MLS Game #5
Saturday, May 1, 2010, 7:30 p.m. CT
English TV: Fox Soccer Channel
Spanish TV: Fox Sports Espanol
Robertson Stadium | Houston, Texas
Weather: 76 degrees, cloudy
Attendance: 16,042
Score: 1 2 F
Kansas City Wizards (2-2-1, 7 pts.) 0 0 0
Houston Dynamo (3-2-1, 11 pts) 1 2 3
Kansas City Wizards: Jimmy Nielsen; Michael Harrington, Pablo Escobar, Matt Besler, Roger Espinoza (Chance Myers 54’); Josh Wolff, Stéphane Auvray, Jack Jewsbury, Davy Arnaud ©, Ryan Smith (Teal Bunbury 72’); Kei Kamara (Craig Rocastle 46’)
Subs not used: Eric Kronberg, Santiago Hirsig, Birahim Diop, Aaron Hohlbein
Houston Dynamo: Pat Onstad; Andrew Hainault, Eddie Robinson (Ryan Cochrane 89’), Bobby Boswell, Mike Chabala; Brian Mullan, Lovel Palmer, Brad Davis, Corey Ashe (Adrian Serioux 86’); Dominic Oduro, Luis Angel Landin (Samuel Appiah 71’)
Subs not used: Tally Hall, Craig Waibel, Francisco Navas Cobo, Richard Mulrooney
Stats:
Kansas City Houston
Shots 5 16
Shots on Goal 2 6
Fouls 14 15
Corner Kicks 1 5
Offside 0 6
Scoring Summary:
HOU – 24’ – Luis Angel Landin 1 (Dominic Oduro 2)
HOU – 52’ – Brian Mullan 1 (Luis Angel Landin 1)
HOU – 87’ – Samuel Appiah 1 (Dominic Oduro 3)
Misconduct Summary:
KCW – 16’ – Matt Besler (Caution – reckless tackle)
KCW – 33’ – Davy Arnaud (Ejection – serious foul play)
KCW – 56’ – Stephane Auvray (Caution – reckless tackle)
HOU – 64’ – Lovel Palmer (Caution – reckless foul)
KCW – 70’ – Craig Rocastle (Caution – reckless tackle)
(May 1, 2010) – The Kansas City Wizards endured a frustrating outing on Saturday night, losing 3-0 to the Houston Dynamo at Robertson Stadium in Houston, Texas. Luis Angel Landin, Brian Mullan and rookie Samuel Appiah scored for the Dynamo, while Wizards captain Davy Arnaud was sent off midway through the first half.
Things started quite well for Kansas City, as Kei Kamara nearly put the Wizards on top in the opening stages of the game. The Sierra Leone striker did well to latch on to a through ball on a breakaway, but his shot at the Dynamo goal went just wide of the near post.
The Dynamo had their first good chance of the game 17 minutes in when Matt Besler brought down midfielder Brian Mullan just outside of the Wizards’ penalty area. Dynamo midfielder Brad Davis took the ensuing freekick, with his swerving effort skipping narrowly wide of the goalmouth, bouncing off the near post and out of play.
Houston would get on the board midway through the first half. With the defensive line pushed high, Dominic Oduro was able to feed Luis Angel Landin with open space between him and the Kansas City goal. Wizards goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen came out to cut down the angle, but Landin did well to hit a chipped finish over the big Dane and into the back of the net.
The Wizards had a chance to get an immediate reply after Houston’s opener, as Smith smartly fed a wide-open Davy Arnaud at the left of the Dynamo penalty area. Arnaud put a good cross in to Wolff on the opposite side, but last year’s leading scorer couldn’t quite cut the ball back to Kei Kamara who was waiting in the center of the penalty area.
Kansas City was dealt another blow in the first half with the sending off of midfielder and captain Davy Arnaud in the 34th minute. The incident occurred when Onstad came out early to gather a loose ball in the center of the penalty area while Arnaud gave chase. Terry Vaughn elected to eject Arnaud for what transpired during the 50/50 ball with Onstad.
The Wizards managed to create chances despite being a man down, with Kamara testing Onstad on a snap header from a Michael Harrington cross in the 35th minute.
Houston nearly doubled their advantage at the start of the second half, as Oduro and Landin worked a nice one-two before cutting the ball across the box for Corey Ashe. Ashe’s shot was on target, but Nielsen did well to move across the goal and punch the ball away from danger.
The Dynamo would score their second in the 52nd minute, as Landin fed Brian Mullan on a breakaway. Mullan took a touch and rifled a shot that found its way between the legs of Besler, ricocheting past the outstretched arms of Nielsen into the back of the net.
Oduro had a golden opportunity to increase Houston’s lead in the 59th minute as he found himself one on one with Nielsen with nobody within 20 yards of either player. Oduro juked past Nielsen in the box and attempted a low rolling finish from a tight angle that bounced off the post. Oduro then took control of the rebound and lofted a cross in the box for the onrushing Landin. Landin’s first header was blocked by Besler, and his second attempt at a finish was denied by a diving point-blank reaction save from Nielsen.
The Dynamo had another breakaway opportunity in the 66th minute as Oduro fed Brian Mullan on a counterattack from a Kansas City corner kick. Fortunately for the Wizards, Mullan’s effort went wide of Nielsen’s far post.
Houston would continue to dominate possession over the next several minutes, as the Wizards found themselves unable to find any footing in the match. Rookie midfielder Samuel Appiah gave Houston the icing on the cake in the 87th minute, finishing a good cross from Dominic Oduro after he slid behind the Wizards defense.
The Wizards will look to bounce back from the defeat on Wednesday, when they travel to RFK Stadium in Washington to take on D.C. United on ESPN2 at 6 p.m. CT.
Fast Facts:
• Arnaud’s red card is the second the midfielder has received in his career. His last came nearly three years ago, in the September 27, 2007 game against the Los Angeles Galaxy at Arrowhead Stadium.
• Midfielder Stephane Auvray captained the Wizards in the second half after the ejection of regular captain Davy Arnaud in the 33rd minute.
• Arnaud had over 50 friends and family in the stands to watch him play in the game. Arnaud is originally from Nederland, Texas, and attended college at West Texas A&M.
• Luis Angel Landin’s goal is his second in MLS play, both of which have come against the Kansas City Wizards at Robertson Stadium.
• The last time the Wizards gave up three goals: October 17, 2009’s 3-2 home loss to Seattle Sounders FC.
• The last time the Wizards lost by a three goal margin: June 14, 2008’s 3-0 home loss to the Columbus Crew
• Tonight’s match marks the first time the Kansas City Wizards have failed to out-shoot their opponent in 2010. Houston held a 16-5 shots advantage in the game.
• Defender Jimmy Conrad did not make the trip down to Houston, as he continues to recover from a calf strain.
• Before the game, Wizards players Teal Bunbury, Chance Myers, Craig Rocastle and Aaron Hohlbein took time to visit the cancer ward at the Texas Children’s Hospital.
• Tonight’s game was the first of three in a row where the Wizards will appear on national television. The Wizards play D.C. United this Wednesday on ESPN2 before returning to Fox Soccer Channel with a May 15th home game against the Chicago Fire.
