NL Kansas City Monarchs

Wizards Earn 2-0 Win Over League-Leading Galaxy

August 29, 2010 - Northern League (NL)
Kansas City Monarchs News Release


The Kansas City Wizards continued their postseason push on Saturday with a 2-0 victory over the first-place Los Angeles Galaxy at The Home Depot Center. Wizards captain Davy Arnaud scored the game-winning goal in the 12th minute and defender Jimmy Conrad secured the victory with his first goal of the season in the 70th minute to earn an important three points on the road.

The win moves Kansas City into 4th-place in the Eastern Conference standings, one point back of Toronto FC and just three points out of the final playoff position with nine games remaining.

Arnaud gave Kansas City an early lead, making a timely run into the penalty area and controlling a cross from forward Kei Kamara before burying his shot inside the far post from six yards out in the 12th minute. On a night when he surpassed 17,000 minutes played in MLS, Arnaud netted his 40th career goal to move into sole possession of third place on Kansas City's all-time goal scoring chart, behind Preki (71) and Josh Wolff (42).

Kamara, who returned to the Cal State-Dominguez Hills campus where he attend college and once interned for the Galaxy, tallied his third assist in the past two games, giving him a new career high.

Arnaud was again leading the attack as Kansas City came close to scoring their second goal in the 36th minute. Arnaud forced a turnover near midfield and dribbled at pace toward the Galaxy goal before playing a pass to forward Birahim Diop at the top of the penalty area. The Senegal native, coming off a two-goal performance the week before, couldn't convert the one-on-one with Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, who came out quickly to make a sliding stop.

Kansas City's defense held the high-scoring Los Angeles offense without a shot on goal in the first half, limiting the Galaxy's best scoring opportunities to a shot from Chris Birchall that went high in the 39th minute and a Mike Magee volley in the 43rd minute that was cleared out by Wizards centerback Shavar Thomas.

Wizards goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen would be called into action in the second half though as Los Angeles' halftime adjustments increased the pressure in hopes of a comeback. Galaxy captain Landon Donovan created a chance for Birchall in the 49th minute with a quick turn and well-played pass but Birchall's blast from the right side was met with an outstanding kick save from Nielsen. Less than ten minutes later, Donovan and Birchall combined again, but Nielsen denied Birchall once more on his shot from the edge of the 18-yard box in the 58th minute.

Nielsen's three saves on the night earned his eighth shutout of the year and he is now tied for third in MLS with 63 saves. The 2010 All-Star selection has played every minute of every league match for Kansas City this season.

The Wizards attack continued to pose problems for the Galaxy backline, as Diop again got behind the Galaxy defense on the left side with only Ricketts to beat, but couldn't sneak his near post shot past the Jamaican international in the 61st minute. The Wizards confidently held on to their 1-0 lead until the 70th minute when a hard foul on Kansas City playmaker Ryan Smith led to a free kick in front of the Kansas City bench. Arnaud sent the service into a dangerous area inside the box and Conrad acrobatically got his foot on the cross to redirect it off the inside of the post for his first goal of the season.

Conrad, a Southern California native who was playing in front of 185 friends and family, now has 17 goals in his Kansas City career, tying him with Eddie Johnson for ninth on the Wizards all-time goal scorers chart.

The Galaxy threatened again in the 73rd minute thanks to the playmaking of Donovan but Wizards defender Roger Espinoza recovered to disrupt Los Angeles second-half substitute Tristan Bowen's shot from the top of the penalty area.

The Wizards secured the team's second win on the road over a conference leader in as many months, after Kansas City also upset Columbus 1-0 at Crew Stadium in July.

Kansas City's road trip continues next Saturday with a game at Philadelphia to face the expansion Union at the newly opened PPL Park. The match, which kicks off at 2:30 p.m. CT, will air live in high definition on KCWE Channel 29 in both English and Spanish, accompanied by a live radio broadcast on La Gran D 1340 AM.

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