Wizards Down Rapids 4-1 In Front Of New Owners
Published on September 9, 2006 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release
Kansas City, Mo. (Saturday, September 9, 2006) - Playing their first game in front of their new owners, OnGoal, LLC., the Kansas City Wizards let the fireworks fly, literally and figuratively, blasting the Colorado Rapids for a 4-1 win at Arrowhead Stadium. The win pushed Kansas City to 33 points on the season, distancing itself from the New York Red Bulls for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Following the match, the Wizards put on a fireworks display for the 12,337 in attendance, their third largest crowd of the season.
After being named the Wizards' Man of the Month for August earlier in the evening, Scott Sealy didn't waste much time in making his impact felt, scoring his team-leading seventh goal of the season by putting away on open net rebound in the 36th second of the match. Alex Zotinca fired a shot from the right side across the frame that Rapids goalkeeper Joe Cannon parlayed off to the side, however, the rebound wound up just off the goalline near the backpost, leaving Sealy with an easy tap in for the second fastest goal in Wizards' history and an early 1-0 KC lead. The goal was also Sealy's third consecutive game-opening goal at Arrowhead Stadium, overall he has scored the first goal in five of KC's 14 home games this season.
Colorado responded ten minutes later with a game-tying goal by Kyle Beckerman off of a 25-yard rocket into the top right corner in the 11th minute for what proved to be the Rapids' only goal of the match.
Kansas City came out quick in the second half, and once again it was the persistent effort of the Wizards' offense that led to their go-ahead goal. Jack Jewsbury began the play by rifling a low-lining shot from 25-yards out to the right post. Cannon was able to get a hand to it, but once again he was unable to control the rebound as the ball wound up near the top-right corner of the 6-yard box. Dave van den Bergh took the opportunity and pounced on the rebound, one-timing the loose ball just inside the near post for his first career MLS goal and the eventual win in the 54th minute.
Davy Arnaud and Jose Luis Burciaga Jr. combined for Kansas City's final two goals to give KC the 4-1 win. The first came on a corner kick from the right hand side where Arnaud made a far post run and hit the cross back across the frame and into the side netting for his third goal of the season, just two minutes after van den Bergh netted the go-ahead tally. Arnaud and Burciaga Jr.'s second combination came in the 77th minute when from 35-yards out on the left flank Burciaga Jr. lofted a pass towards the near post for Arnaud who redirected it with his shin just inside that near post. The assist was Burciaga Jr.'s his team-leading seventh of the season.
Full Recap & Quotes: www.kcwizards.com.
The Wizards have a full two weeks off to rest and recuperate before their next match, tonight forward Eddie Johnson was out with a strained hamstring and midfielder/defender Alex Zotinca had to leave the match in the 19th minute after reagravating his strained hamstring. Following its two-week break, Kansas City heads to Boston to take on the New England Revolution in a key Eastern Conference showdown on Saturday, September 23rd at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Major League Soccer Stories from September 9, 2006
- Wizards Down Rapids 4-1 In Front Of New Owners - Sporting Kansas City
- Rapids Lose 4-1 to Kansas City on the Road; Prepare for Final Six Games of Season - Colorado Rapids
- New England Revolution Schedule: September 11-17 - New England Revolution
- Noonan, Revs tame Red Bulls, 1-0 - New England Revolution
- Scoring Scheme - OSC Original by Steve De Rose
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