Despite taking a two-goal lead in the first half, the Kansas City Wizards allowed the visiting New England Revolution to pull back into a 2-2 tie on Saturday night at Arrowhead Stadium, handing the Revolution the top spot in the Eastern Conference while leaving the Wizards tied for fourth and the final spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
The single point, combined with the MetroStars victory against D.C. United at RFK Stadium, means the Revolution secured home-field advantage throughout the MLS Cup Playoffs. The Wizards meanwhile are tied with the MetroStars for the last available place in the postseason, but they currently own the tiebreaker, holding a better goal difference after the two teams evenly split their season series.
The Wizards began the night winless in their last six matches and with an adjusted lineup partly due to missing attackers Scott Sealy, on international duty with Trinidad and Tobago, and Davy Arnaud, who was suspended. Newcomer Antti Sumiala made his MLS debut partnering with Josh Wolff up front while Diego Gutierrez returned to the midfield, along with Alex Zotinca.
The Revolution had some lineup decisions of their own, Clint Dempsey and Khano Smith starting in attack as Taylor Twellman (international duty) and Pat Noonan (calf injury) were both unavailable.
Likely owing to the playoff implications the game held for Kansas City and New England, their was a buzz to each sides' play from the opening whistle. Right winger Chris Klein revealed the Wizards' intentions on the night as he twice unloaded shots at New England goalkeeper Matt Reis within the first 15 minutes.
Space began to open up on the Arrowhead pitch midway through the first half as each side sprayed the ball to the wide spaces effectively. The Wizards began to disrupt the Revolution then break on the counter, as in the 21st minute when Klein led a speedy 3-on-2 charge before hitting a low drive that Reis smothered.
Wolff then began to take charge of the Wizards attack. Posting up at the top of the New England area, Wolff chested down a flighted ball from Jose Burciaga Jr., tapped the ball up, then hit a blistering volley that drew oohs and ahhs from the crowd and all of Reis's attention.
Reis would have no chance in the 28th minute however. Sumiala carried the ball inside from the right flank and quickly centered it for Wolff, who rounded Jay Heaps as he shifted to his right foot and hit a perfectly placed shot that banged off the inside of Reis's left post and into the net to give the Wizards the advantage.
The Wizards then doubled the lead in the 39th minute, when Gutierrez sent a free kick from the right toward the far post. Smith played the ball into the scrum in front of the goal where Wizards center back Jimmy Conrad poked it past the bemused Reis into the right side of the net.
But the comfort from a rare -- at least recently -- two-goal lead at home was apparently too much for the Wizards as a Kerry Zavagnin foul in the 41st minute set up Jose Cancela for a free kick 25 yards out from Bo Oshoniyi's goal. The Uruguayan whipped a low curling effort past the wall and inside Bo Oshoniyi's right-hand post for his second goal on the campaign.
Having shown well in the first half, Sumiala, the Wizards' newly acquired Finnish forward, set up another opportunity in the 52nd minute after being fed off by Sasha Victorine on the left wing. Nearing Reis's near post, Sumiala touched a wonderful cross over the defense to a waiting Wolff deep and wide of the far post, and he tried to head back to Gutierrez in the center but the pass didn't connect.
The Revolution were still very much in the match and soon drew level on a workmanlike effort from midfield engine Clint Dempsey. After stripping Zotinca from behind in his own box, Dempsey shuffled the ball to Smith whose attempt on goal was blocked but remained alive for Dempsey who never stopped coming at goal. Dempsey finished from close range on Oshoniyi and the game was even on his 10th goal of the campaign.
In the 71st minute, Wizards coach Bob Gansler brought Shavar Thomas for Burciaga and pregame honoree Preki for Sumiala. Thus the stage was set for a storybook ending if Preki -- playing in his last regular-season home game -- and the Wizards could reclaim the match and again pull ahead in the Eastern Conference race.
Preki nearly did just that in the 89th minute as he swerved a left-footed ball into the Revolution box for Victorine at the far post. The Wizards midfielder rose up, but the ball was too high to get his attempt on target.
After three minutes of stoppage time, the Revolution celebrated the knowledge they had secured the top seed in the Eastern Conference and home-field advantage throughout the MLS Cup Playoffs, while the Wizards now face a trip to FC Dallas next Saturday knowing that a victory will secure the last available playoff spot -- and anything less will mean desperately awaiting the result of the following day's match between the MetroStars and Chivas USA at The Home Depot Center.
MLSnet.com Man of the Match: Clint Dempsey (New England Revolution)
Robert Rusert is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
