For the second-straight match, forward Eddie Johnson scored three goals to power the Wizards to victory over a team ahead of them in the Eastern Conference standings. Johnson becomes the first player in Major League Soccer history to record hat tricks in back to back games and the first player in Wizards history to record more than one hat trick in a career.
After the win, Kansas City sits in first place in the East with 19 points. New England, who tied Real Salt Lake Saturday, is in second with 18 points. New York fell to third, still on 17 points.
Kansas City controlled the match from the outset, outshooting New York 24-3 on the night, but were helped along by a red card midway through the first half. Red Bulls midfielder Clint Mathis was sent off with a straight red card after elbowing Kerry Zavagnin in the throat. Forced to play down a man, New York generated only one shot following Mathis' disqualification, an 88th minute goal by midfielder Dema Kovalenko.
Aside from the New York goal, Kansas City created much of the attacking flair through the first 45 minutes. The Wizards outshot the Red Bulls 13-2 but could not find the back of the net.
Kansas City created the game's first two opportunities, forcing saves in the 2nd and 6th minutes. Midfielder Sasha Victorine had a point blank shot in the second minute that was saved by New York goalkeeper Jon Conway. Defender Jimmy Conrad followed up, but his header sailed over the bar.
Four minutes later, defender Jose Luis Burciaga Jr. took a short restart from Davy Arnaud and fired from 20 yard out. Burciaga's shot was blocked, but he followed the play up and slipped between two Red Bull defenders and into the penalty area with the ball. His low, left-footed shot on goal, however, was scooped up and controlled by Conway.
New York then jumped out early for the second-straight match, scoring through MLS Player of the Month for May Juan Pablo Angel. Midfielder Claudio Reyna intercepted a clearance 25 yards from goal and played an aerial ball to forward John Wolyniec. Wolyniec flicked it up and over a defender for Angel who slid to one-touch the shot with his right foot into the lower right corner past goalkeeper Kevin Hartman.
Johnson displayed his first threats of the game over the game's next 30 minutes, heading a Davy Arnaud cross on goal in the 16th minute that forced a Conway save. In the 29th minute, he found himself behind the defense as defender Jack Jewsbury played a curling ball over the top. The ball, however, was just out of Johnson's reach as only Conway was between him and an equalizing goal.
Then in the 35th minute, just seconds before Mathis received his red card, Johnson nearly tied the match again. Johnson found himself behind the Red Bulls' defense after a great ball into the penalty area by midfielder Davy Arnaud. Johnson then rounded 'keeper Conway only to find two New York defenders race into the goal area. Johnson had a poor angle, and his right-footed shot was deflected clear by New York.
The complexion of the game changed drastically moments later when Mathis was sent off for his hard foul on Zavagnin. Already leading in shots 9-2 at the time, the Wizards pushed forward even more and generated four quality scoring opportunities throughout the remainder of the first half.
In the 38th minute, midfielder Michael Harrington headed the ball inches wide of the back post after a great service from midfielder Sasha Victorine.
Just before intermission, Conway cut out two attempted crosses after Wizards players won the end line and attempted to play crosses back into the middle of the penalty area.
Johnson again had an opportunity to tie the match before the halftime, taking a long pass from defender Nick Garcia and pushing into space behind the Red Bulls' line and into the left side of the penalty area. Johnson fired with his left foot from eight yards out, but his effort went wide of goal.
Johnson and the Wizards did not waste any time drawing level in the 2nd half, as Harrington played a ball over the top to Johnson that appeared to surprise the Red Bulls defenders. Johnson one-touched the bouncing ball up and over the onrushing Conway who dove backward, attempting to knock the ball over the cross bar. Conway made contact but could not slow the shot down, and it found the open net, tying the game 1-1.
Harrington almost found one of his own just one minute later. Johnson was in an offside position as a ball came in over the defense, and the Red Bulls stopped thinking the play was over. Johnson stayed out of the play, however, allowing Harrington to get free into space from an onside position and run at goalkeeper Conway. His shot slipped under Conway cleanly but trickled inches wide of the far post.
In the 52nd minute, Arnaud made his bid for his third goal in as many games. Midfielder Carlos Marinelli played a perfectly weighted ball behind the New York back line that allowed Arnaud to break free on Conway. The New York goalkeeper did well, however, and stopped Arnaud's breakaway opportunity.
Marinelli helped set up Johnson's second goal, bending a ball up the left flank for defender Jose Luis Burciaga Jr. in the 59th minute. Burciaga hit the ball on a line toward the back post where Johnson was finishing his run out of the midfield. Johnson connected with the ball on the first touch and sent it into the net with his right foot past Conway for a 2-1 Kansas City lead.
Johnson completed the hat trick in the 85th minute, again finding himself free behind the New York defense. Victorine and Johnson broke free out of midfield, creating a 2 v 1. The defender closed down Victorine and he sent the ball in behind for a cutting Johnson. Johnson carried the ball the rest of the way, firing from the top of the penalty area underneath Conway and just inside the left post.
New York drew one back three minutes later when midfielder Dema Kovalenko collected a loose ball outside the penalty area and fired on goal. His shot was deflected, freezing Hartman as the ball changed direction and sputtered into the goal.
Johnson's performance pushed him into first on the MLS goal-scoring list. He currently sits on nine goals, two ahead of New England Revolution and fellow national team forward Taylor Twellman who was held scoreless Saturday by Real Salt Lake. Johnson will report for National Team duty following the match. The United States takes on Guatemala June 7 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.
The Wizards Reserves battle the Red Bulls Reserves face off tomorrow at 9 a.m. at the Sprint World Headquarters in Overland Park. New York's Reserves lead the MLS Reserve Division with a 3-0-0 record. Kansas City is 1-2-1 through 4 games.
The Wizards do not play another match until June 16, when they travel to take on the same Red Bull New York squad at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ at 6:30 p.m. CT on Metro Sports. New York will play two matches in between the meetings while Kansas City is idle for two weeks.
Wizards notables >
The United States Men's National Team also played at 7 p.m. CT. Bob Bradley's squad played a tune-up match against China at Spartan Stadium in San Jose, CA in a game featuring Europe-based players and members of Chivas USA, who have a bye from MLS play this week. The U.S. defeated China 4-1 with goals coming from DeMarcus Beasley, Benny Feilhaber, Clint Dempsey and Oguchi Onyewu. Beasley and Feilhaber both recorded 1 goal and 1 assist on the night.
Forward Eddie Johnson will join Bradley's squad after Saturday's match for the upcoming CONCACAF Gold Cup. Johnson and the U.S. kick off the tournament June 7 against Guatemala at The Home Depot Center in Carson, CA. The Gold Cup Final is scheduled for June 24 in Chicago.
The United States won the last Gold Cup competition in 2005, defeating Panama on penalty kicks in the final.
Kansas City has allowed the first goal in each of the last four games, coming from behind for two wins and a draw. They are 2-1-1 over that stretch.
After Saturday's match, MLS teams were 5-35-10 when allowing the first goal. Kansas City is 2-2-1 on the season and 2-1-1 in the last four matches when allowing the first goal. Only New England, D.C. and Houston have captured come-from-behind victories this season.
Eddie Johnson now leads MLS in goals (9), points (21) and game-winnings goals (5).
Johnson's 5 game-winning goals have him in a 8th place tie with teammate Jose Luis Burciaga Jr. and former Wizards forward Igor Simutenkov on Kansas City's all-time list.
Johnson became the first player in MLS history to record hat tricks in back-to-back games.
Johnson is the only Wizards player to ever record more than one hat trick for the squad. Teammate Davy Arnaud and former Wizards Preki and Vitalis "Digital" Takawira have the only three other hat tricks in team history.
Johnson's hat trick tonight and Takawira's both took place in a single half. "Digital" scored three goals in the second half of a 3-1 victory over New England 5/16/1998.
It was the 23rd time in MLS history a player has scored three goals in a single half.
Johnson has now recorded second-half hat tricks twice in his professional career. On October 14, 2004, Johnson entered at halftime for the United States in a World Cup Qualifier against Panama. Johnson scored three second-half goals to become the only United States International ever to score three goals after entering as a substitute.
Johnson recorded 7 shots in the match, placing 6 of them on goal. Both numbers represent individual and team highs for 2007.
Saturday's match pitted two of the top Strikers in MLS against each other, with both contributing. Juan Pablo Angel scored the first goal for New York and now has 5 on the season.
Angel and Johnson have combined for 14 goals, 5 assists, 3 MLS Player of the Week awards and 2 Player of the Month awards thus far in 2007.
Johnson won MLS Player of the Week in weeks 2 and 8. Angel won the award in Week 7.
Johnson was Player of the Month in April. Angel won the award in May.
Michael Harrington's assist in the 46th minute was his 3rd of the season. He now has at least a share of the league lead amongst rookies in goals (2, 1st), assists (3, t-1st) and points (7, 1st).
Harrington, Johnson, Davy Arnaud and Sasha Victorine are tied for the team lead with 3 assists.
Kansas City outshot New York 24-3. It was the largest shot differential between teams in a Kansas City match all-time. It is also tied for the fourth-highest shot differential between two teams in MLS history. The largest shot differential is 27, when Chicago outshot Colorado 31-4 5/3/00.
Head Coach Curt Onalfo faced mentor Bruce Arena for the first time in his coaching career. Onalfo played for Arena for four years at the University of Virginia and served as an assistant for Arena and the U.S. National team from 2002-2006. Onalfo also played for Arena for D.C. United in 1998.
Midfielder Kerry Zavagnin became the fourth player in Wizards history to appear in 200 career matches. He is now tied with former midfielder Chris Klein for third on the Wizards all-time games played list.
Midfielder Carlos Marinelli started his second game of the season. He scored in the 90th minute of his first start, a 2-1 loss at Chicago. He now has 1 goal and 2 assists in 6 MLS games.
Forward Scott Sealy played in his first game since May 5. He entered in the 72nd minute for Jose Luis Burciaga Jr, generating a shot in second half stoppage time.
