Wizards tripped by United at RFK
Kansas City shut out by D.C. United
Highlights: DC 2, KC 0The loss pushed United three points ahead of the Wizards in the standings as both teams entered the match with 22 points. The defeat snapped a four-game unbeaten streak on the road for K.C. and the Wizards were also the unfortunate victim of United's first shutout of the season in league play.
With both teams down several critical players due to injury, the Wizards had no answer for United's lone remaining star, Jaime Moreno, who assisted on the first goal, which came from Luciano Emilio, and scored the second.
The Wizards created several chances but mostly from distance as United goalkeeper Zach Wells needed to make eight saves, only a few of the difficult variety.
The first 10 minutes were benign until Emilio mustered two opportunities with seconds of each other in the 13th minute. Emilio waltzed uncontested to the center of the park before ripping a strong left-footed shot from 23 yards out that skidded by the left post.
He then paired with Moreno on a short passing sequence after a turnover deep in Kansas City's end that nearly culminated with a shot from Fred on the opposite side, but the attempt was foiled by a timely intervention from Michael Harrington.
The Wizards began to come into the match soon afterward. Kurt Morsink collected a bouncing ball from 30 yards out but his first time blast zipped just wide of the left post.
Moments later, Jack Jewsbury's cross from the right flank nearly drifted over the head of Wells, who backtracked quickly to flip it over the crossbar. After a short corner by Claudio Lopez, Jewsbury took another crack at goal from inside the penalty area, tagging a low shot for the far post that Wells got down quickly to smother.
However, United's lethal South Americans combined with their newly acquired Central American to power them into the lead in the 28th minute. Ivan Guerrero collected the ball on the left flank before quickly moving it to Moreno at the top left corner of the penalty area. The savvy Bolivian cut the ball back to his right foot and slotted a square ball directly to Emilio, who faked out Jimmy Conrad before slotting the ball inside the left post just out of the reach of a diving Kevin Hartman.
Guerrero roamed alone on the left flank 10 minutes later, urging his teammates to filter into the box. He found Moreno on the back side, but the Bolivian's usually deft first touch failed him, allowing the Wizards to clear the ball away.
An abysmal clearance by Wells just inside the penalty area nearly handed the Wizards the equalizer just three minutes later, but he recovered quickly to block Ryan Pore's attempt. After collecting the misplayed clearance on the right side, Pore cut into the middle and around two defenders before lashing a left-footed shot from 21 yards out that was clearly the Wizards' best chance of the half.
Pore replaced Josh Wolff, who injured his hamstring during the week in training after the Wizards' scoreless draw with Chicago last Sunday. Pore was subsequently replaced to start the second half by Matt Marquess, making his MLS debut.
Moreno and Emilio continued to baffle the Wizards back line, executing a well-timed wall pass at the top left corner of the box that sent Moreno in alone but a sliding Hartman forced his chip to glance meekly off the left post and out of play in the 42nd minute.
Unlike the listless first half for the Wizards, Davy Arnaud started the second with a bang in the first minute after the break, labeling a left-footed shot for the top left corner that Wells got his right hand on to knock away.
Moreno paired up with the other Brazilian, Fred, to create another crafty sequence to spring Clyde Simms into the penalty area. But Simms chose to cut the ball back instead of shoot and his attempt was easily knocked over the bar by the Wizards defense in the 56th minute.
Moreno's glancing header from 12 yards off a Marc Burch free kick extended United's lead to 2-0 in the 60th minute. Burch's inswinger with his customary left foot from the right flank bent perfectly to Moreno, who slipped inside of his mark and to flick his uncustomary header inside the far post just out of the reach of the fully stretched Hartman.
Arnaud kept Wells on his toes again in the 66th minute, knocking a long cross from Harrington at goal that the 'keeper awkwardly punched away.
Arnaud orchestrated the Wizards' best chance of the match in the 81st minute with a penetrating run from the right flank that was followed by a square ball to Lopez near the top of the penalty area. The Argentinean's nifty dummy froze the United defense, allowing Roger Espinoza to get free just inside the penalty spot, but his left-footed blast went over the outstretched leg of defender Bryan Namoff and even further over the bar.
The Wizards return home to take on Chivas USA next Saturday at CommunityAmerica Ballpark while United travels to New York for the first of three successive games away from home.
Chris Snear is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
