Three games. Three goals. That's the stellar line of Kansas City Wizards forward Davy Arnaud so far in 2009.
This is what Wizards coach Curt Onalfo wanted when he changed the team's lineup significantly and moved Arnaud from midfielder to forward after the team opened 2009 with two losses.
The move has proven golden.
Arnaud, the eight-year veteran, supplied a howitzer of a goal -- a 22-yard blast off the fingertips and into the far left corner -- in the 80th minute as the Wizards handed Seattle Sounders FC their first loss of the season with 1-0 decision on Saturday night at Qwest Field.
The Wizards, who have finally landed with a starting XI after some early-season lineup juggling, now have two wins in a row after opening the season with two losses.
The kicker to the equation is that Arnaud isn't even 100 percent healthy since suffering a neck injury following the team's first game of the season and then missing the second at the Colorado Rapids.
Still, he's dangerous.
"I had the ball with some space in front of me and I took a touch and the coaches are always encouraging us to shoot," said Arnaud, who tallied for the first time since two goals in the season-opening 3-2 loss to Toronto FC. "I tried to hit something hard and on target and make the 'keeper decide.
"We all play several different positions, so you don't worry about [changing positions]. I don't worry about that too much, and I'm still getting to play."
Arnaud's goal allowed the Wizards to capitalize on a man advantage over the final 61 minutes. Seattle goalkeeper Kasey Keller was issued a red card for a handball outside the penalty area on an on-target shot by Herculez Gomez in the 29th minute.
That took some considerable steam out of Sounders FC, who entered in a tie with Chivas USA for the Western Conference lead. Seattle was off to one of the best starts ever for an expansion club and went the first 350 minutes without giving up a goal.
But both forwards Claudio Lopez and Arnaud had started to put the pressure on Seattle's emergency goalkeeper Ben Dragavon much earlier. Finally, Arnaud broke through with a rocket off the hands off Dragavon into the left corner.
"We felt this could be a statement game for us," Arnaud said. "It's a great win for us obviously and they've had a good start. [Seattle] is a great team and they are very well organized.
"It's a very good thing for the league when a new team comes in and is successful like that and has the fan support that they do. It's all very positive and it was a very good result for us."
Onalfo appreciates what a less-than-healthy Arnaud brings to the Wizards' offensive push, especially now that he's up front.
"Davy's not even close to being 100 percent," Onalfo said. "He's still struggling with a neck injury. But Davy's an unbelievably great competitor.
"He's very good in front of the goal. The closer you get him to the goal, the more he's going to score."
Only this time, Arnaud was well away from the net and still came through. All three of Arnaud's goals this season have come on blasts from well outside the penalty area.
Onalfo also understands the importance of taming the league's hot expansion commodity in front of Seattle's third sellout in as many home matches.
"All that matters is three points," Onalfo said. "It's obviously a difficult venue to come in and get points. We're pleased with the result.
"We're pleased with the progress we're making."
Most notable to Onalfo was the club's first road win of 2009 after the 2008 team went 2-8-5 away from CommunityAmerica Ballpark. The Wizards were 11-10-9 and still made the MLS Cup Playoffs despite that road mark in 2008.
"It's about accumulating points for us, like every team in Major League Soccer, and getting yourself into playoff contention," he said. "We were a team last year that didn't do as well as we would've liked on the road. That was a point of emphasis going into this season.
"For us to get three points on the road, that's a good sign."
It appeared Kansas City was going to squander the man advantage until Arnaud's timely strike as Seattle was matching the Wizards chance for chance.
"It was the prettiest thing, but it was a win," Arnaud said.
Matt Massey is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
