By Ryan D. Kuhn / MLSnet.com Staff
June 13, 2006
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Kansas City Wizards defeated the Columbus Crew for the third time in three meetings this season -- and for the second time in a row by a 1-0 score, both in Columbus, as they ended a five-game winless streak thanks to an 89th-minute goal from Jose Burciaga Jr.
Burciaga converted a Matt Groenwald cross as the Wizards scored one goal in a game for the ninth consecutive match, but this time it led to their first victory since April 29 - the last time they defeated the Crew.
Wizards head coach Bob Gansler, still without U.S. national team players Jimmy Conrad, Eddie Johnson and Josh Wolff, gave three players their professional debuts on Saturday. Will Hesmer started in goal while Tyson Wahl and Lance Watson also received their first MLS start, coming into the team in place of Bo Oshoniyi, Jack Jewsbury and Scott Sealy.
The Wizards execution and finishing troubles started in the early minutes Saturday. In just the fourth minute of action, forward Davy Arnaud found himself alone in the right corner of the Crew penalty area, after Crew 'keeper Noah Palmer failed to collect the ball after coming off his line. But Arnaud failed to make good on the opportunity, harmlessly sending the ball wide right of the open net.
The Wizards again threatened in the 24th minute. Midfielder Watson lofted a ball from 30 yards, over Palmer's head, but just wide left of the Crew goal.
Then in the 25th minute, the Wizards were quite unlucky not to take the lead. Kerry Zavagnin took a shot that was saved by Palmer, but the rebound came back to him. The 'keeper was out of the play, but Zavagnin saw his second attempt cleared off the line by Columbus defender Ritchie Kotschau.
Hesmer was challenged in the 44th minute by Crew forward Joseph Ngwenya. Ngwenya found himself free in the right corner of the Crew penalty area and artfully sent a ball toward the opposite corner of the Wizards goal. But Hesmer successfully deflected the shot, going head-over-heels as he dove to his left, and kept the scoresheet clean at halftime.
The Wizards started much quicker in the second half. In the 53rd minute Wahl had a clean look at the goal, but sent his header high above the crossbar.
In the 59th minute, Arnaud took his fourth shot of the match from the right corner of the Crew goal area and put it past an outstretched Palmer, but just wide left. Despite nearly 30 shots, a frustrated Arnaud has found the back of the net only once this season.
The Crew nearly took the match's first lead in the 69th minute when Chad Marshall's head made contact with a beautifully placed corner kick from Sebastian Rozental, but lofted the opportunity just over the Wizards crossbar.
As has been the case against the Crew this season, it was Kansas City that would score first. In the 89th minute, Burciaga found himself on the receiving end of a magnificent cross from substitute Groenwald and placed a glancing header inside the far corner of Palmer's goal for the match-winner.
With the victory, the Wizards claimed sole possession of second place in the Eastern Conference, moving three points ahead of Columbus with 17 points on the season. Nine of those have come at the expense of the Crew.
Ryan D. Kuhn is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
