Wizards Drop 3-2 Decision to Revs
June 2, 2004 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release
KANSAS CITY, MO (Wednesday, June 2, 2004) - The Kansas City Wizards suffered a disappointing 3-2 loss to the New England Revolution at Arrowhead Stadium Wednesday night. After surrendering the first goal in the 16th minute, the Wizards battled back to tie the game and then take the lead before halftime. Just four minutes from extending their home unbeaten streak, Kansas City gave up the tying goal to Pat Noonan. The meltdown continued as Noonan capped his hat trick with his third goal in the 90th minute to snap the Wizards streak and drop their record to 3-4-2 (11 points) on the season.
The first half was a midfield tussle, as both sides struggled to gain an advantage. But on their first - and only - shot on goal of the first half, the Revs struck. In the 16th minute, a second cross from Ralston on the left found Noonan in the box, and he headed home his first goal of the night from 10 yards out.
Kansas City would even the score in the 33rd minute and take the lead four minutes later. Josh Wolff scored the in the 33rd minute, on a fortunate strike from the right side of the box. Chris Klein knocked down a long Jose Burciaga pass from the flank into Wolff's path. Wolff nearly whiffed on his shot, but got just enough of it to wrong-foot Reis and sent it dribbling inside the post. Burciaga's pin-point first pass gave him the first point of his MLS career.
Another defensive blunder gave the Wizards the lead four minutes later, with Arnaud the beneficiary. Wolff played a long ball from the halfway line that Jay Heaps, ahead of Arnaud, tried tapping back for Matt Reis. But the Wizards striker beat Reis to the ball and chipped it over the 'keeper and into the net.
Neither team did much to threaten the goal in the early stages of the second half, and only Meola was called upon, making easy saves on Noonan and Jose Cancela while spending more time picking off errant New England crosses.
As the game entered its final 10 minutes, the Wizards started to play keep away and shut down the match. For several minutes, the Wizards stonewalled the Revolution - until a wild goal line free-for-all in the 86th minute saw the Revs push across the tying goal.
Joseph, Ralston and Dempsey all had cracks at the ball, and Wizards 'keeper Tony Meola, with help from defender Nick Garcia, deflected each attempt before Noonan got to a loose ball 10 yards from goal and knocked it home.
Noonan wasn't done as the clock ticked over 90 minutes, he finished his hat trick after Shalrie Joseph sent a cross along the top of the box. Noonan latched on to it and sent a blast past Meola for the Revs game-winning goal. The loss dropped the Wizards to 3-4-2, but they still remain in third place in the Western Conference, just one point behind second place San Jose and seven points behind front-running Los Angeles.
The Wizards take to the road this weekend for the first of five consecutive road matches in June. Kansas City will face the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday, June 5th at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA. The game will kickoff at 9:30 p.m. CT. The Wizards will then head to Colorado on Wednesday, June 9th to face the Colorado Rapids at 8:30 p.m. CT and then to Columbus to face the Columbus Crew on Saturday, June 12th at 6:30 p.m. CT.
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Major League Soccer Stories from June 2, 2004
- Pat Noonan hat trick paces Revolution to 3-2 win over Wizards - New England Revolution
- Wizards Drop 3-2 Decision to Revs - Sporting Kansas City
- John Wolyniec Header Voted Sierra Mist Goal of the Week - MLS
- Quakes Todd Dunivant To Raise Funds For Silicon Valley and Monterey Bay Leukemia & Lymphoma Society' - San Jose Earthquakes
- Llamosa's ACL surgery is successful - New England Revolution
- Crew Heads To New England On Sunday, June 6, Riding A Five Game Unbeaten Streak - Columbus Crew SC
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