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MLS Sporting Kansas City

Wizards Top Crew 1-0

June 10, 2006 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release


Columbus, Ohio - The Kansas City Wizards (5-4-2, 17 pts.) pulled off an organizational-first, topping the Columbus Crew (4-5-2, 14 pts.) for a third time this season with a 1-0 win at Crew Stadium, claiming sole possession of second place in the Eastern Conference in the process. Jose Luis Burciaga Jr. netted his third goal of the season with a diving header as the end of regulation neared to give the Wizards the win.

Kansas City controlled the ball for most of the game, outshooting the hosts 18-9 in the match, but it took until the 89th minute for the Wizards to finally be rewarded. Following a Matt Groenwald throw-in along the right side, 20 yards up from the touchline, the Crew defense attempted to clear the ball but it wound up right back up at the feet of Groenwald. The rookie midfielder/defender took the rebound on his right foot and lined a low-diagonal cross towards the back post, behind the Columbus defense and in front of Columbus goalkeeper Noah Palmer. Burciaga Jr. split his defenders and lunged forward near the back post and drove a header low and just inside the post, past the sprawling Palmer for what proved to be the game-winning goal, his second this season.

Kansas City had three players make their first-ever MLS regular season starts, including one who made his first-ever MLS regular season appearance, goalkeeper Will Hesmer. Although he started a pair of U.S. Open Cup matches last season, tonight's game was his first official MLS match. Hesmer posted three saves on the night en route to his first career shutout in first career start.

Rookies Lance Watson and Tyson Wahl also looked good in their first career MLS starts tonight, eleven games into their professional careers. Wahl had appeared in two previous matches as a sub prior to tonight where played in the back, and Watson started in the wide midfield position having previously appeared three matches before tonight's match.

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