KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Starting a rearranged lineup for the first time, the Kansas City Wizards hit for three goals in a span of 36 minutes -- just enough to come away with a 3-2 win against Chivas USA.
Overall, the Wizards displayed an offensive rhythm and confidence they had not all season. And it made the near-collapse over the final minutes, when Chivas scored two goals in nine minutes and forced two game-saving saves out of Kevin Hartman, easier to put aside.
With Claudio Lopez and Michael Harrington patrolling the wings in midfield and Josh Wolff and Davy Arnaud playing off each other upfront, Kansas City played like a team capable of multiple offensive explosions.
"In practice the other day, we played the game we normally play, and it was a completely different rhythm that we had all season," said Harrington. "I was praying we would bring that into the game. We did that, and it turned into three goals. It was awesome."
Harrington, Arnaud and center midfielder Victorine provided rushes early and often, despite Chivas throwing in some threats of their own. But it was Victorine who put the Wizards in front with Kansas City's first goal in 216 minutes and their 18th goal in their 19th game.
Lopez gathered the ball on the right wing and swung in a left-footed cross where Victorine and Jimmy Conrad combined to win the ball.
"I saw the ball bounce out to Claudio. Whenever he gets the ball and gets his head up, I'm going to be in the box trying to crash on it," Victorine said. "I looked up -- Jimmy and I were in the middle of the goal, and [Chivas center back] Shavar [Thomas] was trying to mark both of us. Jimmy peeled off to the back post, and I went to the near post."
Victorine met the ball about waist-high and pushed it inside the far left post to gain the lead and to open the floodgates for a struggling Wizards attack.
The timing of the second goal was impeccable. Arnaud received a ball from midfielder Kerry Zavagnin on the right flank, raced forward and played into the path of Lopez in the heart of the area. Lopez deposited the ball first-time into the left netting to complete the tour de force just a minute before the halftime whistle.
"We were pleased coming in at halftime 2-0, and what we talked about was getting that third goal and putting the game away," said Wizards head coach Curt Onalfo. "Maybe a couple of weeks ago, we wouldn't have scored three goals."
But the Wizards had rediscovered their offensive mojo and their longtime energizer, Arnaud, was at the head of it again in the 58th minute. He ran onto an Aaron Hohlbein ball over the top, reaching it just before Chivas USA goalkeeper Zach Thornton.
"I knew I was going to get there before him, I just had to lift it up over him," said Arnaud. "The ball bounced so high I almost had to jump backwards for it. It worked out, and it was a great ball from Aaron Hohlbein."
Kansas City was all smiles at their rediscovered scoring touch at that point, but again showed a tendency to shun the easy route, failing to close the game out from there.
Chivas roared back, beginning with a 73rd-minute penalty kick converted by former Wizards defender Carey Talley. They cut the lead to one with eight minutes to go when Justin Braun headed home a corner kick.
But a pair of stellar saves from Kevin Hartman mean the Wizards will not focus on the near-collapse for the moment.
"I think we found something [in the attack]. We've been tinkering with things a lot," Onalfo said. "Davy and Josh are very good up top, and Claudio coming from the left and having Mikey coming from the right.
"The fact that we scored three goals and created an enormous amount of chances is encouraging," Onalfo continued. "But like anything in this game when it's so competitive, you have to learn from those mistakes [of letting a team back in]. It's a lot easier to learn when you have three points."
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