By: Shane Tasker
The Kansas City Wizards gave up their fastest goal of the season to F.C. Dallas at home at Community America Ballpark on Saturday night.
Marvin Chavez opened the scoring in the fourth minute off an assist by David Ferreira.
Eight minutes later, Dallas forward Milton Rodriguez put in a shot from outside the penalty area, making it 2-0. In goal was Jimmy Nielson.[picappgallerysingle id=”9852530″]
Conditions for Saturday’s game were less than ideal. The Wizards were playing their third game of the week, having beaten Chivas USA 2-0 on Sunday and the Houston Dynamo 4-3 on Wednesday.
The field was slick with rain.
Saturday’s game was also the second in a row in which the Wizards fell behind by two goals. Just twelve minutes in and their prospects looked dim.
“We were snoozing,” said Wizards coach Peter Vermes of the first 15 minutes of the game.
Vermes pulled Stephane Auvray in the 30th minute and substituted in Josh Wolff. (Wolff had scored the game-winning goal late in the match against Houston on Wednesday.)
In the 32nd minute, Wizards defender Michael Harrington received the first yellow card of the match for a tackle that took Chavez down and led to some pushing and shoving among the players.
Whereas Kansas City would draw just one more yellow card (Jack Jewsbury in the 78th minute), F.C. Dallas would go on to earn four yellow cards– one late in the game for delaying a restart (Ferreira in the 87th minute).
At the half, the Wizards’ Teal Bunbury came in for Birahim Diop. Neither player made much of an impact on the game.
Scoring what would be Kansas City’s only goal of the game, Ryan Smith blasted one in past Dario Sala in the 57th minute. He was assisted by Wolff.
The final goal of the game, by Dallas forward Jeff Cunningham, came in the 82nd minute, making the tally 3-1.
The loss dims the Wizards’ hopes of a playoff berth.
