Springfield MO Soccer

By KC Wizards Correspondent, Kurt Austin

Sunday was a game of firsts for the Kansas City Wizards and the only one that mattered didn’t come to be – first place in the Eastern Conference.

Needing a win to pass second-place New York and first-place New England, the Wizards lost 1-0 at home to the defending champions, Houston Dynamo. The Wizard’s first Sunday game of the year was played in 88-degree, blistering heat that appeared to have taken its toll when the Wizards succumbed an 81st minute header off a Houston corner kick.

The heat was so significant both sides and the refereeing crew took an extended water break midway through the second half, following a Houston injury. The 4 p.m. kick off was part of Telefutura’s package of national MLS broadcasts this season.

Despite promising opportunities early, the Wizards managed just five shots on Pat Onstad’s goal. The shut-out was the Wizards first this season and left little doubt the team is missing its leading scorer, Eddie Johnson, who is with the US Men’s National Team for the recently-completed CONCACAF Gold Cup and the upcoming Copa America. Onstad started for the Dynamo after returning from the Canadian National Team following Thursday’s Gold Cup semi-final elimination. Fellow Canadian international and last year’s MVP finalist Dwayne De Rosario entered the game in the 76th minute.

Houston’s goal came from an unlikely candidate, developmental defender Patrick Ianni. Iannia made his first start of his career in the absence of veterans Brian Ching and Ricardo Clark, both on the US Men’s National Team. The game-winner was his first MLS shot, let alone goal. It was one of only two shots on goal for Houston, but it was well-placed into the upper right hand corner. The tally extended Houston’s winning streak to five games, the league’s longest such streak this season.

Conversely, the Wizards have now lost back-to-back matches for the first time all year. More worrisome for fans, after the team started the season spectacularly with four wins in their first five games, the Wizards have won only twice in the current seven game stretch. These recent results have some fearing a mid-season slump, something that has come to be expected after the past two season’s summer struggles – each time leaving the Wizards one point shy of the playoffs at season’s end.

The loss also meant Kansas City first-year coach Curt Onalfo will not coach the MLS All-Stars. Instead New England skipper and former Scotland defenseman Steve Nicol will lead the league’s best against Scottish side Celtic F.C.

The Wizards will hope to find their winning ways in another Sunday match-up, this time scheduled for 7 p.m., when they take on expansion side Toronto FC at Arrowhead on July 1st. It is a family four-pack game and a fireworks display will follow the game.