Wizards open new park vs. United
CommunityAmerica Ballpark sees first regular season action
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COMMUNITYAMERICA BALLPARK, Kansas City, Kan.
March 29, 2008 | 7 p.m. CT (MetroSports; CSN-DC)
WEEK # 1 | GAME # 4
A season ago, the Kansas City Wizards opened the season with a resounding 4-2 win against D.C. United at RFK Stadium - a result that proved a harbinger of things to come as the Wizards returned to the playoffs after a two-year absence, though United went on to win the MLS Supporters' Shield with the league's best record. The two clubs open the season against each other again this year, in the first game ever at K.C.'s CommunityAmerica Ballpark.
REFEREE: Ricardo Salazar. SAR (bench): Paul Scott; JAR (opposite): Frank Anderson; 4th: Jozef Batko
MLS Career: 65 games; FC/gm: 30.8; Y/gm: 3.6; R: 14; pens: 23
Games involving Wizards: P10 W3 L4 T3; FC/gm: 31.7; Y/gm: 3.7; R: 5; pens: 5
Games involving United: P9 W3 L4 T2; FC/gm: 31.2; Y/gm: 4.4; R: 3; pens: 4
INJURY REPORT: KANSAS CITY WIZARDS - OUT: MF Davy Arnaud (knee surgery); MF Roger Espinoza (ankle fracture); MF Ryan McMahen (ankle sprain); MF Lance Watson (foot fracture); QUESTIONABLE: DF Matt Marquess (hamstring strain); PROBABLE: DF Jimmy Conrad (hand fracture); DF Rauwshan McKenzie (hamstring strain); MF Sasha Victorine (ankle sprain) ... D.C. UNITED - OUT: MF Ben Olsen (ankle surgery); QUESTIONABLE: FW Jaime Moreno (hamstring strain)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
SUSPENDED: DC: Rod Dyachenko (through March 30)
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (34 meetings): Wizards 12 wins (0 shootout), 55 goals ... United 15 wins (1 shootout), 52 goals ... Ties 7
IN KANSAS CITY (17 meetings): Wizards 8 wins (0 shootout), 33 goals ... United 6 wins (1 shootout), 24 goals ... Ties 3
• This is the first of two meetings between the clubs this year as they once again open the season against each other. This is the only meeting set for Kansas City; they will face off on Aug. 2 in the nation's capital.
LAST YEAR (MLS):
4/14: DC 2, KC 4 (Emilio 11; Gomez 34 - Harrington 3; Victorine 8; Johnson 45; Sealy 54)
7/4: KC 0, DC 1 (Emilio 44)
10/5: KC 1, DC 1 (Sealy 44 - Gomez 56)
• The teams split the season series a year ago, with each having success on the road. The Wizards opened the 2007 season with a resounding victory in their only visit to RFK Stadium, while D.C. United exacted some revenge in their first trip to Missouri. The teams played to a draw in United's final ever trip to Arrowhead Stadium.
• D.C. United have won five of the last seven meetings between the teams, after sweeping all four league encounters in the 2006 campaign. Kansas City's win the season opener a year ago was their first against United since July 9, 2005, which also came on East Capitol Street.
• The Wizards have not defeated D.C. on their home ground since July 10, 2004, a span of six matches (the teams played to three times in that period).
• Coaches record: Curt Onalfo v DC: P3 W1 L1 D1 ... Tom Soehn vs. KC: P3 W1 L1 D1
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS
After a two-year postseason absence, the Kansas City Wizards returned to the MLS Cup Playoffs last year - and got 90 minutes from a berth in the MLS Cup Final. In Curt Onalfo's second season at the helm of the club this year, he has continued his makeover of the side as the team prepares to move into new quarters at CommunityAmerica Ballpark while their new stadium is being completed.
• The Wizards concluded their preseason with a 1-0 victory against Real Salt Lake in Norman, Okla. on March 22. The game's lone goal came in the 64th minute as Carlos Marinelli served a free kick converted by defender Jimmy Conrad.
• Here's Onalfo's team: Kevin Hartman, Jack Jewsbury, Jimmy Conrad, Tyson Wahl, Chance Myers, Kerry Zavagnin, Carlos Marinelli (Kurt Morsink 74), Ryan Pore, Michael Harrington, Eloy Colombano (Scott Sealy 46), Ivan Trujillo
• The offseason was spent reworking the Wizards side from a year ago. Forward Eddie Johnson (Fulham FC/England), Jose Luis Burciaga Jr. (Colorado Rapids) and Nick Garcia (San Jose Earthquakes) - with 74 combined league appearances for K.C. a year ago - all moved on.
• In replacement, the Wizards made two big splashes in the international transfer market, acquiring Colombian striker Ivan Trujillo, who scored 11 goals in 31 matches combined in 2007 for Once Caldas and La Equidad in his homeland - and perhaps the biggest offseason signing in the league, former Argentinean World Cup performer Claudio Lopez. Lopez comes to the USA from Racing Club in Argentina, his latest stop in a career that has also seen him play for Club América (Mexico), S.S Lazio (Italy) and Valencia (Spain).
• Lopez had his P-1 visa approved on Monday, meaning he could be in uniform for the season opener. While awaiting completion of the paperwork, he has not been allowed to play in any preseason exhibitions or scrimmages although he has been training.
• In addition, Onalfo has spent the preseason moving back and forth between a 3-5-2 and a 4-4-2. "We've tinkered between both 3-5-2 and 4-4-2 in our preseason. It all depends on what we decide to go with," Onalfo said.
• In a 4-4-2 setup, rookie Chance Myers could move into the left back spot, allowing Michael Harrington to move forward from the position that he won late last season. Jack Jewsbury will see time at right back; Tyson Wahl is expected to partner Jimmy Conrad in central defense, with Aaron Hohlbein right behind.
• "We are aware of what D.C. United brings to the table," said Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman. "We saw them beat Harbour View pretty badly in the CONCACAF Champions' Cup, so we know they have a very potent attack. But, we are confident that we can play good soccer. We played great competition in the preseason, and it was good to end with a 1-0 win over Real Salt Lake."
• Carlos Marinelli has been in good form in the preseason and will guide the Wizards attack from midfield, with a number of options with which to work once the season begins in earnest.
• "We have enormous competition up front. We have four excellent forwards in Lopez, Trujillo, [Scott] Sealy, and [Eloy] Colombano. Assuming Lopez is fit and healthy, you have to expect him to be starting, which leaves [the other three] fighting for that [second] spot. You have to have a deep team up top to be successful," Onalfo said.
• The Wizards are also looking to get their new home off to the right start; CommunityAmerica Ballpark will accommodate about 10,000 fans and the club is hoping to make it an intimidating atmosphere.
• "It'll be a lot different than playing at Arrowhead Stadium," Hartman said. "Our fans can be pretty loud, and it would be great if we could turn that place into our own little fortress."
D.C. UNITED
The Supporters' Shield winners the past two seasons, D.C. United once again come into the season looking to add more trophies to their larder after falling short in all competitions in each campaign. Tom Soehn led United to the best regular season record in MLS for the fourth time in the 12-year history of the club in his first year in charge, as D.C. became the first team ever to win the Shield in back-to-back seasons.
• Before the start of the regular season, United set sail in the CONCACAF Champions' Cup quarterfinals with a 6-1 victory on aggregate against Harbour View FC of Jamaica. After a 1-1 draw in Kingston at the Harbour View Mini-Stadium, United cruised to a 5-0 victory in the return leg at RFK Stadium, with two goals each from Luciano Emilio and Devon McTavish and one from Fred.
• "[I was] much more pleased with our organization - with our shape in the back, finishing off chances. You can create them, but you still have to finish them," said Soehn.
• Here's Soehn's team: Zach Wells; Bryan Namoff, Gonzalo Peralta, Gonzalo Martinez, Marc Burch (82: Domenic Mediate); Fred, Clyde Simms, Marcelo Gallardo (72: Rod Dyachenko), Devon McTavish; Luciano Emilio, Franco Niell (64: Santino Quaranta)
• McTavish scored United's lone goal in the first leg in Jamaica and then increased his personal haul to three in the return match - a shocking statistic given that the utility man had never scored for United before the first game and had only taken eight shots in his MLS career. With Ben Olsen beginning the season recuperating from offseason ankle surgery, McTavish has filled his role on the right of midfield.
• "Tommy talked to me a bit about trying to replace Ben. Obviously I can't do that, but I try to do as best I can out there," said McTavish. "Naturally I tend to be more defensive, and I've been trying to get a little more offensive mentality, trying to get in the box and mix it up whenever I can."
• "We've worked hard to make sure he doesn't think as a defender, because in our system that guy's got to get up in the attack," said Soehn of McTavish. "He's done a pretty good job of understanding his role now."
• In the offseason, the United squad underwent a real makeover. Two South Americans now inhabit the central defense pairing - Colombian international Gonzalo Martinez and Argentinean Gonzalo Peralta - and Zach Wells came from Houston Dynamo to replace Troy Perkins in goal after his departure to Norway.
• But the biggest change comes in the playmaking midfield role. Christian Gomez, an MLS Best XI performer each of the last two years, was dealt to Colorado and his place comes Marcelo Gallardo. The Argentinean comes from Paris Saint-Germain, having won major honors at both AS Monaco in France and River Plate in his homeland.
• "I don't think we found him enough, or as much as we should," said left back Marc Burch of Gallardo's first matches with United, in the Champions' Cup. "But you see when we get him the ball -- even no matter where he's at, if he's in the back, if he's out wide -- it doesn't matter. If we find him the ball, he's going to set things up and I think that's going to keep getting better and better throughout the year."
• After the MLS season opener, United will head directly to Mexico where they will take on Pachuca CF in the first leg of the Champions' Cup semifinal on Tuesday night. The return leg is set for April 9 at RFK Stadium.
• "It's difficult enough to play back-to-back games when you are in full fitness midway through the season, and we've only been together for a short time," Soehn said to The Washington Post. "We are going to evaluate as a staff what will put us in the best situation to succeed, realizing the importance of both matches."
• While Jaime Moreno is unlikely to figure in the MLS season opener, the plan is to bring him to Mexico for the Champions' Cup match. Moreno said he is about 70 percent recovered from the hamstring injury suffered in the quarterfinal first leg in Jamaica. "We are optimistic," Soehn said to the Post, "but we also have to be cautious not to rush him back and possibly force him out for an extended period of time."
