MLS Sporting Kansas City

Kansas City Wizards Weekly Update

Published on November 8, 2004 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release


Wizards Headed to MLS Cup 2004 to Face D.C. United Sunday, November 14th

The Kansas City Wizards captured the Western Conference Championship with a convincing 2-0 win over the Los Angeles Galaxy last Friday and are now headed to Los Angeles for MLS Cup 2004. The Wizards will face D.C. United on Sunday, November 14th at The Home Depot Center. The match will kickoff at 2:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast live on ABC.

Sunday's showdown will feature the League's best defense in MLS against the second highest scoring offense in MLS during the 2004 season. The Wizards allowed just 30 goals on the year, the fewest in MLS, while posting a League-high 12 shutouts. D.C. United scored 43 goals, the second most in the League, led by second-year forward Alecko Eskandarian's 10 goals.

The Wizards will try to become just the third team in MLS history to win the U.S. Open Cup and MLS Cup titles in the same season. Only D.C. United (1996) and the Chicago Fire (1998) have won the "double" before. Kansas City is also looking for it's second MLS Cup trophy in franchise history after winning the title in 2000, their only other appearance in the final.

D.C. United is making its first appearance in the MLS Cup Final since 1999 after playing in the Championship match in each of the League's first four seasons. United won MLS Cup in 1996, 1997 and 1999, and lost in the 1998 Final. Kansas City and D.C. United have never met in postseason play prior to Sunday's match.

Kansas City features seven players on their roster that play on the Wizards 2000 Championship team that defeated the Chicago Fire 1-0 - Nick Garcia, Francisco Gomez, Chris Klein, Tony Meola, Bo Oshoniyi, Preki and Kerry Zavagnin. Diego Gutierrez and Josh Wolff both played for Chicago in 2000. On the other side of the bench, D.C. United Head Coach Peter Nowak was a member of that same Chicago squad as was midfielder Dema Kovalenko while United defender Brandon Prideaux was the starting left back for the Wizards at MLS Cup 2000.

Join the Wizards for a "Welcome Home Party" on Monday, November 15th

The Kansas City Wizards invite all fans to a Welcome Home Party on the evening of their return from MLS Cup, Monday, November 15th beginning at 6:00 p.m. CT. The site of the Welcome Home Party is being finalize and will be announced later this week. Regardless of the outcome of Sunday's MLS Cup Final, the Wizards will be celebrating a tremendous season in which the team won the 2004 U.S. Open Cup Title and captured the 2004 Western Conference Championship.

All Wizards players and coaches will be in attendance at the event as well as the U.S. Open Cup trophy and the Western Conference Championship trophy. More information will be available this week on the Wizards website, www.kcwizards.com .

Tickets and Travel Packages Available to Wizards Fans for MLS Cup 2004

The Kansas City Wizards and New Haven Travel are teaming up to offer Wizards fans various travel packages to MLS Cup 2004 to join the team in Los Angeles next weekend. Travel packages can include airfare, hotel, ground transportation and tickets to MLS Cup 2004. Wizards fans can book their travel to MLS Cup by calling New Haven Travel at 1-800-243-1806.

The Wizards will have a special section reserved at the Home Depot Center exclusively for Kansas City Wizards fans. Tickets to this section will be available in packages through New Haven Travel as well as through the Wizards office. Fans who wish to purchase individual tickets in the Wizards section for MLS Cup should call the Wizards offices at 816-920-9300. The Wizards advanced to MLS Cup 2004 with a 2-0 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy in the Western Conference Championship last Friday night at Arrowhead. The Wizards will take on either D.C. United or the New England Revolution on Sunday, November 14th at 2:30 p.m. CT at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA.

For updated information on the Wizards travel schedule and appearance information leading up to MLS Cup 2004, log on to the Wizards official website at www.kcwizards.com .

Kansas City Sports Fans - If You Can't Travel to MLS Cup, Tune in on Sunday, November 14th

Kansas City fans who cannot travel to MLS Cup in Los Angeles, can stay at home and enjoy an exciting day of Kansas City sports on television. First, tune in to CBS at Noon CT to watch the Kansas City Chiefs take on the New Orleans Saints from the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. Then, switch over to ABC to watch the Wizards take on D.C. United in MLS Cup 2004. The MLS Cup broadcast begins at 2:30 p.m. CT from the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA. Kick

MLS Postseason Results and Schedule

WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS (No. 1) vs. SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES (No. 4)
Game 1: Kansas City Wizards 0 at San Jose Earthquakes 2
Game 2: San Jose Earthquakes 0 at Kansas City Wizards 3
Kansas City wins series 3-2 on aggregate goals

LOS ANGELES GALAXY (No. 2) vs. COLORADO RAPIDS (No. 3)
Game 1: Los Angeles Galaxy 0 at Colorado Rapids 1
Game 2: Colorado Rapids 0 at Los Angeles Galaxy 2
Los Angeles wins series 2-1 on aggregate goals

EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS
COLUMBUS CREW (No. 1) vs. NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION (No. 4)
Game 1: Columbus Crew 0 at New England Revolution 1
Game 2: New England Revolution 1 at Columbus Crew 1
New England wins series 2-1 on aggregate goals

D.C. UNITED (No. 2) vs. METROSTARS (No. 3)
Game 1: D.C. United 2 at MetroStars 0
Game 2: MetroStars 0 at D.C. United 2
D.C. United wins series 4-0 on aggregate goals

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS (No. 1) 2 vs. LOS ANGELES GALAXY (No. 2) 0
Kansas City wins 2-0, advances to MLS Cup 2004

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL
D.C. UNITED (No. 2) 3 vs. NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION (No. 4) 3 (DC wins 4-3 on PKs)
D.C. United wins 3-3 (4-3 on PKs)

2004 MLS CUP CHAMPIONSHIP
KANSAS CITY vs. D.C. UNITED
Sunday, November 14th, 2:30 p.m. CT - The Home Depot Center, Carson, CA, Live on ABC

This Week with the Wizards

Conrad and Graham Attend Children's Mercy Healthy Kids University Event Wizards defenders Jimmy Conrad and Taylor Graham will make a special guest appearance at a kickoff event for Children's Mercy Healthy Kids University. The event educates parents and children on the importance of staying active and eating healthy to fight childhood obesity. Both players will be on hand to meet, greet and sign autographs. The event will take place on Monday evening at Union Station. For more information please call the Wizards office at 816-920-4739.

Wizards Injury/Absence Report
Player Status Injury/Reason
M - Chris Klein Out Torn ACL (L)
M - Preki Out Ankle Surgery (L)

Check out the Sporting Kansas City Statistics

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Major League Soccer Stories from November 8, 2004


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