Result
A 4-1 victory on Saturday night against the New England Revolution (6-11-3, 21 points) at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.
WATCH: MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
Table position
Fifth place in the Eastern Conference with 23 points (6-9-5) and 10 games remaining.
Three things to take away
1) Birahim Diop – what more can you say? Diop hadn’t even recorded a shot on goal in his brief Major League Soccer career (nine total appearances) before being penciled in for the suspended Teal Bunbury on Saturday.
Needless to say, Diop grabbed his opportunity with both hands. He scored on his first two career shots on goal after rocketing a gilt-edged chance over the bar early on and only grew stronger from there, slipping Kei Kamara in on goal for the Wizards third before being substituted.
The Senegalese journeyman has come a long way since playing amateur ball in New York City last year, and his hard work has certainly been rewarded.
2) Faced with a must-win game, Kansas City fashioned the perfect response. With two desperate teams facing off, the expectation was that this would be a rough, tight affair decided by a narrow margin. The Wizards didn’t allow that to happen, claiming three vital points on their home turf that kept their playoff hopes alive in a crowded race to make the postseason.
Manager Peter Vermes’ team is five points removed from the eighth and final playoff spot, and there’s plenty of time left to make up ground even if the remaining schedule isn’t necessarily kind.
3) Steve Nicol’s unexpected change to a 3-5-2 played into the Wizards' hands. After the game, Vermes said he was surprised to see New England line up in that formation, but not that he was complaining or anything. Despite the narrow field dimensions at CAB, the Wizards consistently found space on the touchline and each of their first three goals were delivered from wide points.
Nicol’s thought might have been good, but his players just didn’t pull it off. Darrius Barnes kept Diop onside for the opening goal, Kevin Alston couldn’t handle the tall forward in the air on the second and the Senegalese forward easily split the central defense wide open with a simple pass to Kamara for the third.
Two players who stood out[inline_node:302179]
Forward Ryan Smith – Although Diop was the standout, the fact that Smith was able to put in a 85 solid minutes only days after being carried off the practice field with a knee injury speaks volumes. The Englishman was dangerous and dynamic as always, but it was his devotion to the cause that was really impressive. Smith tracked back consistently to help the players behind him, and his hustle to create Jack Jewsbury’s sealing tally was even more commendable.
Forward Kei Kamara – Kamara has taken a major step forward this season, and that only continued on Saturday. After setting up Diop for two goals, Kamara’s brilliant run into space and calm finish gave him his eighth tally of the season. That’s a career high for the 25-year-old, who could have even more if not for a few blips (see the sitter he missed against Los Angeles). With 10 games left, Kamara should reach double digits and has a chance to set himself up for an even better season in 2011.
One play that changed the game
The opening goal was always going to be the key in a game between two sides desperate for points, and it couldn’t have come without a little controversy. Revolution fans – and television announcers – were calling for offside after Diop’s opening goal, but the replays showed that the forward was clearly even with Barnes, who failed to push up with the rest of his back line. Unfortunately for New England, that strike gave Kansas City the confidence they needed to pull away for a crucial victory.
Final verdict
Joy – and relief – was abundant in the Wizards' locker room following the 4-1 victory. In many ways, this felt like the beginning of the end of the offensive impotency after months of trouble in front of net. Granted, the goal-scoring woes aren’t in the past yet, but Kansas City certainly have some confidence to work with moving forward. In the end, though, confidence is no substitute for results and the points that come with them, something Vermes will be sure his team remembers in the coming weeks.
Next up
Saturday at Los Angeles Galaxy (13-4-4). LA are no longer the hottest team in the league, but that doesn’t mean they are any less formidable at home. Kansas City walked away with a point from a 1-1 draw early in the season, but could have easily taken all three points. Times have changed considerably since then, and three points – or even one – would be another step forward for the Wizards.
