Kansas City Breaks Open Cup Hex

Chris Brown had one of Kansas City's goal in the victory.

Kansas City -- The Kansas City Wizards began the 2001 U.S. Open Cup quickly, taking possession and controlling much of the opening minutes. The Wizards quickly found their way down the field as midfielder Matt McKeon worked his way deep into the Seattle box, meeting the endline before getting turned away by the Sounders defense in the opening seconds, setting the tone for the match.

Just two minutes later forward Chris Brown nearly found the back of the net as he found space in the Sounders box with a good look at the goal. Brown sent a hard shot in from 10 yards out. Seattle goalkeeper Preston Burpo was perfectly positioned to stop the shot, but it was deflected right back to Chris Brown. Brown took another shot, lofting the ball over the Sounders defense but the ball floated wide left of the goal.

The Wizards had another scoring opportunity as midfielder Mark Santel sent a pass through the Seattle line of defense as Wizards forward Roy Lassiter was sprinting through. Lassiter made two quick touches and found Chris Brown in the middle of the Sounders box. Brown headed the ball in but the shot went just left of the goal. Forward Roy Lassiter had an opportunity in the 12th minute as he sent a rocket on goal that just missed, rising inches over the top of the crossbar.

In the 17th minute, Kansas City went on the attack again, as midfielders Matt McKeon and Francisco Gomez combined to thread through the confused Seattle defense. Gomez unloaded from 19 yards out, but another Kansas City scoring chance missed by inches as the shot sailed inches wide of the goal.

Kansas City finally got on the board in the 20th minute, as their tally came courtesy of a Seattle Sounders own goal. Midfielder Francisco Gomez lined up for a corner kick on the left side. Gomez placed the kick perfectly in front of the goalmouth as Seattle defender Ryan Edwards jumped to clear the ball off a header. Instead of clearing the crossbar, Edwards' header went just under the bar for an own goal, putting Kansas City up 1-0.

Seattle had their best scoring opportunity of the first half just seconds after the ensuing kickoff. Forward Jason Farrell, a former Kansas City Attack member, worked his way to the top of the Wizards penalty box. Farrell unleashed a powerful shot from the center of the box. Goalkeeper Bo Oshoniyi was in the right place as he deflected the shot up and over the crossbar.

In just the 26th minute, the already wary Seattle squad suffered another setback as defender Kieran Barton received his second yellow card of the match. Barton's hard tackle on Wizards midfielder Francisco Gomez earned him the second card. Gomez laid on the turf for several minutes as Barton was escorted to the locker room. Gomez eventually got up and returned to the game.

Seattle, forced to play the remainder of the match a man down, had another scoring opportunity in the 30th minute but was turned away by the overpowering Wizards defense. Defender Brandon Prideaux, marking every move Seattle forward Jason Farrell made, denied Farrell of getting a clear shot off as Prideaux made a sliding stop and deflected Farrell's shot out of play.

Kansas City went on the offensive again in the 33rd minute as midfielder Mark Santel found space along the right side. Santel found an open Chris Brown running into the box. Brown hammered a one-time shot toward the goal, but the ball deflected off two different Seattle defenders. Forward Roy Lassiter added to the Kansas City shot barrage, sending a low shot on goal in the 35th minute. Seattle goalkeeper Presto Burpo laid out to his left to make the save. The Wizards settled back for the final 10 minutes of the first half playing more of a possession game until the halftime whistle blew.

The second half started with the same intensity as the first half for the Wizards. Kansas City took control early and set their fast paced tempo. Kansas City had two quick corner kicks in the 50th minute. The first, taken by Francisco Gomez, created another scoring opportunity, as Gomez sent a diagonal pass to defender Nick Garcia at the top of the box. Garcia found forward Chris Brown in open space just right of center in the box. Brown one-timed a left-footed shot that sailed over the crossbar.

Seattle answered quickly with their best scoring threat of the night in the 53rd minute. Defender Ryan Edwards received a crossing pass from the right side of the Seattle attack. Edwards, alone on the left side, sent a booming shot back across the face of the goal as Wizards goalkeeper Bo Oshoniyi laid out for the save. The shot curled out of reach for Oshoniyi and went just wide of the right goalpost and out of play. Just seconds after the play, Wizards forward Roy Lassiter left the field with a strained right thigh muscle. After defender Mike Burns came on for Roy Lassiter, the Wizards quickly attacked again. Midfielder Mark Santel worked his way into open space on the right side of the field. Slipping through a number of Seattle defenders, Santel cut across the top of the 18-yard box and unloaded a left-footed blast that sailed just over the crossbar. Three minutes later, Santel's efforts would pay off. Midfielder Matt McKeon found midfielder Andrew Gregor on the left side of the box. Gregor slotted a through ball to Mark Santel at the top of the arch. Santel rifled a shot to the right of the Sounders 'keeper and into the back of the net from 20 yards out, putting Kansas City on top 2-0.

Two minutes later Mark Santel would combine with midfielder Matt McKeon for another Kansas City goal. Santel weaved his way down the right side of the field, Mat McKeon ran along side Santel as McKeon moved to space on the right side of the Seattle box. Santel chipped a pass over a Sounders defender to an awaiting McKeon. McKeon needed only to redirect the pass with a header as the ball whistled uncontested past Seattle goalkeeper Preston Burpo and into the back-left netting of the goal to make the score 3-0.

With the game comfortably in hand, the Wizards would slip back into a defensive mode with their three-goal cushion. The Sounders, desperate to turn things around and get on the board, removed starting goalkeeper Preston Burpo in the 67th minute in favor or backup 'keeper Rich Cullen. Trying anything to get past the Wizards defense, Seattle played aggressive soccer, committing numerous fouls and often sending the Wizards players to the turf. Seattle was called for a total of five yellow cards in the match. Regardless of the reckless play of the Sounders, the Wizards continued to turn away attacks, not allowing Seattle a clear shot at the goal for the remainder of the game. The Wizards would threaten again in the 88th minute as forward Chris Brown blew through the sluggish Sounders defense and into the Seattle box once again, setting himself up for a breakaway. His shot, however, went barely wide left.

Defender Mike Burns, playing forward after coming on for Roy Lassiter, capped the scoring for the Wizards with a late goal in the 90th minute. Midfielder Matt McKeon made his way down the left side of the field for the Wizards. McKeon spotted Mike Burns alone on the right side of the field. McKeon sent a superb crossing pass through the Seattle defense to the wide-open Burns. Burns quickly drew one defender but managed to shake him and get a clean shot at backup 'keeper Rich Cullen. Burns' shot skipped off the turf, under Cullen and into the back of the net putting the Wizards ahead 4-0. All the Wizards needed to do was wait out the two minutes of stoppage time before walking off with their 2nd round victory in the 2001 U.S. Open Cup.

Kansas City's next opponent in the U.S. Open Cup will be the Chicago Fire, who defeated the San Diego Flash 3-0 earlier tonight. The match will be held on Wednesday, July 11th with the site and time yet to be determined.

The Wizards will return to MLS action this Saturday as they face the Tampa Bay Mutiny at Arrowhead Stadium at 7:30 p.m. (CT). The Wizards will be hosting Hispanic Heritage Night and Hispanic leaders throughout the Kansas City area will be honored on the field at halftime. Kansas City will continue their homestand on Wednesday, July 4th when they face the Chicago Fire. Following the July 4th match, the skies over Arrowhead will explode with the largest firework display in Kansas City.

Kansas City Wizards Lineup: Oshoniyi-GK, Garcia, Vermes (captain), Green (Jakins-82), Prideaux, Santel, Zavagnin (Gregor-9), McKeon, Gomez, Lassiter (Burns-52), Brown

Seattle Sounders Lineup: Burpo-GK (Cullen-67), Barton, Jenkins, Edwards, Henderson (Sweet-61), Farrell, O'Brien, Nguyen, Hattrup (Brown-32), Dunn (Tomlinson-59), Bettinger

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