Wizards Blank Galaxy 1-0, Clinch #1 Seed in West and Home Field Advantage
October 17, 2004 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release
KANSAS CITY, MO (Saturday, October 16, 2004) - The Kansas City Wizards clinched the Western Conference Regular Season Title and home field advantage throughout the playoffs with a 1-0 shutout of the Los Angeles Galaxy Saturday Night. Josh Wolff's team-high 10th goal of the season and the team's League-high 12th shutout of the season helped clinch the #1 seed in the Western Conference heading into the playoffs next weekend.
The Wizards needed a win, a tie or a loss by just one goal to hold their position in the standings ahead of the Galaxy and Wolff's strike off a rebound from a goal line clearance midway through the first half was all the team would need. The Wizards will now begin their quest for a second MLS Cup title against the San Jose Earthquakes on the road next weekend, then host them on Saturday October 30th. The winner of that two-leg, aggregate goal series will face the winner of Los Angeles-Colorado for the right to represent the West at the 2004 MLS Cup on November 14th.
The Galaxy's starting lineup was less than full strength, as neither Guatemala international forward Carlos Ruiz nor the suspended Tyrone Marshall started. Ruiz's absence was due to a hamstring strain that has bothered him for some time now, his spot up top going to the recently acquired Alan Gordon.
The Galaxy had two early chances in front of the Wizards goal, as Gordon was allowed a good look at goal on the second chance, but he sent his shot high over the bar. As the match began to take shape, however, it was the Wizards who held most of the possession. They then managed to take hold of the evenly played match in the 23rd minute as midfielder Jack Jewsbury was played into the Galaxy box by a flighted ball from the midfield.
The second-year player beat L.A. defender Chris Albright before unloading a shot that beat Galaxy goalkeeper Kevin Hartman to the right. Backing up his 'keeper was the ever-present Ryan Suarez who cleared the ball off the line, but only as far as Wolff, who was lurking in the heart of the goal area and sent the failed clearance into the back of the net for his tenth of the season.
The Wizards' command in attack was not without its pains as Arnaud sacrificed his body countless times throughout the initial 20 minutes of the match and was the worse for it as he repeatedly took time to gather himself. Unable to continue because of a right hip contusion, the league's leader in fouls suffered was replaced by rookie forward Matt Taylor in the 26th minute.
Although the Galaxy created five corners in the half off purposeful flanking runs, the Wizards continued to come closer with their opportunities. In the 30th minute, a high ball was played in to the left of Hartman and met by Igor Simutenkov, but he sent it just over the bar.
Perhaps realizing they were on the verge of being down by two, the Galaxy upped their urgency and nearly cashed in off a corner as Ryan Suarez rose to nod down the ball, only to see his effort cleared off the line by Kerry Zavagnin in the 33rd minute.
Ten minutes into the second half brought the expected entrance of Austrian midfielder Andreas Herzog, and his insertion nearly paid off in the 62nd minute as he stepped up to take a direct kick in front of a Wizards wall that also contained Galaxy players. Herzog saw the opening and spun a shot that forced Oshoniyi to dive and punch the ball away to his left.
As Herzog began to stamp his influence on the match with his precise passing, the chess-like substitutions continued as Galaxy coach Steve Sampson brought on Ruiz in the 68th minute. Almost immediately the Galaxy earned a corner, but Oshoniyi was up to the task and the crisis passed.
Each team had one more flurry toward the end, and each defense bent but did not break. Ruiz, now heading the Galaxy attack, fired high from outside the box in the 80th minute for L.A. The Wizards responded two minutes later through Jack Jewsbury, who hit a first time blast cross by Simutenkov from the right flank, but he couldn't get his shot past Hartman at the far post.
The Wizards will open the first round of the 2004 MLS Cup Playoffs next weekend in San Jose against the San Jose Earthquakes. The exact date will be determined following tomorrow's final MLS game of the regular season - MetroStars at D.C. United (4:00 p.m. CT). The Wizards and 'Quakes will play either Saturday, October 23rd or Sunday, October 24th at Spartan Stadium, with the date determined by the ESPN2 broadcast schedule for next weekend.
Regardless of the outcome, the Wizards will host the second leg of the two-game, aggregate goal series at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday, October 30th, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster and can be purchased by calling 816-931-3330 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.
With the Home Field Advantage, if the Wizards advance past the first round of their playoff series against San Jose, the Wizards would host the one-game, Western Conference Final at Arrowhead Stadium on Friday, November 5th at 7:30 p.m. CT.
Wizards 2004 Regular Season Notes
· The Wizards finished the 2004 regular season allowing just 30 goals in 30 games, the fewest goals allowed in MLS this year.
· Kansas City posted a League-high 12 shutouts this season, including nine at home.
· The Wizards posted a League-high 14 wins this year, two more than the next closest team - Columbus (12)
· The Wizards Western Conference Regular Season Title is their first since 2000.
· Josh Wolff's goal in the 23rd was his 10th of the season and 27th point of the year, crowning him the Wizards Budweiser Scoring Champion with 10 goals, 7 assists and 27 points.
Major League Soccer Stories from October 17, 2004
- Dates Are Set for MLS Cup Playoff Conference Semifinals - MLS
- New Season Starts Saturday - Columbus Crew SC
- MetroStars Fall to D.C. United 3-2, Finish Third in Conference - New York Red Bulls
- D.C. United Announces Playoff Schedule - D.C. United
- Crew Runs Unbeaten Streak To 18 And Wins Supporters' Shield After 1-1 Tie At Colorado - Columbus Crew SC
- Wizards Blank Galaxy 1-0, Clinch #1 Seed in West and Home Field Advantage - Sporting Kansas City
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