Wizards blank 10-man Crew
The Wizards remain undefeated in the young campaign while the Crew have lost two in a row.
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The first half was an even affair with few clear-cut scoring opportunities as both squads found difficulties getting behind the opposing back lines. A flash of skill from Crew forward Jeff Cunningham nearly opened the scoring after just 10 minutes. He split two defenders and quickly fired a right-footed diagonal shot, which rolled wide left.
Neither midfield seemed particularly adept at creating dangerous initiatives down the flank or breaking through the middle and the most threatening looks at goal came on free kicks or long-distance shots. A 25th-minute Hejduk corner kick settled safely in Meola's hands, while at the other end, a curling Francisco Gomez free kick was saved by Crew 'keeper Jon Busch.
A well-placed pass from U.S. national team midfielder Kerry Zavagnin allowed Kansas City to open the scoring with just three minutes remaining in the first half. He looped a ball over the top as Arnaud narrowly beat the offside trap and ran to the ball inside the box. Arnaud then lobbed the ball over a charging Busch as Crew defender Robin Fraser made a vain attempt to clear the ball off the line, for his fourth career MLS tally.
The Crew's chances of making a comeback were dealt a severe blow in the final minute of the first half as Hejduk received a red card following a tussle with Wizards defender Alex Zotinca in the Kansas City penalty area while the Wizards set-up their wall. Zotinca was also cautioned on the play.
Despite playing with one less player, the Crew created their best scoring opportunity of the second half six minutes after the break. On a free kick from the left flank, Columbus central defender Chad Marshall flicked a header inside the box, which bounced off the right post. The Crew kept the play alive, but Brian Maisonneuve saw his second-chance effort skitter just wide.
The visitors put forth a valiant effort for the rest of the second half but aside from a 70th-minute Edson Buddle strike, the Crew could do little to preoccupy Meola. Busch kept his team in the game with a 78th-minute save on a point-blank shot from Josh Wolff, but the Wizards held on to the result in a largely uneventful second half.
Both teams return to action next Saturday, April 24 as the Crew travel to The Home Depot Center to meet the Los Angeles Galaxy (10 p.m. ET; HDNet) while the Wizards also take the road to Dallas to meet the Burn (8:30 p.m. ET).
MLS Man of the Match: Kerry Zavagnin (Kansas City Wizards)
Scoring Summary:
KC -- Davy Arnaud 1 (Kerry Zavagnin 1) 42
Columbus Crew -- Jon Busch, Steven Herdsman, Robin Fraser, Chad Marshall, Eric Denton (Ross Paule 66), Duncan Oughton, Simon Elliott, Brian Maisonneuve (Kyle Martino 66), Frankie Hejduk, Jeff Cunningham, Edson Buddle (Erick Scott 79).
Substitutes Not Used: Clint Baumstark, Chris Wingert.
TOTAL SHOTS: 10 (4 tied with 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 2 (Simon Elliott 1, Frankie Hejduk 1); FOULS: 16 (Edson Buddle 4); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 6 (Simon Elliott 6); SAVES: 6 (Jon Busch 6)
Kansas City Wizards -- Tony Meola, Alex Zotinca (Taylor Graham 89), Jimmy Conrad, Shavar Thomas, Nick Garcia, Francisco Gomez, Diego Gutierrez, Kerry Zavagnin, Diego Walsh (Jack Jewsbury 61), Josh Wolff, Davy Arnaud.
Substitutes Not Used: Jose Burciaga Jr., Justin Detter, Will Hesmer, Bo Oshoniyi, Matt Taylor.
TOTAL SHOTS: 14 (Josh Wolff 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (Davy Arnaud 2, Josh Wolff 2); FOULS: 13 (Shavar Thomas 4); OFFSIDES: 6 (Davy Arnaud 4); CORNER KICKS: 5 (Francisco Gomez 4); SAVES: 2 (Tony Meola 2)
Misconduct Summary:
CLB -- Frankie Hejduk (ejection; Violent Conduct) 45
KC -- Alex Zotinca (caution; Pushing, Holding) 45
KC -- Shavar Thomas (caution; Persistent Infringement) 53
Referee: Ricardo Valenzuela
Referee's Assistants: -Craig Lowry; George Vergara
4th Official: Hector Tobon
Attendance: 9,682
Time of Game: 1:54
Weather: Partly Cloudy-and-76-degrees
All Statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial
