Wizards Score Early, Late to Tie Rapids 2-2
Published on August 22, 2003 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release
KANSAS CITY, MO (Friday, August 22, 2003) - The Kansas City Wizards scored a goal after 33 seconds and an equalizer in second half injury time to earn a 2-2 tie against the visiting Colorado Rapids at Arrowhead Stadium on Friday night. Davy Arnaud scored the quickest goal in Wizards history to put the home side up early, but Chris Henderson and John Spencer both tallied for the Rapids in the first half. Preki scored the equalizer in the 93+ minute on a penalty kick to help the Wizards salvage the tie. With the point, the Wizards remain in second place in the Western Conference, one point ahead of the Rapids and eight points behind the San Jose Earthquakes.
The game was off to a cracking start with a goal after 33 seconds scored by Wizards forward Davy Arnaud. Preki, MLS' all-time leading scorer, fed Arnaud near the top right corner of the box. The second-year player then made a cutting run across the top of the box before unleashing a left-footed shot between two defenders that beat Colorado goalkeeper Scott Vallow at the right post. Arnaud's second tally of the year was the fourth fastest goal from the start of a match in League history, just 11 seconds behind the all-time fastest strike by New England Revolution forward Giovanni Savarese on March 28, 1999.
The early goal set the tone to a match which saw both teams playing direct balls into the attack in an end-to-end affair in the first half. In fact the Rapids were quick to respond as the visitors struck the crossbar in the fourth minute. Colorado defender Ritchie Kotschau penetrated into the left side of the Wizards box and sent a centering cross that was intended for Rapids teammate Chris Henderson. However, Wizards defender Stephen Armstrong deflected the ball inside the six-yard box and off his own crossbar. The ball bounced on the goal line before being cleared.
The Rapids would threaten on other scoring opportunities before finding the back of the net in the 29th minute. Colorado forward John Spencer sent a lead pass into the box for Henderson and the ex-Wizards player fired a first-time left-footed shot which caught goalkeeper Tony Meola diving the other way. Henderson's first tally of the season ended a personal 18-game goal-scoring drought (last goal came Sept. 1, 2002).
In the 37th minute Meola made two consecutive saves on a point-blank shot by Spencer and a follow-up blast by Mark Chung. But Spencer would not be denied four minutes later. He collected a long ball into the attack with a sublime control, bringing the ball down out of the air with the outside of his right foot. The Rapids captain then promptly unleashed a powerful right-footed shot under the crossbar for his team-leading 10th goal of the season. It was also Spencer's fourth goal against Kansas City in three matches in 2003, including a U.S. Open Cup fourth round victory. The Scotsman now has seven career goals in nine career regular season games against the Wizards.
Kansas City opened the second half with urgency introducing forward Wolde Harris, who entered the game at the start of the second half. He made his debut for the Wizards after he was acquired in a four-player trade on Wednesday at the trade deadline from the New England Revolution. In the 62nd minute the Wizards continued their attacking pressure by bringing on forward Josh Wolff for his first appearance since suffering a meniscus tear in a July 4 match against Colorado.
It was Wolff who drew the foul in the Rapids box which led to a penalty kick in added time. Preki stepped up to convert the spot kick for his 10th goal of the year, catapulting him to the top of the League's Budweiser scoring charts (10g, 12a - 32pts) and past New England's Taylor Twellman (13g, 4a - 30pts). Before the penalty kick the Wizards' best opportunity came on an 85th minute Alex Zotinca volley punched over the bar by Vallow, who had also made a spectacular stop on a Harris header seconds before the Wizards were awarded the penalty kick.
The overtime featured a one-on-one showdown between Spencer and Meola. The Wizards captain stopped his Rapids counterpart with a save in the third minute and then used a spectacular one-handed block in the sixth minute of the extra session to foil the Scotsman.
The Wizards played the match without injured Russian forward Igor Simutenkov (strained left hamstring) and suspended defender Diego Gutierrez (caution point accumulation). Developmental player Jack Jewsbury made his first MLS start for the Wizards, lining up at right back in the Wizards four-back formation before being taken off at halftime as the Wizards switched to a three-back formation. Not making the trip to Kansas City for the Rapids were goalkeeper Scott Garlick and new arrival Joe Cannon, the former San Jose Earthquakes and RC Lens (France) netminder, acquired last Tuesday in a trade with the Earthquakes.
Kansas City will travel to Columbus to face the Columbus Crew on Sunday, August 31st at Crew Stadium. The match will kickoff at 6:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast live on Metro Sports. The Wizards return home on Saturday, September 6th when they host the MetroStars at Arrowhead Stadium. The match will kickoff at 7:00 p.m. CT.
Major League Soccer Stories from August 22, 2003
- Wizards Score Early, Late to Tie Rapids 2-2 - Sporting Kansas City
- Wizards Rally to Tie Rapids, 2-2 - MLS
- Pre-Game Report: MetroStars vs. Chicago - New York Red Bulls
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