MLS Game #19
Saturday, August 14, 2010, 9:00 p.m. CT
English TV: KCWE 29
Spanish TV: KCWE 29 (SAP)
Buck Shaw Stadium | Santa Clara, California
Weather: Clear and 74 degrees
Attendance: 8,619
Score: 1 2 F
Kansas City Wizards (5-9-5, 20 pts) 0 0 0
San Jose Earthquakes (7-6-5, 26 pts) 1 0 1
Kansas City Wizards: Jimmy Nielsen; Michael Harrington, Shavar Thomas (Jack Jewsbury 90), Jimmy Conrad, Roger Espinoza; Davy Arnaud, Stéphane Auvray (Graham Zusi 80), Craig Rocastle; Kei Kamara (Josh Wolff 82), Teal Bunbury, Ryan Smith
Subs not used: Eric Kronberg, Korede Aiyegbusi, Nick Kounenakis, Jonathan Leathers
San Jose Earthquakes: Joe Cannon, Jason Hernandez, Brandon McDonald, Tim Ward, Sam Cronin, Khari Stephenson, Arturo Alvarez (Bobby Burling 89), Joey Gjertsen (Omar Jasseh 73), Bobby Convey, Cornell Glen (Ryan Johnson 64), Chris Wondolowski
Subs not used: Jon Busch, Steven Beitashour, Justin Morrow, Brad Ring
Stats: KC SJ
Shots 12 11
Shots on Goal 7 4
Saves 3 7
Fouls 6 14
Offside 6 6
Corner Kicks 5 8
Misconduct Summary:
SJ – Bobby Convey (caution; Reckless Foul) 24
SJ – Arturo Alvarez (caution; Unsporting Behavior) 59
KC – Jimmy Conrad (caution; Unsporting Behavior) 66
SJ – Jason Hernandez (ejection; Violent Conduct) 88
Scoring Summary:
SJ – Chris Wondolowski 7(Khari Stephenson 1) 35
(August 14, 2010) – The Kansas City Wizards had their four game unbeaten streak brought to an end by the San Jose Earthquakes in a 1-0 loss at Buck Shaw Stadium on Saturday night. Earthquakes forward Chris Wondolowski scored his team-high seventh goal of the season in the 35th minute and San Jose goalkeeper Joe Cannon turned in a superb seven-save performance for his sixth shutout on the year.
In a first half that saw numerous scoring chances on both ends of the field, it was the Wizards who nearly got on the scoreboard first in the 9th minute. Kansas City forward Teal Bunbury intercepted a backpass from San Jose defender Bobby Convey, but couldn’t beat Cannon with his close range shot. The rebound fell to Wizards captain Davy Arnaud who danced around two defenders and served up a second chance for Bunbury, but the rookie’s header went narrowly wide.
Two minutes later, San Jose’s Cornell Glen had his first of several attempts on goal but the danger was averted by the defensive combination of goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen and center back Jimmy Conrad.
Kansas City responded with a chance in the 21st minute when creative playmaker Ryan Smith crossed for Arnaud at the back post but his header went high. Smith and Arnaud nearly connected again in the 24th minute but Arnaud was taken down just outside the penalty area. San Jose countered off the ensuing free kick and Glen dribbled the distance of the field before missing his effort wide.
Nielsen made his best save of the night in the 30th minute to turn away a near post shot from Earthquakes midfielder Arturo Alvarez. Nielsen finished the night with three saves to give him 59 on the season, third most in MLS.
The only goal Nielsen conceded came with ten minutes remaining in the first half. Khari Stephenson, a former Wizard, sent a diagonal service forward for Wondolowski to volley inside the far post. It was Stephenson’s first career MLS assist, while Wondolowski ties Kansas City striker Kei Kamara with seven goals, tied for seventh best in MLS this season. Stephenson impressed in his first MLS match since leaving Kansas City in 2005, including a free kick off the crossbar in the 37th minute.
The Wizards pushed forward throughout the second half looking for the equalizer and it nearly paid dividends in the half’s opening minutes. Arnaud headed home a set piece in the 47th minute but the assistant referee’s offside flag was up and the goal was waived back.
Kansas City broke the San Jose trap successfully less than ten minutes later as Kamara placed a perfect pass for Bunbury down the middle of the Earthquakes defense but Cannon again made a crucial save in the 1v1 situation.
Arnaud found himself again at the center of attention in the 70th minute with a second header into the net, but it too was ruled to be offside by the closest of margins.
The Wizards entered attacking players Graham Zusi and Josh Wolff in the 80th and 82nd minutes, respectively, and San Jose was reduced to 10 men in the 88th minute following the ejection of defender Jason Hernandez for an off-the-ball incident with Bunbury, but time ran out in the Wizards search for an equalizer.
San Jose has proven to be a particularly difficult place for Kansas City to play in recent years, with Saturday’s loss continuing a streak of 14 matches without a win in the Earthquakes home ground. The Wizards last victorious trip came in a 3-0 win at Spartan Stadium in 2000.
Kansas City returns home next Saturday, August 21 to take on the New England Revolution at 7:30 p.m. at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. Tickets can be purchased by visiting KCWizards.com or by calling 888-4KC-Goal.
Fast Facts:
• Kansas City is now 5-9-5 (20 pts) on the season.
• The Wizards are currently in 6th place in the Eastern Conference.
• The Wizards are 1-6-2 on the road this season
• Kansas City started the same line-up for the fifth straight MLS match and sixth straight match overall, going 3-1-2 over that span.
• Kansas City is now 18-22-6 all-time against San Jose.
• The Wizards are 4-15-5 at San Jose, and 0-3-0 at Buck Shaw Stadium.
• Goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen made 3 saves on the night and now has 59 on the season.
• He is now 3rd in MLS in saves.
• Nielsen lowered his goals against average to 1.16, tied for 7th best in MLS.
• Nielsen has played every minute of every MLS game for Kansas City this season, one of only nine players in the league to do so thus far in 2010.
• Defender Shavar Thomas started and played 90 minutes after playing 89 minutes for the Jamaican National Team on Wednesday in a 3-1 win over Trinidad and Tobago.
• Thomas’ next start will be the 150th regular season MLS start of his career.
• Kansas City faces San Jose again on Saturday, October 23 in the regular season finale at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.
• On-loan defender Aaron Hohlbein started and played 68 minutes for Miami FC (USSF D-2) in a 3-3 draw against FC Tampa Bay.
