Wizards Tie D.C. United Late 2-2Well, the comeback was a nice one that severely hampers D.C. United's playoff hopes. Claudio's stoppage-time PK sent the crowd here at CAB into a frenzy on Fan Appreciation Night. Check out the notables below for more, including info on Kamara's first goal for KC and Zusi's first MLS assist.
Notables:
• Kansas City finished the season 0-1-2 against D.C. United.
• The Wizards went 8-13-9 in 2009.
• The Wizards are now 13-17-9 all-time against United.
• Kansas City sold out its 10th game of the season.
• Striker Kei Kamara scored his 1st goal in a Wizards uniform.
• Kamara scored six goals overall on the season, setting a new career high.
• Rookie midfielder Graham Zusi assisted Kamara’s goal, his 1st career assist.
• Zusi played in 13 games this season, including five starts.
• Claudio Lopez converted a penalty kick to tie the match, his 7th goal of the season.
• The penalty was just Kansas City’s second of the year.
• Lopez converted the other April 23 in a 1-0 win over New York.
• Lopez has scored 13 goals for the Wizards in the last two seasons.
• Lopez led the Wizards with eight assists in 2009.
• He now has 15 assists for Kansas City over the last two years.
• Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman has now started 112 straight games and hasn’t missed any action in the last 10,080 minutes his teams have played.
• He became the first player to surpass the 10,000-consecutive minutes mark in MLS history.
• Hartman made four saves Saturday, increasing his career MLS record in saves to 1235.
• Hartman finished with 105 saves on the season, his third-consecutive season with 100 or more saves and the 7th 100-save season of his 13-year career.
• Hartman currently ranks 2nd in MLS in saves on the season.
• Hartman is the only player to start all 30 games this season for the Wizards and the only player to play every minute of every game this year.
• Hartman played in his 333rd career game Saturday.
• He ranks 2nd in League history, trailing only New England’s Steve Ralston (378).
• Defender Matt Marquess made his first start and appearance of the season, going 85 minutes.
• Defender Aaron Hohlbein set new career highs with 22 games played, 1,667 minutes started 22 games started and two goals.
• Defender Lance Watson set new career highs with 20 games played, 19 games started, 1,649 minutes played and one assist.
• Defender Rauwshan McKenzie set new career highs with five games played, five games started and 437 minutes.
• Forward Michael Kraus set new career highs with 11 games played, 147 minutes played and one goal.
• Kansas City was without eight players Saturday night due to injuries.
• Defender Jimmy Conrad was given a fitness test before the match but deemed unfit for the game.
• The USA Bid Committee Inc. announced August 4 that Kansas City and Arrowhead Stadium are one of 27 cities and 32 venues, down from 70 initial stadia in 52 cities, on the short list to be included in the United States’ bid to host the FIFA World Cup™ in either 2018 or 2022.
• The Kansas City / USA Host City Bid Committee is Co-Chaired by Kansas City Chiefs Chairman of the Board Clark Hunt and Cerner Corporation’s Chairman and CEO and Kansas City Wizards co-owner Neal Patterson.
• Saturday’s match was Fan Appreciation Night.
• The first 5,000 fans received Wizards T-shirts courtesy of Armed Forces Insurance.
• After the match, all members of the squad signed autographs for supporters who attended the game.
• At halftime, one lucky fan had the opportunity to win a Chevy truck from Heartland Chevrolet by kicking a soccer ball into the truck bed from 35 yards away, but her kick was wide of the mark.
Quotes:
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS INTERIM HEAD COACH PETER VERMES
On the game
“I thought it was a great sign that our players were arguing with the referee after the game, saying that he shouldn’t have blown the whistle after the final corner kick. We would have had a two versus one going the other way, and they were right. Our guys wanted to get the win, and from that point of view it was a good mentality.”
On his time as an interim head coach
“If you just look at the last couple of games we played, the guys just don’t give up. Before sometimes when the other team would score, our guys wouldn’t respond well, but know we’re fighting back. On the negative side, when you’re at home and you go up a goal or two, you have to be able to lock the game down. You can’t let the team back in the game, and that’s something we have to get better at. It’s a mentality, and that’s something that we have to get. I also think that we created a lot more chances than we had been here in the last 12 games. I think we’re a much more committed team going forward.”
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS FORWARD KEI KAMARA
On his goal
“It was a good free kick. I just dove in and put my head on it. It feels good. I didn’t want to come here to Kansas City and play the rest of the season without scoring a goal. It felt good to score in front of our fans.”
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS GOALKEEPER KEVIN HARTMAN
On becoming the first MLS player to have played 10,000 consecutive minutes
“I’m really proud that I have been able to take care of myself well enough to be able to play that long, and to be able to play at a high enough level that a club wants me out there participating on a week in and week out basis. I always feel like I’m working hard and trying to make myself an asset to the team. The fact that I’ve been able to do that for 10,000 minutes straight is kind of amazing to me. It’s definitely something that I’m proud of and is something that I share with the trainers, the goalkeeping coaches and the players around me.”
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS MIDFIELDER DAVY ARNAUD
On the upcoming off-season
“It’s not an easy thing to think about. Nobody wants to be done on the last day of the regular season. We’re going to have a lot of time to reflect and come back a very determined group. We need to get to where we’re back in the playoffs, and not just squeaking into the playoffs, but going into the playoffs with some games in hand towards the end of the season.”
D.C. UNITED HEAD COACH TOM SOEHN
On the match
“It was disappointing obviously. We had the chances, but didn’t put them away. We could have assured ourselves a playoff spot. The injuries come off guys who played Tuesday. That certainly took its toll. We hit the post a couple of times, so there’s not much more you can say about that. I didn’t see Fred’s penalty. The ref made a quick decision, so I assume it hit his hand, but I haven’t seen the replay.”
D.C. UNITED MIDFIELDER BEN OLSEN
On the match
“Obviously we’re disappointed. We were gearing up for a playoff spot unless we get in from other results. But I’m very proud of the guys. It felt good to be able to come back and almost get that win. Soccer can be cruel sometimes, and a little bounce here and there can break your heart.”
On the late penalty kick
“If it’s a handball, and if it keeps it from going into the net, then it’s a good call. If it’s not a handball, then it’s not a good call.”
On potentially missing the playoffs
“This organization’s not used to that. If that’s the case, then we’ll handle it. You know, take part of the blame. We lost this organization some points out of this year, and we’re in this together and move forward. You can’t make it every year, but two in a row is alarming, and we’ll certainly look to coming back next year.”
D.C. UNITED FORWARD CHRIS PONTIUS
On potentially missing the playoffs
“We’ll see how the results turn out. It’s frustrating playing a game being up 2-1, thinking we’re going through. So yeah, it’s tough to sit and watch the results when it’s out of your hands.”
Notables:
• Kansas City finished the season 0-1-2 against D.C. United.
• The Wizards went 8-13-9 in 2009.
• The Wizards are now 13-17-9 all-time against United.
• Kansas City sold out its 10th game of the season.
• Striker Kei Kamara scored his 1st goal in a Wizards uniform.
• Kamara scored six goals overall on the season, setting a new career high.
• Rookie midfielder Graham Zusi assisted Kamara’s goal, his 1st career assist.
• Zusi played in 13 games this season, including five starts.
• Claudio Lopez converted a penalty kick to tie the match, his 7th goal of the season.
• The penalty was just Kansas City’s second of the year.
• Lopez converted the other April 23 in a 1-0 win over New York.
• Lopez has scored 13 goals for the Wizards in the last two seasons.
• Lopez led the Wizards with eight assists in 2009.
• He now has 15 assists for Kansas City over the last two years.
• Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman has now started 112 straight games and hasn’t missed any action in the last 10,080 minutes his teams have played.
• He became the first player to surpass the 10,000-consecutive minutes mark in MLS history.
• Hartman made four saves Saturday, increasing his career MLS record in saves to 1235.
• Hartman finished with 105 saves on the season, his third-consecutive season with 100 or more saves and the 7th 100-save season of his 13-year career.
• Hartman currently ranks 2nd in MLS in saves on the season.
• Hartman is the only player to start all 30 games this season for the Wizards and the only player to play every minute of every game this year.
• Hartman played in his 333rd career game Saturday.
• He ranks 2nd in League history, trailing only New England’s Steve Ralston (378).
• Defender Matt Marquess made his first start and appearance of the season, going 85 minutes.
• Defender Aaron Hohlbein set new career highs with 22 games played, 1,667 minutes started 22 games started and two goals.
• Defender Lance Watson set new career highs with 20 games played, 19 games started, 1,649 minutes played and one assist.
• Defender Rauwshan McKenzie set new career highs with five games played, five games started and 437 minutes.
• Forward Michael Kraus set new career highs with 11 games played, 147 minutes played and one goal.
• Kansas City was without eight players Saturday night due to injuries.
• Defender Jimmy Conrad was given a fitness test before the match but deemed unfit for the game.
• The USA Bid Committee Inc. announced August 4 that Kansas City and Arrowhead Stadium are one of 27 cities and 32 venues, down from 70 initial stadia in 52 cities, on the short list to be included in the United States’ bid to host the FIFA World Cup™ in either 2018 or 2022.
• The Kansas City / USA Host City Bid Committee is Co-Chaired by Kansas City Chiefs Chairman of the Board Clark Hunt and Cerner Corporation’s Chairman and CEO and Kansas City Wizards co-owner Neal Patterson.
• Saturday’s match was Fan Appreciation Night.
• The first 5,000 fans received Wizards T-shirts courtesy of Armed Forces Insurance.
• After the match, all members of the squad signed autographs for supporters who attended the game.
• At halftime, one lucky fan had the opportunity to win a Chevy truck from Heartland Chevrolet by kicking a soccer ball into the truck bed from 35 yards away, but her kick was wide of the mark.
Quotes:
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS INTERIM HEAD COACH PETER VERMES
On the game
“I thought it was a great sign that our players were arguing with the referee after the game, saying that he shouldn’t have blown the whistle after the final corner kick. We would have had a two versus one going the other way, and they were right. Our guys wanted to get the win, and from that point of view it was a good mentality.”
On his time as an interim head coach
“If you just look at the last couple of games we played, the guys just don’t give up. Before sometimes when the other team would score, our guys wouldn’t respond well, but know we’re fighting back. On the negative side, when you’re at home and you go up a goal or two, you have to be able to lock the game down. You can’t let the team back in the game, and that’s something we have to get better at. It’s a mentality, and that’s something that we have to get. I also think that we created a lot more chances than we had been here in the last 12 games. I think we’re a much more committed team going forward.”
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS FORWARD KEI KAMARA
On his goal
“It was a good free kick. I just dove in and put my head on it. It feels good. I didn’t want to come here to Kansas City and play the rest of the season without scoring a goal. It felt good to score in front of our fans.”
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS GOALKEEPER KEVIN HARTMAN
On becoming the first MLS player to have played 10,000 consecutive minutes
“I’m really proud that I have been able to take care of myself well enough to be able to play that long, and to be able to play at a high enough level that a club wants me out there participating on a week in and week out basis. I always feel like I’m working hard and trying to make myself an asset to the team. The fact that I’ve been able to do that for 10,000 minutes straight is kind of amazing to me. It’s definitely something that I’m proud of and is something that I share with the trainers, the goalkeeping coaches and the players around me.”
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS MIDFIELDER DAVY ARNAUD
On the upcoming off-season
“It’s not an easy thing to think about. Nobody wants to be done on the last day of the regular season. We’re going to have a lot of time to reflect and come back a very determined group. We need to get to where we’re back in the playoffs, and not just squeaking into the playoffs, but going into the playoffs with some games in hand towards the end of the season.”
D.C. UNITED HEAD COACH TOM SOEHN
On the match
“It was disappointing obviously. We had the chances, but didn’t put them away. We could have assured ourselves a playoff spot. The injuries come off guys who played Tuesday. That certainly took its toll. We hit the post a couple of times, so there’s not much more you can say about that. I didn’t see Fred’s penalty. The ref made a quick decision, so I assume it hit his hand, but I haven’t seen the replay.”
D.C. UNITED MIDFIELDER BEN OLSEN
On the match
“Obviously we’re disappointed. We were gearing up for a playoff spot unless we get in from other results. But I’m very proud of the guys. It felt good to be able to come back and almost get that win. Soccer can be cruel sometimes, and a little bounce here and there can break your heart.”
On the late penalty kick
“If it’s a handball, and if it keeps it from going into the net, then it’s a good call. If it’s not a handball, then it’s not a good call.”
On potentially missing the playoffs
“This organization’s not used to that. If that’s the case, then we’ll handle it. You know, take part of the blame. We lost this organization some points out of this year, and we’re in this together and move forward. You can’t make it every year, but two in a row is alarming, and we’ll certainly look to coming back next year.”
D.C. UNITED FORWARD CHRIS PONTIUS
On potentially missing the playoffs
“We’ll see how the results turn out. It’s frustrating playing a game being up 2-1, thinking we’re going through. So yeah, it’s tough to sit and watch the results when it’s out of your hands.”
1 comments:
The Wizards are bad because they play bad football. They complete less than 40% of their passes. They can't string together 5 of more passes on a regular basis and so have no ball possession. They play kickball and boot it out of trouble.
Until they get a coach who can teach them to play football they will always struggle. The players are not bad, nor do they lack skill. They lack team awareness, moving to the open space, coming to the ball, opening up to receive passes. They kick long 50/50 balls rather than short easy passes.
They lack an organized defense. Outside backs overlap with no coverage from the midfielder. The forwards do not track back to the midfield to receive the ball. There is no inside out movement of the ball.
Does anybody think they resemble Barcelona, Arsenal or even Aston Villa in their play?
So Vermes and OnGoal better higher a coach who can teach real football. Even a second division Brazilian coach could do that. If they don't play better football, they will always be doomed to mediocrity.
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