It was a fun one Saturday at CAB, as a sellout crowd watched our boys fight back to win 3-2 over FC Dallas. Hirsig and Conrad scored their first goals of the season. Hirsig's strike was his first in MLS. Lopez recorded assists 6 and 7, moving him into a tie for 6th in MLS. Josh Wolff scored the other goal, his 10th of the season. As you'll see below, that means all sorts of things for Wolffie. Read the notables for all the fun facts. We're back at it next Saturday when the Colorado Rapids come to town at 7:30 p.m. CT. Come watch us continue our push for the playoffs.
· Kansas City is now 18-16-8 all-time against FC Dallas, including a 10-6-5 record at home.
· The Wizards went 1-1-0 this season against FC Dallas.
· Kansas City has won three of its last four games.
· Kansas City recorded its 9th sellout of the season.
· Peter Vermes is now 3-4-0 as the Interim Head Coach of the Wizards.
· Midfielder Santiago Hirsig scored his 1st MLS goal Saturday to open the scoring.
· Claudio Lopez recorded his 6th assist on the play, later registering assist number 7.
· After Saturday’s matches, Lopez was tied for 6th in MLS in assists.
· Lopez now has 14 assists for the Wizards after recording seven last season.
· Striker Josh Wolff scored his 10th goal of the season, redirecting a ball from Zoltan after a Lopez corner kick.
· Zoltan’s assist was his first in a Wizards uniform in his 5th game with Kansas City.
· After Saturday’s games, Wolff is tied for 4th in MLS in goals this season.
· Wolff’s 10 goals equal a career high, set three times previously.
· He scored 10 goals in 1999 with the Chicago Fire and in 2004 and 2005 with the Wizards.
· Wolff has now scored 72 goals in his career, 40 of them for Kansas City.
· Wolff is alone in 3nd place for goals in a Wizards uniform, breaking a tie with Chris Klein.
· Wolff’s 72 career goals put him alone in 14th in League history.
· Wolff ranks 9th all-time among active players, one behind Edson Buddle who also scored Saturday.
· Defender Jimmy Conrad scored the final goal, heading home a loose ball after FCD goalkeeper Dario Sala narrowly saved what would have been an own goal off the head of George John.
· The strike was Conrad’s first goal of the season and the 18th of his career.
· Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman has now started 107 straight games and hasn’t missed any action in the last 9630 minutes his teams have played.
· His minutes-played streak constitutes an MLS record.
· Aug. 1, Hartman became just the 2nd player in MLS history to start 100 straight matches.
· Hartman made three saves Saturday, increasing his career MLS record in saves to 1216.
· Hartman is the first goalkeeper in MLS history to reach the 1200-save plateau.
· Hartman also leads MLS in career wins (146).
· Hartman is the only player to start all 25 games this season for the Wizards and the only player to play every minute of every game this year.
· Hartman played in his 328th career game Saturday.
· He ranks 2nd in League history, trailing only New England’s Steve Ralston (376).
· Newly acquired forward Kei Kamara made his first appearance for the Wizards, playing the final 45 minutes and generating multiple chances in the second half.
· Kansas City was without goalkeeper Eric Kronberg, midfielder Kevin Souter and forward Adam Cristman through injury.
· Jack Jewsbury missed the game through yellow-card suspension.
· With three goals, the Wizards
· The USA Bid Committee Inc. announced August 4 that Kansas City and Arrowhead Stadium are one of 27 cities and 32 venues, down from 70 initial stadia in 52 cities, on the short list to be included in the United States’ bid to host the FIFA World Cup™ in either 2018 or 2022.
· The Kansas City / USA Host City Bid Committee is Co-Chaired by Kansas City Chiefs Chairman of the Board Clark Hunt and Cerner Corporation’s Chairman and CEO and Kansas City Wizards co-owner Neal Patterson.
· With the three goals scored Saturday, the Wizards activated the Planet Sub “Hat Trick Special” for fans. Any Wizards fan will receive a Planet Sub Sandwich, chips and a cookie for $3 at area Planet Sub locations Sunday simply by mentioning the “Hat Trick Special.”
· By scoring three goals and winning, the Wizards won all fans in section 107 at CAB 10 free boneless wings at KC-area Hooter’s restaurants.
· After the game, hundreds of area Scouts camped out on the field at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS HEAD COACH PETER VERMES
On scoring two goals from corner kicks
“One of the places where we felt we could put pressure on them was set pieces, and getting that corner kick goal was something we really thought we could take advantage of. Where it got difficult was we didn’t put the hammer on after that. We needed to go at them because they were ripe for the picking at that point. But give credit to them, they found themselves back in the game when they tied it just before halftime. The two goals they scored were mistakes on our part, which is not a good thing, but we did a very good job outside of that by not giving them a lot.”
On second-half strategy
“We went into the second half and the big thing for us was that we wanted more diagonal balls because we thought that we could expose them wide, because they play so many guys tight in the middle. So then we started getting some playable balls. You could see Davy Arnaud and other guys were getting in, and it gave us a good rhythm, and finally we got that goal to tie the game. Once we got that you could really see the tide turn.”
On Jimmy Conrad’s goal
“I am happy for Jimmy [Conrad]. He struggled with two plays today, and he made up for it in regards to getting that goal. Sometimes the game bites you and then sometimes you get a chance to bite back, which he did.”
On Kansas City’s three subs: Kei Kamara, Zoltan and Graham Zusi
“Kei has a presence physically that puts defenses under major pressure, and then Zoltan is an extremely smart soccer player. You can see when balls get played out to him that very rarely does he lose the ball through the dribble or the pass. He winds up finding guys. Those two are a big help to our team. We will continue to evaluate things as we move forward, but they were great subs into the game. Additionally Graham Zusi did a great job in the middle of the field today. He kept possession for us, and he is a really smart soccer player.”
On Josh Wolff
He [Josh Wolff] has worked his butt off every game that we have played. He has never taken a play off, and it is really evident tonight. His type of attitude and management of the game is very important for us.
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS DEFENDER JIMMY CONRAD
On his goal
“It was a free kick at midfield. Claudio had it. Most of the time I take those, but he wanted it so I went out. I thought he was going to play it to me but he sent it to Harrington so I kept running. Fortunately it found me and I army crawled it into the goal.”
On his defensive performance
“We had to win this game for our season to continue. I had the weight of the world on my shoulders there for a while. There were no defensive mistakes tonight it was just two mistakes by me, which led to two goals. It hurts, but you move on. I am not pleased with my performance overall, but it was nice to get that back with a goal late.”
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS FORWARD JOSH WOLFF
On the game
“Overall it was a scrappy game out there, but we were able to pull it out because we fought hard. We were able to get some goals, which is nice for our fans here at home.”
On the substitutions
“I think the reserves came in and did a great job of coming in and making plays and helping us get some goals. They did extremely well.”
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS FORWARD KEI KAMARA
On his first appearance for the Wizards
“What I bring to the game is my speed and my physical game. Coach told me to make a difference every time I step on the field, which is what I try to do. It was great to get the win tonight in front of our fans.
On being new to the team
“Soccer is the same language everywhere you go. It will not take me long to get acclimated with the team. I have already trained with the team for three days and then the game tonight so going into this week of more training, I should be ready to go next weekend. Soccer is one language.”
FC DALLAS HEAD COACH SCHELLAS HYNDMAN
On the game
“I thought it was a really good game for both teams. It was a high-energy game. A lot was at stake. We got scored on early and then we were able to come back. In the second half I thought we earned that second goal and then Zoltan comes on the field and there’s a breakdown in concentration. It’s a killer. It’s a killer. Give a lot of credit to Kansas City. They kept coming and kept coming and I think the pressure was on us so much. I thought Dario (Sala) played a great game. How can you say a goalie had a great game when a team scores three goals? But it could’ve been a couple more. I thought he had a great game. Kansas City is a difficult place to play, and there was a lot riding on the game.”
On the two quick goals by the Wizards
“You lose focus. You’re holding on, and then you get tight. Then the other team gets the lead and they get momentum.”
FC DALLAS GOALKEEPER DARIO SALA
On the game-winning goal by Jimmy Conrad
“We weren’t having very many good breaks, and that was one of the (types of) plays we’ve been suffering from the whole year.”
On the game
“The only positive thing I can say is that we are not going to leave this tournament without a fight.”
Retro Night!
Today, Wizards players and staff members and children from nearby New Stanley Elementary School took part in a clean-up event at Ruby Park in KCK called "Greener Goals". As part of the event, players and children painted a mural on a concrete wall under a bridge, picked up trash, painted benches, painted lines on a basketball court and played soccer with one another. Everyone had an outstanding time, and Ruby Park came out looking a little spruced up. Here are a couple of pictures. We'll have a full gallery up tomorrow at kcwizards.com.
Forward Kei Kamara gives his team an advantage by hiding the ball in his shirt and racing toward goal.
The World Cup trophy is touring Egypt during the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Gomez and Zusi help two children race through the aisles last week at Dick's Sporting Goods.
Gomez plays putt-putt on the practice green at Dick's Sporting Goods.
He's feeling hot, hot hot!
Mr. John Kristick of the USA Bid Committee receives a Kansas City Wizards jersey from David Ficklin and George Brett looks on.
Bring out your paper/test with a grade of a B or better and receive a free T-shirt! Click on the graphic above to see all the details of the day, then give us a call at 913.387.3400 to get your tickets.
Claudio Lopez scored his first goal in a Wizards uniform in his first-ever game last year against DCU in the season opener at CAB.
Budweiser brings us the Jimmy Conrad Show tonight from 8-9 at Fox and Hound. Old ads are fun.
Hartman skies to grab a loose ball Saturday in our 3-2 win over Dallas.
Jimmy C's bobblehead looks on as Cristman plays the piano.
The field board at last night's game.
Dude has some RIPPED legs.
There was a huge line just before the gates opened tonight at Arrowhead.
MLS will take a break during the opening round of next summer's FIFA World Cup.
Chivas fan-favorite Omar Bravo enters the practice field.
Claudio Lopez (middle) poses with former America teammates (l to r) Salvador Cabanas, Ricardo Rojas, Pavel Pardo and Guillermo Ochoa.
Santiago Hirsig speaks with Daniel Montenegro. The pair played together at Huracan in Argentina.
Chivas huddles with TONS of fans looking on in the background.
America trains this morning at Swope as fans look on.
July 4, Kamara scored for Houston at CAB and pulled out a white glove as a tribute to the late Michael Jackson. 
The World Trade Center Towers Spotlight.
The World Trade Center Spotlight a little closer up. 
Vermes shook hands with one of the officials at the Embassy.
Vermes and Zoltan look over a map of Hungary together with some excellent Hungarian finger-foods in the background.
One of the Embassy staff members showed PV and Zoltan this incredible goal that Zoltan has seen before.
A group picture after spending time together at the Embassy. The statue in the background serves to commemorate friendship between Hungary and the United States.
