The Kansas City Wizards began a new era on Saturday night at Pizza Hut Park. With their 2-0 win against FC Dallas, the Wizards had qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2004, and for the first time since the club was purchased by OnGoal, LLC.
After the agony of seeing the playoffs just elude the Wizards on the last day of the season each of the past two years, how they did it, according to head coach Curt Onalfo, was just as important as doing it.
"I thought it was an excellent performance for 90 minutes in a clutch game. That says a lot about our players -- backs against the wall in, in our minds, a must-win game. It's a huge confidence builder," said Onalfo.
Scoring both goals was forward Scott Sealy. On the first, Sealy smoothly took down a well-placed lob from Davy Arnaud and finished calmly past FC Dallas goalkeeper Ray Burse. The second came on a redirection of a Jack Jewsbury shot. The 39th- and 55th-minute goals were both classic Sealy -- a skillful finish and being in the right spot at the right time.
"It feels good. It's easy to put your finger on the times when you are down and things aren't going your way, but it's always good to stay positive and keep working hard knowing that things are going to eventually work out," said Sealy of his injury-beleaguered season. "For me, I feel very fortunate to work out of that and be able to help my team when they really needed me."
Sealy's up-and-down season paralleled his team's plight as Kansas City began with six wins and a tie in their first nine games but struggled throughout the remaining two-thirds of the season to finish with 11 wins.
But now every team starts fresh. And a run that starts the same way as the regular season did would mean real glory.
"We're just getting started. It's a new season for every team, no matter if you won the Supporters' Shield or you just scraped through on the final day," said Sealy. "Everybody has one common goal. ... Our goal and D.C.'s goal are probably the same thing: win your first game and do the business until MLS Cup."
The Wizards will take their confidence and momentum from last weekend into their semifinal series against Western Conference champion Chivas USA in the home-and-home, total goals series beginning Saturday in Kansas City.
"We're not content with just making the playoffs. Now it's anybody's game," Onalfo said.
Onalfo has his players thinking likewise.
"We think we have as good a shot at winning [MLS Cup] as anybody. With the personnel that we have, we definitely think we can win this thing, and that's what we are going to try and do," said rookie Michael Harrington.
But it won't be easy. First they must surmount injury concerns off Saturday's win as Sealy, playmaker Carlos Marinelli, and attacking threats Eloy Colombano picked up knocks. Then they must figure a way past Chivas USA.
"It doesn't feel too bad. It's a little sore. Nothing major," said Sealy of his right quadriceps strain while Onalfo said that Marinelli's ankle sprain was "a little worse off" than Colombano's hamstring and that each would be "game-time decisions" when it came to their availability.
No matter the lineup, the mission is clear.
"We're going to go in with a clear game plan against Chivas. It's just a matter of working on that this week and implementing and executing it this Saturday and then the following Saturday," said Onalfo. "The pressure is on Chivas. They've been arguably the best team in Major League Soccer all year, and we look forward to very difficult matches."
One difficulty has been conquered in exorcising the Wizards' trend of missing the playoffs in their last regular season game. An even bigger challenge awaits, but it's one the Wizards aren't afraid of.
"We went out and had a good time and celebrated because that was a goal of ours for the whole season," said Harrington. "I think we're saving the really big celebration for the end when we win it all."
Bob Rusert is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
