This Week with the Wizards - Headlines for Week of May 1, 2006:
* Waiting, Watching, Wishing: U.S. National Team Roster Selection
* Three On The Road: Week Five Review
* Returning To Arrowhead: Week Six Preview
* Wizards On The Air
* Who's Next: Scoring Goals & Setting Records
* Wizards' Weekly Schedule
Waiting, Watching, Wishing
Kansas City Wizards players Jimmy Conrad, Kerry Zavagnin, Eddie Johnson, and Josh Wolff will be awaiting some of the biggest news of their soccer careers this Tuesday as they wait to hear if they have been selected to the 2006 United States World Cup Team. U.S. Head Coach Bruce Arena will announce his 23-man roster for this summer's World Cup in Germany live on ESPN between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. CT on Sportscenter. All four Wizards players have contributed significantly to the U.S.'s qualifying process over the course of the past two years. If selected to the team they will still be available for Kansas City's match this Saturday vs. the Chicago Fire in Arrowhead Stadium. Should any of Kansas City's players make the World Cup roster, the Wizards will be hosting a Send Off Party next Monday, May 8th at the 810 Zone in Leawood, Kansas. Fans are encouraged to attend and wish their Wizards well in this summer's World Cup between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. CT. Also, don't forgot should the Wizards score a goal in the first 8 minutes and 10 seconds this weekend vs. the Fire, fans can present their ticket stubs from the game to the 810 Zone at the party and receive a free specially selected appetizer.
Three On The Road
The Kansas City Wizards regained first place in the Eastern Conference this past weekend when they topped the Columbus Crew for the second time this season, downing the yellow & black 1-0. Josh Wolff netted the game-winner off of a perfectly-timed Sasha Victorine pass for his first goal of the season. The Wizards are 4-1-0 (12 pts.), one point ahead of FC Dallas and Eastern Conference rival D.C. United for the best record in MLS after the first month of play, however, it is still a long season with over 25 scheduled games remaining. Bo Oshoniyi capped off the month of April, his best ever start to a season, with his second shutout in three games, lowering his goals against average on the year to 0.80 with just four goals allowed in five games.
Returning To Arrowhead
For the second straight week the Wizards will be featured on HD Net giving fans the next best option to watching the match in person at Arrowhead, watching it in high definition. This weekend's match-up against the Chicago Fire is scheduled to kickoff at 7:30 p.m. CT in Arrowhead Stadium. Chicago is coming off of a come-from-behind win this past weekend on the road against the defending Eastern Conference Champion New England Revolution. Down 1-0 early after Taylor Twellman's first goal of the year, the Fire responded with two goals in a three-minute span midway through the second half for their first win of the season. With five points on the year at 1-1-2, Chicago sits in third place in the East, one-point ahead of New England, New York, and Columbus which are all tied for fourth. As one might think with one win, one loss, and two ties, the Fire have an even six goals for and six goals against after the first month of play. Forward Chris Rolfe leads the way for Chicago with three goals on the season, tying him for second in the league behind Houston's Brian Ching who has six. Goalkeeper Zach Thornton has played all 360 minutes between the pipes for the Fire, posting 15 saves with a GAA of 1.50. Saturday's game will be the Wizards' only home match in a span of five games.
Wizards On The Air
Wizards fans can catch their team on airwaves this week, starting with 2005 MLS Defender of the Year Jimmy Conrad on The DA Show Tuesday morning, May 2nd at 8:30 a.m. on 610 AM. Kansas City General Manager Curt Johnson will be on Crunch Time with Frank Boal, Dave Stewart and George Brett on WHB 810 AM Thursday, May 4th at 9:20 a.m.
Who's Next?
Not only are the Wizards winning games at an excellent clip to start the year, they are setting records in the process. Thanks to Wolff's game-winner this past weekend, Kansas City set a new Major League Soccer record with its eighth goal of the season coming from its eighth different goal-scorer. Remarkably, Wolff set the record against the team that held the previous mark, the Columbus Crew, which began 2001 with seven different players scoring its first seven goals. The Wizards' full-barrage attack can extend the remarkable string against the Fire this weekend in Arrowhead, a place where they have scored four goals in two games this year. Of the 14 players who have started a match this season, seven are eligible to run the record to nine. Kerry Zavagnin, Matt Groenwald, Nick Garcia, Shavar Thomas and goalkeeper Bo Oshoniyi are the only players with four or more starts who have yet to score a goal in 2006. Scott Sealy and Jermaine Hue are the only other players to have started a match this season who are also still able to extend the record.
