MLS Sporting Kansas City

Kansas City Wizards Tie CD Guadalajara 1-1 Thursday in Preseason Friendly

Published on February 26, 2009 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release


(February 26, 2009) - The Kansas City Wizards tied Mexican powerhouse Club Deportivo Guadalajara Thursday 1-1 at the Mexican First Division team's training center. CD Guadalajara, commonly known as "Chivas," went ahead in the 27th minute, but Kansas City answered after halftime for a 1-1 draw.

In the 25th minute, Chivas forward Carlos Borja collected the ball at top of the penalty area, cut around a defender and smashed a low shot past Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman from 18 yards out for an early lead. With ten minutes remaining in the half, Hartman kept the Wizards within a goal with a point-blank save after Chivas broke free with a 3-on-2 break.

After halftime, the Wizards put their stamp on the game and outshot Chivas 9-6 while controlling a majority of the possession. In the 81st minute, the Wizards won the ball in their own end and pushed a pass quickly forward to Davy Arnaud. The central midfielder carried through the center circle before playing the ball wide for rookie midfielder Graham Zusi. Zusi beat two defenders, carrying the ball into the penalty area before striking a hard-hit shot from a tough angle that beat the Chivas goalkeeper to near post from 15 yards out.

Zusi, a 2nd round MLS SuperDraft selection from Maryland, has had a strong preseason campaign thus far with two goals and five assists to his name. Arnaud now has one goal and two assists.

From the Chivas first team were the following players: goalkeeper Hugo Hernández, defender Patricio Araujo, defender Sergio Ávila, defender Omar Esparza, midfielder Édgar Solís, forward Omar Arellano, midfielder and former Chivas USA player Francisco Mendoza and former Mexico National Team star forward Jared Borgetti.

From Tapatío of Guadalajara's Primera ‘A' division team, these players took part: Alan Ramírez, César Valdovinos, Alejandro Galván, Hugo López, Marco de León and Carlos Borja, who helped finish the first half with a 1-0 advantage. In the second half, three players from the Guadalajara Second Division team entered: Jorge Mora, Jorge Enríquez, and Octavio Aceves.

Kansas City Wizards: Kevin Hartman; Jonathan Leathers, Jimmy Conrad, Matt Besler, Michael Harrington (Michael Kraus 65); Santiago Hirsig (Graham Zusi 46), Jack Jewsbury, Davy Arnaud, Roger Espinoza (Abe Thompson 60); Josh Wolff, Claudio Lopez

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Major League Soccer Stories from February 26, 2009


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