MLS Sporting Kansas City

Kansas City Wizards Open 2010 MLS Season Saturday Against D.C. United

Published on March 26, 2010 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release


The Kansas City Wizards will begin their 2010 Major League Soccer season like they ended the last one, hosting D.C. United at 7:30 p.m. CT Saturday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kansas.

The game marks the debut of a re-tooled Wizards squad that added nine new faces in all positions to its roster in the offseason. Even more notable is the fact that all nine of these players are of foreign descent, representing eight different countries amongst them.

Goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen (Denmark), defenders Korede Aiyegbusi (Nigeria/England) and Pablo Escobar (Colombia), midfielders Stéphane Auvray (Guadeloupe), Craig Rocastle (England), Ryan Smith (England), Igor Kostrov (Moldova) and Birahim Diop (Senegal), and forward Teal Bunbury (Canada) have all been added to the squad.

There was even change at the top for the Wizards, as former Technical Director and interim Head Coach Peter Vermes stepped into the manager's seat on a full-time basis. The Wizards also added a new assistant coach in Ecuadorian Octavio Zambrano. Zambrano has a history with Major League Soccer - he served as head coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy from 1997-1999 and the MetroStars (now New York Red Bulls) from 2000-2002. With both Los Angeles and New York, Zambrano's teams were known for their fluid, attacking style of play, with his 1998 Galaxy team still considered to be one of the best offensive squads in MLS history.

The game will also see a return to CommunityAmerica Ballpark for D.C. United Head Coach Curt Onalfo and Assistant Coach Kris Kelderman. The pair served in the same capacities with the Wizards for just over 2 1/2 years, compiling a 27-29-22 record with the team before being dismissed last August.

A number of former Wizards players have also joined up with D.C. United. Midfielder Kurt Morsink was a 4th round draft pick by Onalfo in 2007 and went on to appear in 47 MLS matches for the Wizards, notching three assists in the process. Morsink was waived by the Wizards during the 2010 preseason and joined D.C. United a few weeks later. Forward Adam Cristman endured an injury-plagued 2009 season, his first and only with Kansas City. The Wizards traded Cristman to D.C. for an international player roster spot during the 2010 pre - season. On Thursday, United also signed veteran defender Carey Talley, who played for the Wizards for two years from 2002-2003.

Fast Facts:

- The Wizards hold an 8-4-2 all-time record on opening day.

- This year marks the sixth time in 15 seasons that the Wizards have met D.C. United in the first game of the regular season.

- Of the previous five opening day meetings between the sides, three have ended with 3-2 scorelines. United defeated the Wizards 3-2 at RFK Stadium in Washington in 1998 and 2001, while the Wizards defeated United on opening day 2003 by the same scoreline at Arrowhead Stadium.

- The Wizards defeated D.C. United 4-2 at RFK on opening day 2007. 2008's season opener ended with a 2-0 victory for the Wizards in the team's first-ever game at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.

- The Wizards have a 13-17-9 all-time record against D.C. United in the regular season, with a 9-6-5 record at home.

- The Wizards compiled a preseason record of 6-2-3 in 2010, finishing off their slate of exhibition games with a 2-0 victory over USSF Division II side A.C. St. Louis at the Wizards' Swope Park Training Center on Friday, March 19th.

- Kansas City's top scorers in preseason: Kei Kamara (5 goals), Josh Wolff, Ryan Smith, Teal Bunbury (tied at 3), Zoltan (2) and seven others tied at 1.

Game Notes:

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK | The Kansas City Wizards will have a decidedly international flavor this year, as Manager Peter Vermes moved to bring in nine new international faces into the squad. A quick rundown of the Wizards' new recruits, in alphabetical order:

Korede Aiyegbusi - Acquired in the 2nd round of the 2010 MLS SuperDraft out of North Carolina State University. A versatile wing player with speed to burn. Dual Nigerian and English citizen.

Stéphane Auvray - Captain of the Guadeloupean National Team,

the dreadlocked midfielder tends to play in a deep-lying role, with toughness and smart passing being his main attributes.

Teal Bunbury - The Wizards' first found pick (4th overall) in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft. Played for two years at the University of Akron under former D.C. United head coaching candidate Caleb Porter. Garnered nearly every concievable accolade as a sopho - more in 2009, gathering National Player Of The Year honors from the Missouri Athletic Club and Soccer America Magazine, in addi - tion to winning the Hermann Trophy as the nation's best college player. Made history by becoming the first son of a former MLS player to play in the League. Bunbury's father Alex, a Canadian in - ternational, played for two years with the Wizards from 1999-2000. Bunbury will inherit his father's number 9 shirt for the 2010 season. Bunbury is a Canadian citizen.

Birahim Diop - Senegalese midfielder who last played in MLS for the then-MetroStars under current Wizards Assistant Coach Octa - vio Zambrano. Has enjoyed a nomadic career since his time in the United States, playing for clubs in Colombia and Moldova before joining the Wizards during the 2010 preseason.

Pablo Escobar - Colombian central defender, joined the Wizards from Deportivo Cali at the start of the 2010 preseason. Tall and lean, Escobar posesses a wealth of speed and good defensive instincts.

Igor Kostrov - Moldovan midfielder last played for Maccabi Her - zliya in Israel. Usually deployed as a winger, Kostrov combines slick passing skills with solid technique and playmaking vision.

Jimmy Nielsen - Danish goalkeeper comes to Kansas City follow - ing a lengthy career in the Danish top flight. Nielsen made over 400 appearances in Denmark, mostly for hometown team AaB Aalborg which Nielsen captianed after the 2004 season. Twice winner of the Det Gyldne Bur (The Golden Cage), awarded annually to the best goalkeeper in Danish soccer.

Craig Rocastle - English central midfielder joins Kansas City after a nine-year career at all levels of the English game. Cousin of for - mer Arsenal F.C. legend David Rocastle.

Ryan Smith - A product of the same Arsenal F.C. youth class that produced Cesc Fabregas and Gael Clichy, Smith is a tricky winger with a nose for goal. Joined the Wizards as a trialist after fulfilling a short-term contract with Crystal Palace of the English Coca-Cola Championship. Though English by birth, Smith has an American father who originally hails from New Jersey.

KAMARA RE-SIGNS | In addition to the myriad of brand-new ad - ditions to the squad, Wizards manager Peter Vermes also saw for - ward Kei Kamara re-sign with the team in the offseason. Kamara joined the Wizards from the Houston Dynamo shortly after Vermes' appointment as interim head coach, making six appearances and scoring one goal in the stretch run of the 2009 season.

MANY GOODBYES | For as many players as the team added, the Wizards also consolidated a number of last years' squad members, headlined by veterans Claudio Lopez and Kevin Hartman.

Lopez, who became the Wizards' first Designated Player in 2008, was not re-signed by the team, while Kevin Hartman was traded to FC Dallas for a future SuperDraft pick.

Other players from last year's squad that re no longer on the team include forwards Adam Cristman (trade to D.C. United), Hercu - lez Gomez (end of contract), Michael Kraus (waived), midfielders Kurt Morsink and Kevin Souter (both waived), defenders Matt Marquess (retired), Rauwshan McKenzie (waived) and Lance Watson (waived), and goalkeeper Boris Pardo (waived).

ONALFO RETURNS | D.C. United coach Curt Onalfo returns to CommunityAmerica Ballpark for the first time after nearly three seasons in charge of the Wizards. Onalfo was fired on August 3rd, 2009, with the Wizards' then-Technical Director Peter Vermes step - ping in as Onalfo's interim replacement. Vermes was installed as Kansas City's permanent manager after the 2009 season, while Onalfo caught on with D.C. United following the firing of coach Tom Soehn. Former Wizards Assistant coach Kris Kelderman followed Onalfo to D.C. as well.

FORMER WIZARDS, NOW UNITED | In addition to coaches Onalfo and Kelderman, this year's United team also boasts a cou - ple of former Wizards players brought in by Onalfo during his time in Kansas City.

Midfielder Kurt Morsink was a 4th round draft pick by Onalfo in 2007 and went on to appear in 47 MLS matches for the Wizards, notching three assists in the process. Morsink was waived by the Wizards during the 2010 preseason and joined D.C. United a few weeks later.

Forward Adam Cristman endured an injury-plagued 2009 season, his first and only with Kansas City. The Wizards traded Cristman to D.C. for an international player roster spot during the 2010 pre - season.

CLUB ICONS NOW ASSISTANT COACHES | The storylines of D.C. United and Kansas City are further intertwined as both clubs have re - cently seen highly influential central midfielders move into coaching roles with the clubs. Kansas City Wizards all-time appearances leader Kerry Zavagnin served as an assistant coach under Onalfo in Kansas City in 2009 and fills the same role with Vermes this year. United's Ben Olsen will be an assistant under Onalfo in 2010. Olsen retired at the end of the 2009 season, while Zavagnin retired in 2008.

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