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Kansas City Win Over FC Dallas Keeps Playoff Hope
The Wizards are still down in the standings, but they are not out of the playoffs yet.
Sep 20, 2009 1:57:39 AM
In a back and forth game the Kansas City Wizards scored two goals in a four-minute span to edge out FC Dallas 3-2 in Kansas City Saturday night. The win, the Wizards' second in a row, kept Kansas City in the playoff picture despite sitting second to last in the Eastern Conference standings.
Suspect defense and FC Dallas’ inability to mark up on set pieces led to all three of Kansas City’s goals, two of which came off of Claudio Lopez corners. The third goal came from the head of Kansas City Captain Jimmy Conrad, who was looking for redemption after he committed two costly mistakes that resulted in both of FC Dallas’ goals.
FC Dallas, a team built for speed, struggled to connect through balls and find open space due to Kansas City’s unusually small pitch. Coming into the game, all eyes were on FC Dallas forward Jeff Cunningham, who trailed Colorado Rapids forward Conor Casey by two goals in the quest for Major League Soccer's Golden Boot with 12 goals. Cunningham was able to close the gap between himself and Casey by scoring FC Dallas’ second goal in Saturday night’s game.
First Half
The Wizards jumped on Dallas early after an errant cross from Lopez forced Dallas goalkeeper Dario Sala to dive backwards and tip the ball over the crossbar. On the ensuing corner kick Lopez picked out a wide-open Santiago Hersig on the back post who had no problem heading the ball into the back of the net, giving the Wizards a 1-0 lead. It was the 31-year-old Argentine's first MLS goal.
The goal was bad news for Dallas, a team who is 1-7-3 on the season after allowing the first goal. It was an uncharacteristic early goal for the Wizards who in 25 games have only scored four times in the first 15 minutes
The game was a little sloppy in the early going, with both teams struggling to keep possession. Due to the small pitch, the ball bounced around a lot and both teams were unable to connect passes and keep the ball on the ground.
Dallas had its first opportunity to score in the 12th minute when midfielder Dave van den Bergh ripped a shot from the top of the box that proved to be no problem for Kansas City goalkeeper Kevin Hartman.
Cunningham got his first touch of the game in the 18th minute after he handballed a long aerial ball from defender Ugo Ihemelu. Cunningham who had a quiet first half, and wouldn’t get another chance until the 30th minute when fellow forward David Ferreira chipped the ball over the Kansas City defense to a streaking Cunningham, who blasted a header on goal. Hartman was more than equal to it though, making a fantastic save and knocking the ball out of bounds.
The story of the first half was missed opportunities by Dallas. They had ample chances at an equalizer. After a ball sloppily found its way to the foot of midfielder Marvin Chavez he proceeded to put the ball wide left, trying to beat Hartman on the near post. Ferreira and midfielder Pablo Ricchetti also squandered great chances by putting the ball wide of the goal.
FC Dallas would finally get on the board after Conrad gave the ball away to midfielder Dax McCarty in the midfield who didn’t hesitate to rip a low shot from 25 yards out beating Hartman in the 44th minute. The unassisted goal was McCarty’s third of the season.
Second Half
It was FC Dallas’ chance to start things off quick in the second half. Conrad was stripped of the ball by Ferreira in the Wizards back third of the field leading to a break away. Hartman committed to Ferreira who tapped the ball backwards to Cunningham who slotted it in, proving why he is second on the MLS all-time goal list. It was Ferreira’s 15th assist and Cunningham’s 13th goal of the year.
The game dragged on until the 62nd minute when Kansas City’s Kei Kamara, who started the second half in place of Herculez Gomez, provided a goal scoring chance. The next five minutes of the game Kamara was a menacing force as he had three chances to tie the game at two. Kamara was acquired by Kansas City from Houston on Tuesday in a trade involving Kansas City forward Abe Thompson.
Both teams were sloppy for the next 15 minutes, giving the ball away and struggling to obtain any type of possession.
In the 77th minute Lopez struck again off a corner kick, finding a wide-open Zoltan Hercegfalvi at the top of the box. Hercegfalvi didn’t need a touch as he ripped a full volley towards goal. Forward Josh Wolff redirected the shot past Sala to tie the game at 2-2. The shot was Zoltan’s first touch of the game after subbing in for midfielder Davy Arnaud seconds before the corner. It was Zoltan’s first MLS point as he was credited with the assist and Wolff’s tenth goal on the year.
The goal provided Kansas City with some momentum, which they hadn’t had since the early goal by Hersig. Only four minutes later, Dallas defender George John headed the ball backwards in his own box causing Sala to make a diving save to prevent an own goal. Sala couldn’t hold onto the ball, though, and Conrad headed in the game-winning goal from his stomach in the 81st.
The goal took the life out of FC Dallas, whose shoddy defense provided Kansas City with all three goal-scoring opportunities. FC Dallas has now given up 13 goals in the last five games, making the playoffs seem an unrealistic possibility.
Scott Guthrie, Goal.com
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page
Suspect defense and FC Dallas’ inability to mark up on set pieces led to all three of Kansas City’s goals, two of which came off of Claudio Lopez corners. The third goal came from the head of Kansas City Captain Jimmy Conrad, who was looking for redemption after he committed two costly mistakes that resulted in both of FC Dallas’ goals.
FC Dallas, a team built for speed, struggled to connect through balls and find open space due to Kansas City’s unusually small pitch. Coming into the game, all eyes were on FC Dallas forward Jeff Cunningham, who trailed Colorado Rapids forward Conor Casey by two goals in the quest for Major League Soccer's Golden Boot with 12 goals. Cunningham was able to close the gap between himself and Casey by scoring FC Dallas’ second goal in Saturday night’s game.
First Half
The Wizards jumped on Dallas early after an errant cross from Lopez forced Dallas goalkeeper Dario Sala to dive backwards and tip the ball over the crossbar. On the ensuing corner kick Lopez picked out a wide-open Santiago Hersig on the back post who had no problem heading the ball into the back of the net, giving the Wizards a 1-0 lead. It was the 31-year-old Argentine's first MLS goal.
The goal was bad news for Dallas, a team who is 1-7-3 on the season after allowing the first goal. It was an uncharacteristic early goal for the Wizards who in 25 games have only scored four times in the first 15 minutes
The game was a little sloppy in the early going, with both teams struggling to keep possession. Due to the small pitch, the ball bounced around a lot and both teams were unable to connect passes and keep the ball on the ground.
Dallas had its first opportunity to score in the 12th minute when midfielder Dave van den Bergh ripped a shot from the top of the box that proved to be no problem for Kansas City goalkeeper Kevin Hartman.
Cunningham got his first touch of the game in the 18th minute after he handballed a long aerial ball from defender Ugo Ihemelu. Cunningham who had a quiet first half, and wouldn’t get another chance until the 30th minute when fellow forward David Ferreira chipped the ball over the Kansas City defense to a streaking Cunningham, who blasted a header on goal. Hartman was more than equal to it though, making a fantastic save and knocking the ball out of bounds.
The story of the first half was missed opportunities by Dallas. They had ample chances at an equalizer. After a ball sloppily found its way to the foot of midfielder Marvin Chavez he proceeded to put the ball wide left, trying to beat Hartman on the near post. Ferreira and midfielder Pablo Ricchetti also squandered great chances by putting the ball wide of the goal.
FC Dallas would finally get on the board after Conrad gave the ball away to midfielder Dax McCarty in the midfield who didn’t hesitate to rip a low shot from 25 yards out beating Hartman in the 44th minute. The unassisted goal was McCarty’s third of the season.
Second Half
It was FC Dallas’ chance to start things off quick in the second half. Conrad was stripped of the ball by Ferreira in the Wizards back third of the field leading to a break away. Hartman committed to Ferreira who tapped the ball backwards to Cunningham who slotted it in, proving why he is second on the MLS all-time goal list. It was Ferreira’s 15th assist and Cunningham’s 13th goal of the year.
The game dragged on until the 62nd minute when Kansas City’s Kei Kamara, who started the second half in place of Herculez Gomez, provided a goal scoring chance. The next five minutes of the game Kamara was a menacing force as he had three chances to tie the game at two. Kamara was acquired by Kansas City from Houston on Tuesday in a trade involving Kansas City forward Abe Thompson.
Both teams were sloppy for the next 15 minutes, giving the ball away and struggling to obtain any type of possession.
In the 77th minute Lopez struck again off a corner kick, finding a wide-open Zoltan Hercegfalvi at the top of the box. Hercegfalvi didn’t need a touch as he ripped a full volley towards goal. Forward Josh Wolff redirected the shot past Sala to tie the game at 2-2. The shot was Zoltan’s first touch of the game after subbing in for midfielder Davy Arnaud seconds before the corner. It was Zoltan’s first MLS point as he was credited with the assist and Wolff’s tenth goal on the year.
The goal provided Kansas City with some momentum, which they hadn’t had since the early goal by Hersig. Only four minutes later, Dallas defender George John headed the ball backwards in his own box causing Sala to make a diving save to prevent an own goal. Sala couldn’t hold onto the ball, though, and Conrad headed in the game-winning goal from his stomach in the 81st.
The goal took the life out of FC Dallas, whose shoddy defense provided Kansas City with all three goal-scoring opportunities. FC Dallas has now given up 13 goals in the last five games, making the playoffs seem an unrealistic possibility.
Scott Guthrie, Goal.com
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page
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