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Late Wolff Goals Give Wizards And Fire 2-2 Result
The Chicago Fire dominated play against the Kansas City Wizards for 75 minutes. But in the final 15 minutes Wizards forward Josh Wolff and goalkeeper Kevin Hartman spoiled their homecoming party.
Apr 19, 2009 12:28:14 AM
Saturday night’s match between the Chicago Fire and Kansas City Wizards turned into a game of missed opportunities. Chicago dominated play for 75 minutes. But the final 15 went to the Wizards; and at the end of the day, the match ended in a 2-2 draw.
The Fire jumped out to a 2-0 lead in an eight-minute span in the first half. Brian McBride nailed a shot and headed another one in to give Chicago a commanding lead. Kansas City had only one shot attempt in the first half. Yet Wizards forward Josh Wolff tallied two late goals eleven minutes apart to end Chicago’s homecoming party.
First Half
Still undefeated after four games, the Fire wasted no time getting to work. While Chicago started the attack early, it took them a few minutes to get on the same page. After soft attempts by forwards Marco Pappa and Patrick Nyarko, veteran forward Brian McBride finally took charge.
In the 12th minute, midfielder Cuauhtemoc Blanco hit the ground after being fouled. The play soon played dividends for Chicago. Blanco sent a short freekick to Gonzalo Segares, who flicked it back to Blanco. Blanco bent the ball into the box. Kansas City goalkeeper Kevin Hartman jumped up to make the save. Wizards defender Jimmy Conrad jumped up at the same time, with the duo colliding and the ball remaining free. Fire defender Wilman Conde redirected the ball to McBride. The former U.S. national team veteran drilled the ball to the right of Hartman for a 1-0 Chicago lead.
Eight minutes later, Blanco stepped up to take another freekick. The midfielder sent a perfect ball into the box. McBride jumped higher than anyone and headed the ball once again to the right of Hartman and into the net for a 2-0 lead.
Kansas City made a few attempts to equalize, as midfielder Jack Jewsbury shot the ball high in the 43rd minute. In the first few seconds of injury time Wizards forward Claudio Lopez made a run toward goal. Chicago defender Bakary Soumare challenged him and won, taking the ball and sending it back down field.
Second half
In the second half, Chicago continued to push. Blanco blasted a shot high in the 49th minute. John Thorrington drilled a shot at Hartman in the 60th minute.
The Wizards turned up the heat in the 63rd minute. Midfielder Herculez Gomez blasted a shot toward goal. Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch grabbed it for his first save of the match. A Lopez freekick bent just wide left and out in the 65th minute.
A few moments of intense play led to three yellow cards in a seven-minute span. KC’s Lopez started it when he took down Logan Pause in the 63rd minute. A high kick in the 66th minute by Josh Wolff caught Tim Ward in the gut. Ward went down and Wolff was quickly shown a yellow card. Soumare finished the card flurry when he took down Wolff in the 70th minute.
Chicago missed key opportunities late in the second half, which would come back to haunt them later. Hartman blocked a Pappa cross in the 67th minute. Then Conde headed a ball wide left in the 70th minute. Blanco rocketed a short shot off of Hartman in the 72nd minute. Finally, Nyarko drilled another one at Hartman, who again made the save.
In the 78th minute, the Wizards finally found their rhythm. Lopez crossed a perfect ball to Wolff, who easily finished the shot, keeping the Wizards streak of not being shutout alive (17 games). Eleven minutes later, Wolff did it again. Kansas City defender Michael Harrington sent the ball to Wolff, who headed it home, tying the score at 2-2.
Four minutes of stoppage time failed to come through for either side. Second-half substitution Chris Rolfe headed the ball toward goal in the 95+ minute. Hartman made the save. A corner kick chance fell flat for Chicago, leaving the game to end in a 2-2 deadlock.
Kathryn L. Knapp, Goal.com
Follow all the MLS action on Goal.com!
The Fire jumped out to a 2-0 lead in an eight-minute span in the first half. Brian McBride nailed a shot and headed another one in to give Chicago a commanding lead. Kansas City had only one shot attempt in the first half. Yet Wizards forward Josh Wolff tallied two late goals eleven minutes apart to end Chicago’s homecoming party.
First Half
Still undefeated after four games, the Fire wasted no time getting to work. While Chicago started the attack early, it took them a few minutes to get on the same page. After soft attempts by forwards Marco Pappa and Patrick Nyarko, veteran forward Brian McBride finally took charge.
In the 12th minute, midfielder Cuauhtemoc Blanco hit the ground after being fouled. The play soon played dividends for Chicago. Blanco sent a short freekick to Gonzalo Segares, who flicked it back to Blanco. Blanco bent the ball into the box. Kansas City goalkeeper Kevin Hartman jumped up to make the save. Wizards defender Jimmy Conrad jumped up at the same time, with the duo colliding and the ball remaining free. Fire defender Wilman Conde redirected the ball to McBride. The former U.S. national team veteran drilled the ball to the right of Hartman for a 1-0 Chicago lead.
Eight minutes later, Blanco stepped up to take another freekick. The midfielder sent a perfect ball into the box. McBride jumped higher than anyone and headed the ball once again to the right of Hartman and into the net for a 2-0 lead.
Kansas City made a few attempts to equalize, as midfielder Jack Jewsbury shot the ball high in the 43rd minute. In the first few seconds of injury time Wizards forward Claudio Lopez made a run toward goal. Chicago defender Bakary Soumare challenged him and won, taking the ball and sending it back down field.
Second half
In the second half, Chicago continued to push. Blanco blasted a shot high in the 49th minute. John Thorrington drilled a shot at Hartman in the 60th minute.
The Wizards turned up the heat in the 63rd minute. Midfielder Herculez Gomez blasted a shot toward goal. Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch grabbed it for his first save of the match. A Lopez freekick bent just wide left and out in the 65th minute.
A few moments of intense play led to three yellow cards in a seven-minute span. KC’s Lopez started it when he took down Logan Pause in the 63rd minute. A high kick in the 66th minute by Josh Wolff caught Tim Ward in the gut. Ward went down and Wolff was quickly shown a yellow card. Soumare finished the card flurry when he took down Wolff in the 70th minute.
Chicago missed key opportunities late in the second half, which would come back to haunt them later. Hartman blocked a Pappa cross in the 67th minute. Then Conde headed a ball wide left in the 70th minute. Blanco rocketed a short shot off of Hartman in the 72nd minute. Finally, Nyarko drilled another one at Hartman, who again made the save.
In the 78th minute, the Wizards finally found their rhythm. Lopez crossed a perfect ball to Wolff, who easily finished the shot, keeping the Wizards streak of not being shutout alive (17 games). Eleven minutes later, Wolff did it again. Kansas City defender Michael Harrington sent the ball to Wolff, who headed it home, tying the score at 2-2.
Four minutes of stoppage time failed to come through for either side. Second-half substitution Chris Rolfe headed the ball toward goal in the 95+ minute. Hartman made the save. A corner kick chance fell flat for Chicago, leaving the game to end in a 2-2 deadlock.
Kathryn L. Knapp, Goal.com
Follow all the MLS action on Goal.com!
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