MLS Game #11
Thursday, June 10, 2010, 7:00 p.m. CT
English TV: KCWE 29
Spanish TV: KCWE 29 (SAP)
CommunityAmerica Ballpark | Kansas City, Kansas
Weather: 81 degrees, clear
Attendance: 10,167
Score: 1 2 F
Kansas City Wizards (3-5-3, 12 pts 2 0 2
Philadlephia Union (2-7-1, 7 pts) 0 0 0
Kansas City Wizards: Jimmy Nielsen; Chance Myers, Jimmy Conrad, Pablo Escobar (Matt Besler 10, Jonathan Leathers 68), Michael Harrington; Jack Jewsbury, Graham Zusi, Davy Arnaud; Kei Kamara, Josh Wolff, Ryan Smith (Korede Aiyegbusi 53)
Subs not used: Eric Kronberg, Birahim Diop, Santiago Hirsig, Teal Bunbury
Philadelphia Union: Chris Seitz; Shea Salinas (Andrew Jacobson 65), Danny Califf, Michael Orozco Fiscal (ejection 42), Jordan Harvey; Sebastien Le Toux, Stefani Miglioranzi, Amobi Okugo (Roger Torres 60), Fred; Danny Mwanga (Cristian Arrieta 43), Alejandro Moreno
Subs not used: Brad Knighton, Shavar Thomas, Jack McInerney, Kyle Nakazawa
Stats: KC PHI
Shots 7 7
Shots on Goal 2 2
Saves 2 0
Fouls 13 12
Offside 3 4
Corner Kicks 0 8
Misconduct Summary:
PHI -- Michael Orozco (caution; Reckless Foul) 26’
KC -- Jack Jewsbury (caution; Reckless Tackle) 28’
PHI -- Michael Orozco (caution; Reckless Tackle) 42’
PHI -- Michael Orozco (ejection; Second Caution) 42’
KC -- Josh Wolff (caution; Reckless Foul) 52’
PHI -- Cristian Arrieta (caution; Reckless Tackle) 74’
KC -- Michael Harrington (caution; Reckless Foul) 78’
Scoring Summary:
KC -- Kei Kamara 6 (Davy Arnaud 2, Ryan Smith 4) 9’
KC -- Graham Zusi 1 (Ryan Smith 5) 35’
(June 10, 2010) – The Kansas City Wizards defeated the Philadelphia Union 2-0 Thursday to enter the World Cup break after a win. The game marks the first time the Union and Wizards have faced each other after the Union joined MLS this year. The win saved the Wizards from being jumped in the standings by the Union and put them into 5th place in the Eastern Conference. Davy Arnaud added the 32nd assist of his career in his 200th match as a MLS player.
Philadelphia took the game’s first shot on goal in the 6th minute when Sebastien Le Toux carried a ball he received from Fred in on goal, but his low shot was easily handled by Kansas City goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen.
The Wizards, un-phased by the early action, quickly added to the score sheet when Kei Kamara added his 6th goal of the season off assists from Davy Arnaud and Ryan Smith in the 9th minute. Smith carried the ball into the Philly danger area before passing to Davy Arnaud near the top of the box on the right side of the field. Davy then laid the ball off for Kei Kamara, who took one step and struck a right-footed lazer that beat Union goalkeeper Chris Seitz to the far post.
In the 35th minute, the Wizards added to their lead on a wide open goal by Graham Zusi, the first of his career. Zusi started the play, heading a ball to Ryan Smith at midfield before making a long run into the area. Smith beat two defenders and held onto the ball as long as he could before slipping Zusi through in the area. Zusi made no mistake, finishing at the back post for a 2-0 Kansas City lead.
The Union then went down a man in the 42nd minute when Michael Orozco Fiscal received his second yellow card of the match. Josh Wolff carried the ball into a dangerous position, but was tackled hard from behind by Orozco Fiscal.
Kansas City nearly added another goal in stoppage time when dangerous Ryan Smith received the ball near the Philly goal. Smith fired a show low, but it sailed just wide of the goalmouth and soon after the whistle was blown signifying the end of the half.
In the 59th minute, Kei Kamara nearly netted a spectacular goal. Kamara received a difficult ball from 53rd minute substitution Korede Aiyegbusi in the penalty area. Kamara then controlled the ball to his feet around a Union defender. With goalkeeper Seitz rushing off his line, Kamara took a shot that went just high and wide of the mark.
The Wizards pushed ever harder for their third goal of the night on shots from Chance Myers and Jack Jewsbury, both from nearly 35 yards out. Myers blasted a shot just over the crossbar after a number of Wizards touches left him open on the ball in the 64th minute. Jewsbury sent a ball from similar distance hard, low, and just left of the goal in the 65th minute.
The Wizards are now 3-5-3 (12 pts) in 11 MLS matches this season. The win moved Kansas City to 5th in the East ahead of New England, who has 11 points in 12 matches.
The win carries the Wizards well into a well deserved two-week break. The team will have a week-long vacation and return to practice for their upcoming home match against the New York Red Bulls on Saturday June 26.
The Kansas City Wizards invite soccer fans to join them for their Summer of Soccer World Cup watch parties starting tomorrow, Friday June 11 at 9 a.m. CT in the Living Room of the downtown Power & Light District. Admission is free and free WiFi will also be available. The opening match, featuring host South Africa vs. Mexico will kick off at 9 a.m. CT. The watch party at Power & Light will be running for every World Cup match, presented by the Kansas City Wizards, the Kansas City Bid Committee and the Power & Light District. More information is available at www.kcwizards.com/worldcup.
Fast Facts:
• Kansas City moved to 3-5-3 (12 pts) on the season and is currently 5th in the Eastern Conference.
• Thursday’s game marked the first-ever meeting between Kansas City and expansion side Philadelphia.
• Goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen and the defense recorded the 5th shutout of 2010 and their second in as many games.
• Nielsen is currently tied for 2nd in MLS in shutouts with Joe Cannon of San Jose.
• Striker Kei Kamara scored his 6th goal of the season, equaling his career high set in 2009.
• Kamara is tied for 3rd in MLS in goals on the season.
• Kamara has three game-winners this year, tied for 2nd in the League.
• Midfielder Graham Zusi scored his 1st career goal.
• Zusi is the 71st player to score a goal for the Wizards in regular-season play.
• He is also the player with the last alphabetical name to ever score a goal in MLS, surpassing former Wizards defender Alex Zotinca.
• Midfielder Ryan Smith assisted on both Kansas City goals and now has five assists on the year.
• Smith is tied for 6th in MLS in assists on the season.
• Midfielder Davy Arnaud picked up the primary assist on the opening goal, his 2nd of the season.
• Arnaud now has 32 career assists, all for Kansas City.
• Arnaud played in his 200th regular-season MLS match Thursday, all of which have come for the Wizards.
• Arnaud is the 5th player to reach 200 regular-season games for the Wizards.
• He is currently tied with former midfielder Chris Klein for 4th on the club’s all-time games played list.
• The Wizards have only been called offside 15 times through 11 games, the best mark in MLS.
• The next closest team, Philadelphia, has been whistled for offside 21 times through 10 matches.
• Craig Rocastle was ejected from Saturday’s game for picking up two yellow cards. The Wizards have now suffered three red cards in 2010.
• Kansas City was without defender Roger Espinoza (World Cup), midfielder Craig Rocastle (red-card suspension), midfielder Stéphane Auvray (knee) and striker Zoltan (torn ACL).
• Espinoza is currently with the Honduras National Team at the World Cup.
• Espinoza is the 20th player in Wizards history to be named to a World Cup roster, and the 7th player to make the World Cup while on Kansas City’s roster.
• Honduras opens World Cup play next Wednesday with a match against Chile at 6:30 a.m. CT. Wizards fans are invited to watch the match at the downtown Power & Light District as part of the Summer of Soccer watch parties.
• Auvray missed his 5th straight match after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery four weeks ago.
