jewsbury to unselfishly lay a ball to Klein inside the box rather than take a shot. With Countess cheating to his right anticipating Jewsbury's shot, Klein tapped an uncontested shot across the goalline for the score.
Kansas City scored once more before the close of the match on a header from Davy Arnaud. The play started with a freekick on the right edge of the box following a whistle on goalkeeper D.J. Countess who handled the ball outside the box. Diego Gutierrez sent a well-placed, left-footed freekick into the area that Arnaud easily got a head on and redirected inside the near post.
The Wizards finished out their final preseason match of the year with a 4-1 win. They outscored Real Salt Lake 17-6, including 10-1 on goal.
The Wizards will kickoff the 2005 MLS regular season on Saturday, April 2nd when they host the Colorado Rapids at Arrowhead Stadium, with kickoff at 7:00 p.m. CT. Tickets are available to the home opener through Ticketmaster by calling 816-931-3330 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.
The reigning Western Conference Champion Wizards begin a new era in 2005 as they move to and compete in the Eastern Conference for the first time. The Wizards join the Chicago Fire, Columbus Crew, D.C. United, the MetroStars and New England Revolution in Eastern Conference, while the two expansion teams, CD Chivas USA and Real Salt Lake, join the Western Conference.
Scoring Summary:
RSL- Rusty Pierce (Luke Kreamalmeyer) 56'
KC- Diego Gutierrez (Chris Klein) 70'
KC- Jack Jewsbury (Chris Klein) 72'
KC- Chris Klein (Jack Jewsbury) 84'
KC- Davy Arnaud (Diego Gutierrez) 89'
Kansas City Wizards Lineup (4-4-2):
Bo Oshoniyi-GK; Sasha Victorine,
Jimmy Conrad, Nick Garcia, Jose Luis Burciaga Jr.; Chris Klein, Alex
Zotinca, Diego Gutierrez, Jack Jewsbury (Brian Roberts- ; Davy Arnaud,
Diego Walsh (Preki-63')
Real Salt Lake Lineup (4-4-2):
D.J. Countess-GK; Nelson Akwari, Matt
Behncke, Eddie Pope (Jordan Cila-78'), Rusty Pierce; Brian Kamler
(Leighton O'Brien- 61'), Luke Kreamalmeyer, Andy Williams, Chris Brown;
Jason Kreis, Clint Mathis (Brian Dunseth-46')
WIZARDS RESERVES FALL TO UNIVERSITY OF TULSA 3-2 IN OPENER
The Kansas City Wizards reserves faced the University of Tulsa
in the first game of Friday's doubleheader, and suffered a 3-2 setback.
Despite playing with several guest players, the Wizards reserves had the
Wizards coaching staff encouraged with the performance of several young
players.
The Wizards reserves would get on the board early as Jake Bleyenberg stole the ball from a defender in the 3rd minute just inside the top of the box, then droving a shot past the goalkeeper from the left side to give the Wizards the early lead.
Tulsa would then gain the upper hand scoring three goals within a 19-minute span in the first half with forward Kyle Brown scoring twice and registering an assist on Tulsa's second goal.
Kansas City would pull within a goal early in the second half as forward Justin Detter challenged the Tulsa goalkeeper in a one-on-one outside the top of the box. The goalkeeper came off his line and Detter faked a shot sending the 'keeper cowering to the ground and Detter was able to easily sidestep him and softly place a shot across the goalline. Detter was impressive all evening as he played in his first competative match since undergoing two offseason surgeries on his adductor & abdominal muscles. He had been sidelined all preseason and had just been cleared to play by team doctors earlier in the week.
Another impressive player for the Wizards was forward Ryan Pore, playing in front of his alma mater for the first time since being drafted by the Wizards in the 2005 MLS SuperDraft. Pore was a standout forward for the Golden Hurricane and led the nation in scoring as a junior last year. He was the 16th overall pick by the Wizards in January's draft and looks add depth to the Wizards attack in 2005.
Scoring Summary:
KC- Jake Bleyenberg (Unassisted) 3'
UT- Kyle Brown (James Dabney) 10'
UT- Joseph Wear (Kyle Brown) 12'
UT- Kyle Brown (Eric Burkholder) 28'
KC- Justin Detter (Jake Bleyenberg) 55'
Kansas City Wizards Reserves Lineup (4-4-2):
William Hesmer-GK; Michael
Haynes, Shavar Thomas (Dustin Branan-46'), Brian Bliss, Scott Kincaid;
Josh Duffy, Doug Lascody, Khari Stephenson (Brian Roberts-46'), Jake
Bleyenberg; Justin Detter, Ryan Pore
University of Tulsa Lineup (4-4-2):
Dominic Cervi-GK; Justin Moreland,
Kevin White, Joseph Wear, James Dabney; Eric Burkholder, Matt Wiley,
Lawson Vaughn, Matt Thomas; Kyle Brown, Todd Goddard
(Substitutions not available)
