Wizards take shot vs. Dynamo
K.C. hosts second MLS Cup finalist in four days
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COMMUNITYAMERICA BALLPARK, Kansas City, Kan.
April 12, 2008 | 7 p.m. CT (HDNet)
WEEK # 3 | GAME # 18
The Kansas City Wizards conclude their four-game homestand to begin the season when they face the second of last year's MLS Cup Finalists in four days as the Houston Dynamo come calling to CommunityAmerica Ballpark. The Wizards lost for the first time on the new season, falling 3-1 to the New England Revolution on Wednesday. The Dynamo had their own challenging night at midweek, losing to Deportivo Saprissa of Costa Rica 3-0 in the second leg of their CONCACAF Champions' Cup semifinal in being eliminated from the competition.
REFEREE: Baldomero Toledo. SAR (bench): Rob Fereday; JAR (opposite): Eric Boria; 4th: Michael Kennedy
MLS Career: 47 games; FC/gm: 27.4; Y/gm: 3.9; R: 17; pens: 17
INJURY REPORT: KANSAS CITY WIZARDS - OUT: DF Matt Marquess (hamstring strain), MF Lance Watson (foot fracture); DOUBTFUL: MF Sasha Victorine (ankle sprain); PROBABLE: MF Davy Arnaud (knee surgery), MF Kerry Zavagnin (knee contusion) ... HOUSTON DYNAMO - OUT: MF Mike Chabala (L foot fracture); GK Pat Onstad (R shoulder sprain); FW Johnny Alcaraz (L ankle sprain); DF Eddie Robinson (L knee bone bruise/swelling); DOUBTFUL: MF Stuart Holden (L ankle sprain)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
SUSPENDED: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (4 meetings): Wizards 1 win, 5 goals ... Dynamo 2 wins, 6 goals ... Ties 1
IN KANSAS CITY: (2 meetings): Wizards 0 wins, 2 goals ... Dynamo 2 wins, 4 goals ... Ties 0
• This is the first of two meetings between the teams this season, the only one set for CommunityAmerica Ballpark. The Wizards will make their lone trip to Robertson Stadium on Sept. 7.
LAST YEAR (MLS):
6/24: KC 0, HOU 1 (Ianni 81)
9/1: HOU 1, KC 1 (Ngwenya 69 - Johnson (45)
• The Dynamo won the season series last year, claiming a 1-0 victory in their last visit to Arrowhead Stadium, then playing to a 1-1 draw in Houston.
• The teams also met in the Western Conference Championship, with the Dynamo taking a 2-0 victory (Jaqua 35, De Rosario 81) on their way to a second successive MLS Cup triumph.
• The home team has yet to win a league game in the all-time matchup between the clubs. The Dynamo have won both previous visits to Kansas City, while the Wizards have come away from the Bayou City with a victory and a draw.
• Coaches record: Curt Onalfo v HOU: P2 W0 L1 D1 ... Dominic Kinnear vs. KC: P10 W4 L3 D3
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS
The Kansas City Wizards became the final team to lose in the new season, the New England Revolution becoming the first team to leave CommunityAmerica Ballpark victorious in a 3-1 win Wednesday night. The Wizards and Revolution are tied for the top spot in the Eastern Conference, each with six points from their first three games, two points ahead of the Chicago Fire.
LAST MATCH
• The Wizards came into the game with victories in their opening two matches, both at home, while the Revolution followed a big win against Houston to begin the campaign with an equally heavy defeat in Chicago.
• While Kansas City forced some quality saves out of Matt Reis early, it was the Revolution who opened the scoring through some good fortune in the 12th minute. Mauricio Castro swung in a free kick from the right, it bounced off Tyson Wahl and deflected off Jack Jewsbury into the Wizards goal.
• But Jewsbury had his chance for redemption. Kurt Morsink was tripped up by Shalrie Joseph as he burst into the box and referee Terry Vaughn pointed to the spot. Jewsbury buried the penalty to the right of Reis to level the score (28).
• Yet five minutes later the Revs had again nosed in front. Khano Smith played a nice one-two with Kenny Mansally on the left and rounded the corner before pulling a low cross back across goal. Sainey Nyassi came in from the back side and drove the ball home for his second goal in three games.
• The Revolution made 3-1 four minutes before the break. Again Castro was the instigator, dropping a free kick into the center of the area that bounced off a Wizards defender. Mansally was there to pound it into the back of the net for his first MLS goal.
• Wizards head coach Curt Onalfo made two changes to the team that defeated the Colorado Rapids 3-2 at the weekend. Kurt Morsink came into the center of midfield with Carlos Marinelli pushed out to the right, in place of Ryan Pore. Scott Sealy was given the start in attack in place of Ivan Trujillo.
• Here's Onalfo's team (4-3-1-2): Kevin Hartman - Jonathan Leathers, Jimmy Conrad, Tyson Wahl (Eloy Colombano 75), Michael Harrington (Chance Myers 46) - Jack Jewsbury, Kerry Zavagnin (Roger Espinoza 59), Carlos Marinelli - Kurt Morsink - Claudio Lopez, Scott Sealy. Substitutes Not Used: Aaron Hohlbein, Eric Kronberg, Ryan Pore, Ivan Trujillo
• "I'm very disappointed, a disappointing night. A missed opportunity really, in my book," said Onalfo. "You always give credit to New England because they always compete. That's the lesson we need to learn."
TEAM NEWS
• Two of the goals allowed by the Wizards came from standard situations. "We gave up goals on set pieces against a team that's very good at that. We knew they were going to come here and that was going to be part of their game plan," Onalfo said. "Having said that, we had opportunities to put the ball in the back of the net, and we didn't do that.
• In the second half of the Colorado game, Kurt Morsink was installed into the playmaking spot, and he reprised that role against the Revolution. He had two fierce shots at goal in the early moments that were parried by Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis, then later won the penalty kick that pulled Kansas City level.
• "It's one of those evenings where you can't scratch your head too much and look too much into it. We had some guys that were very slow to get going," said Onalfo. "Having said that, we created a lot of chances and missed a lot of opportunities. And that, to me, is the encouraging part."
• No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 SuperDraft, Chance Myers, made his professional debut, coming in for Michael Harrington at halftime. "We played Chance out on the left, which is a little out of position for him. It took him a little while to get used to it. I thought he had some very good defensive plays and I thought he did well with the ball," Onalfo said.
• As well, another No. 1 pick, Roger Espinoza (No. 11 overall) made his professional debut, playing the final half-hour. "I thought they both did fine. ... I thought Roger did fine as well. Those are all good signs for our group of young, talented players," Onalfo said.
• The Wizards now face their final home game for two months when the second of last year's MLS Cup Finalists comes to CommunityAmerica Ballpark. After beginning the season with a four-game homestand, the Wizards play their next six games on the road before returning for a June 14 date with the Columbus Crew.
• "In this game, there are times when things just don't go your way, and that was one of those games tonight," said Onalfo. "I'm chalking it up as that, and I am going to get our group ready to play against a very good team in Houston on Saturday."
HOUSTON DYNAMO
The defending MLS Cup champions were seconds away from opening the season with back-to-back losses before a dramatic goal gave them a share of the points in a 3-3 draw with FC Dallas at Robertson Stadium. The Dynamo are now tied for fifth place in the Western Conference with Real Salt Lake, three points behind pace-setting Chivas USA.
LAST MATCH
• The Dynamo were trying to rebound from a 3-0 loss to New England in their season opener, while FC Dallas saw Chivas USA score a late tying goal to deny the Hoops victory.
• Franco Caraccio gave Houston the lead in the 21st minute, rising up to head home a Corey Ashe cross from the left corner for his first MLS goal.
• But Houston goalkeeper Pat Onstad went down with an injury, and English league veteran Tony Caig was beaten by the first two shots he saw -- both from FC Dallas striker Kenny Cooper. Cooper ran onto a through ball and looped it over the 'keeper from the edge of the area in the 35th minute, then hit a low shot on the half-turn from the top of the box just before halftime.
• The Dynamo pulled level in the 57th minute when Geoff Cameron aimed a low cross for Brian Ching in the goal area, only for the ball to bounce off FCD defender Drew Moor and into the goal. But it look less than a minute for the Hoops to regain the lead, Houston native Arturo Alvarez running free behind the Dynamo defense and beating Caig from inside the area.
• FC Dallas seemed on their way to the club's first win ever in Houston until Cameron popped up to score a minute into stoppage time, ripping a rising blast from just outside the area that sailed under the crossbar.
• Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear made three changes to the team that lost 3-0 to the New England Revolution to begin the league season. Craig Waibel came back from injury to start at right back, while Geoff Cameron was given his MLS debut on the right of midfield and Franco Caraccio started his first game for the club, in attack. Brian Mullan, Stuart Holden and Chris Wondolowski all returned to the substitutes' bench.
• Here's Kinnear's team (4-3-1-2): Pat Onstad (Tony Caig 28) - Craig Waibel, Bobby Boswell, Eddie Robinson, Wade Barrett (Brad Davis 78) - Geoff Cameron, Richard Mulrooney, Corey Ashe - Dwayne De Rosario - Franco Caraccio (Brian Mullan 70), Brian Ching. Substitutes Not Used: Kyle Brown, Chris Wondolowski, Patrick Ianni, Erik Ustruck
• "We are happy with the point. You always want to come out with three, but with all the circumstances, to score so late," Kinnear said. "There were some things that need to be pointed out and worked on, but I think the attitude of guys was great today."
TEAM NEWS
• For Cameron, the goal came in his first career start. "We had a big crowd out there today and that can be a bit intimidating for a young player," Kinnear said. "I told him before the game - and he had a very good preseason - that he was going to get the start and that we were going to put him out there because we have confidence in him. With the goal his scored, I think he had a really good first game and he looked comfortable stepping on the field."
• Said Cameron: "For me, it was such a great experience coming into the locker room and seeing the name plates of all these great players," Cameron said. "But I don't want it to end there. I know I can play better, I know I can play at their level and I want to work up and play on the national team. Right now, for me, it's about working hard, working my butt off and not being satisfied with where I am. I want more games, more starts, more goals and more assists."
• But the Dynamo came out of the game with some real injury woes. Goalkeeper Pat Onstad and defender Eddie Robinson did not make the trip to Costa Rica for the midweek CONCACAF Champions' Cup match after suffering knocks.
• Robinson is nursing a right knee injury that was re-aggravated in against FC Dallas and Onstad injured his right shoulder in the first half of the Dallas match. It is not certain when Onstad will be ready to play again.
• Kinnear was pleased with the attitude his team showed, especially after twice going behind following the 3-0 season-opening loss in New England. "We were helping ourselves out and then shooting ourselves in the foot the next minute. The attitude today was fantastic. We have to give Dallas some credit thought, because they really capitalized on the mistakes we made. But we had the attitude today just to keep on going," he said.
• Said Brian Ching: "Once things settled down, we were able to move the ball around a little bit. We saw some good goals today and I think we need to be a little bit more mentally sharper so we don't make the same mistakes. We don't need to get behind in games and then are forced to expend a lot of energy."
• On Wednesday, the Dynamo went down to defeat in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions' Cup, falling 3-0 to Deportivo Saprissa in San Jose, Costa Rica to lose the series 3-0 on aggregate.
• Armando Alonso put Saprissa into the lead in the 35th minute when he sent a deflected shot under goalkeeper Tony Caig, then Celso Borges doubled the advantage three minutes after the break when he sent home a missed clearance on the half-turn. Jairo Arrieta finished off the match in the 76th minute when he dribbled around Caig well outside the area and slid the ball into the unguarded goal.
• With Eddie Robinson and Bobby Boswell suspended, Craig Waibel slid into central defense as Richard Mulrooney went to right back. But Waibel was forced off after just six minutes, and Brian Mullan came on in his stead.
• Here's Kinnear's team: Tony Caig, Richard Mulrooney, Craig Waibel (Brian Mullan 5), Patrick Ianni, Wade Barrett, Geoff Cameron, Ricardo Clark, Dwayne De Rosario, Corey Ashe, Brian Ching (Chris Wondolowski 77), Franco Caraccio (Brad Davis 74)
