NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



Wizards Begin Playoffs Tomorrow Against Columbus Crew

October 31, 2008 - Major League Soccer (MLS) - Sporting Kansas City News Release


The Kansas City Wizards (11-10-9, 42 pts in the regular season) face the Columbus Crew (17-7-6, 57 pts in the regular season) Saturday in Game 1 of the 2008 Eastern Conference Semifinal Series, presented by State Farm Insurance. The game will be played at CommunityAmerica Ballpark, where Kansas City amassed an impressive 9-2-4 record this season, and kickoff is at 7 p.m. CT. Both games of the series will be broadcast live nationally on HDNet and locally on Metro Sports (English) and Time Warner Cable Channel 5 (Spanish).

Kansas City has qualified for the playoffs in each of the two seasons that ownership group OnGoal has controlled the team. The Wizards closed the season as the hottest team in MLS with a 5-1-1 record over their final seven matches, while Columbus won the Supporters' Shield for having the best regular-season record in MLS play. Kansas City and Columbus have never met in the playoffs. Game 2 takes place next Saturday, Nov. 8 at 6:30 p.m. CT at Columbus Crew Stadium in central Ohio. The two-game series will be decided by total goals. If the series is tied after 90 minutes next Saturday in Columbus, the match will go to 30 minutes of extra time and then penalty kicks if needed.

The Wizards rolled down the stretch after tactical changes on the pitch and the addition of two new attacking players. After Kansas City moved September additions Herculez Gomez and Abe Thompson into the starting lineup, the Wizards lost only one match. Jack Jewsbury and Davy Arnaud moved to central midfield roles at the same time, and the offense has been performing well ever since. Kansas City scored 13 goals in its final seven games. Argentine striker Claudio Lopez also experienced a resurgence, scoring two goals and adding three assists in the final two games of the regular season. During the same stretch, the Wizards only allowed six goals while posting three of their MLS-leading 10 shutouts. Goalkeeper Kevin Hartman had a solid season in goal, saving 117 shots. Saturday will mark the final game in Kansas City for long-time Wizards midfielder Kerry Zavagnin, who announced earlier in the year that he would retire at season's end.

At halftime of Saturday's game, the Wizards will announce their 2008 team award winners. Local media members will also compete in a rematch of the media game, which was played July 10 at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. The Media Blue team defeated the Media White team 1-0 in the first match on a controversial goal late in the scrimmage. Some of Kansas City's favorite media people will be back for a second contest during halftime Saturday as the Wizards begin their quest to bring the first Major League sports championship to Kansas City since their 2000 MLS Cup crown.


• Discuss this story on the Major League Soccer message board...

Major League Soccer Stories from October 31, 2008


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Sporting Kansas City Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central