Result
A 1-0 defeat on Saturday night against the New York Red Bulls (14-8-5, 47 points, first in Eastern Conference) at Red Bull Arena.
WATCH: FULL MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
Table position
Third place in the Eastern Conference with 33 points and a 9-11-6 record
Three things to take away
1) The Wizards simply can’t afford to drop any points the rest of the way. Saturday’s defeat, Kansas City’s second consecutive following a 3-1 loss to FC Dallas, made the situation pretty clear when it comes to the playoffs. Manager Peter Vermes and his charges cannot lose another game and realistically hope to sneak in to the postseason. San Jose have a seven-point advantage with four matches remaining, and Seattle and Colorado hold nine- and eight-point advantages, respectively, but both have played one additional game. The Wizards can technically claw back into the race, but it increasingly looks like six Western Conference teams will be in contention for MLS Cup.
2) Kansas City can chalk this loss up to an inability to finish. The Wizards did everything they could to break down New York’s defense following a disastrous start, but if you can’t score, you can’t win. Kei Kamara, Teal Bunbury and Josh Wolff were all dangerous at times, but none could beat Red Bulls goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul, who was saved by the woodwork and also managed to pull off a number of acrobatic saves. Frustrations in front of goal have plagued the Wizards all season, and Omar Bravo’s arrival in 2011 should help alleviate that problem.
3) Barring unforeseen circumstances, Vermes will manage Kansas City in 2011. During a losing streak early in the year, some fan factions were calling for Vermes’ head. But it seems pretty clear the Wizards manager will be back in 2011 to help open the new stadium. OnGoal and team president Robb Heineman have been resolute in their support of Vermes, and he has turned things around during the second half after the team – made up mostly of new parts – began reeling off results after fully grasping the style of play their manager was going for.
Two players who stood out
KC forward Teal Bunbury
If there is any doubt whether or not Bunbury is capable of having a prolonged impact as a starter, he put that thought to rest on Saturday. The young Canadian is just too fast, powerful and talented to leave on the bench. The KC coaching staff will spend this offseason working on Bunbury’s finishing, but the Wizards can be confident that they have found an answer at target forward.
NY midfielder Dane Richards
Thierry Henry had a few bright spots and probably should have scored before coming off the pitch, but the real attacking impetus for the Red Bulls came from Richards. The Jamaican midfielder has come into his own this season, giving New York speed to get behind defenses and using a newfound composure around the penalty area to score four goals and dish out three assists thus far.
One play that changed the game
Central defender Jimmy Conrad seemed to have been caught by Richards as he attempted to clear the ball from a long throw in, but no foul was called, allowing the Jamaican to curl the ball past Jimmy Nielsen with his left foot. The goal was the difference between the two teams and moved NY into first place while dropping KC even further down the playoff pecking order.
Final verdict
Not all is lost – yet. The Wizards played the Red Bulls to a virtual stalemate but couldn’t find a way to match Richard’s goal. Kansas City need to pump out four straight wins, but even a perfect ending might not guarantee a playoff spot.
Next up
Saturday, October 9, vs. Seattle Sounders (12-9-6). Seattle will be running on fumes coming off a second-straight US Open Cup final in midweek. They will also have to deal with the fatigue that comes with participating in the CONCACAF Champions League group stage. Still, Sigi Schmid’s team will be prepared and well aware of the playoff implications riding on this match. A victory could all but seal Seattle’s place in the postseason and eliminate Kansas City.
