Wizards Fall 2-1 to Seattle Sounders in Front of Standing-Room Only Crowd
October 9, 2010 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release
The Kansas City Wizards dropped a 2-1 decision to the Seattle Sounders on Saturday in front of a standing-room only crowd at CommunityAmerica Ballpark for the second-to-last home game of the Wizards 2010 regular season. Kansas City captain Davy Arnaud converted a penalty kick in the 84th minute for his fifth goal of the season, but Kansas City couldn't overcome two Seattle goals in a span of 12 minutes in the second half.
The Wizards sit in third place in the Eastern Conference standings with 33 points and remain alive in the MLS playoff race despite the defeat. Kansas City is chasing the Colorado Rapids for the eighth and final postseason berth, as San Jose and Seattle both secured playoff spots with their victories on Saturday. The Wizards must win out in their final three matches and benefit from Colorado losses in their remaining two fixtures to allow the Wizards to reach the playoffs via their advantage in the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Rapids.
Kansas City faces a two-game road trip to Chicago and New England, both of whom have been eliminated from playoff contention, before their regular season finale at home on October 23 against San Jose. Colorado must face the top two teams in MLS this season in their final two matches, traveling to league-leaders Los Angeles next Saturday before finishing at home with Supporters Shield candidates Real Salt Lake on October 23.
Kansas City controlled the early stretches of the contest on Saturday, holding Seattle without a shot until the game's 31st minute and without a shot on goal in the first half. The Wizards, on the other hand, had several scoring opportunities but couldn't capitalize.
Wizards defender Matt Besler, filling in for Shavar Thomas who was away on international duty, forced the first two saves of the match on headers off set pieces. First in the 11th minute, Besler got on the end of a left-footed free kick from playmaker Ryan Smith, but Sounders goalkeeper Kasey Keller made a diving stop at the near post to turn the header away. Then in the 37th minute, Besler again outjumped his defender to win the service from Arnaud's corner kick, but Keller was able to hold the attempt.
Seattle quickly countered off the play for their best chance of the first half, but striker Fredy Montero shot just wide of the far post after getting free behind the right side of the Wizards defense.
The Wizards closest call came in the 35th minute, as rookie Teal Bunbury looped a header over Keller on a cross from defender Roger Espinoza, but the shot bounced off the top of the crossbar and out of play.
After a scoreless opening 45 minutes, Seattle broke the deadlock in the 66th minute on a goal by midfielder Sanna Nyassi. The second year speedster, originally expected to miss Saturday's match following an invitation from the Gambia National Team, combined with Seattle striker Nate Jaqua to beat the Kansas City backline. Wizards goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen made a superb stop on the Nyassi's first shot from close range, but the rebound fell back to Nyassi who powered it home. Nyassi now has goals in back-to-back MLS matches and four in his last three overall, after scoring twice in the Sounders 2-1 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Championship victory on Tuesday.
The Wizards nearly responded in the 73rd minute on a well-taken free kick from Espinoza. The bending service almost connected with defender Jimmy Conrad inside the box and ended up inches wide of the far post.
The Sounders then doubled their lead five minutes later, courtesy of second half substitute Alvaro Fernandez. Jaqua again played provider, tapping a pass into the path of the Uruguayan, who dribbled through the Kansas City defense and placed his shot beneath Nielsen for his second goal of the season.
The Wizards cut the lead in half in the 84th minute on a penalty kick earned by Bunbury. Wizards striker Josh Wolff started the play with a pass into space for Bunbury, who took the ball to the endline before being taken down by Sounders defender Jeff Parke. Arnaud calmly shot to Keller's right to convert the penalty attempt, the first the Wizards had received since the season opener in March.
The goal breathed life into Kansas City's hopes for another late comeback, and Wizards striker Kei Kamara gave Seattle a scare in stoppage time when his sliding shot from inside the six yard box had beaten Keller but went off the outside of the post. One week after attempting 26 shots at New York in a 1-0 loss last Saturday, the Wizards fell again despite outshooting Seattle 18-8 on Saturday.
The Wizards will have little time to rue the loss, Kansas City's third straight, as the Wizards will be back in action on Tuesday when they travel to Chicago for a showdown with the Fire at 7:30 p.m. CT at Toyota Park. The match, rescheduled from July 24, will be broadcast live on Metro Sports and is available in Spanish on La Gran D 1340 AM.
Major League Soccer Stories from October 9, 2010
- Wizards Fall 2-1 to Seattle Sounders in Front of Standing-Room Only Crowd - Sporting Kansas City
- Quakes Playoff Tickets Go On Sale Tuesday at 10 a.m. PT - San Jose Earthquakes
- Earthquakes Clinch First Playoff Berth Since Return to MLS in 2008 - San Jose Earthquakes
- Sounders FC get past Wizards - Seattle Sounders FC
- Playoff Bound Red Bulls, Real Salt Lake Battle To 0-0 Tie - New York Red Bulls
- High-flying Red Bulls, RSL finish deadlocked at RBA - MLS
- FC Dallas Sets MLS Single-Season Unbeaten Mark with 2-2 Draw Versus Colorado - FC Dallas
- Chicago Fire Run Past Columbus Crew 2-0 - Chicago Fire FC
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