Here Come the Goats

Tomorrow night we get a rematch of last years first round playoff game between the Wizards and Chivas USA. Like last year, Chivas will be without a few of their first team players. Both Ante Razov and Claudio Suarez are questionable for the game with injuries. Sacha Kljestan will also miss the game for the Goats, as he's in China for the Olympics. Also missing will be Paulo Nagamura and head coach Preki, who are both suspended. Chivas won't be completely depleted, though, as both Alecko Eskandarian and Maykel Galindo both made their returns last week in Chivas' 1-0 loss to Chicago.

The Wizards will be playing with a few lineup changes, as was noted earlier this week. It will be interesting to see if the changes in the lineup will give the Wizards more punch in their offense. Let's hope so, because the Wizards are still the second worst scoring team in the league, averaging less than a goal a game (17 goals in 18 games). From the note earlier this week, here's how it appears the Wizards will set up.

Hartman
Jewsbury - Conrad - Hohlbein - Marquess
Harrington - Zavagnin - Victorine - Lopez
Arnaud - Wolff

PREDICTION - Both teams come in off a loss last week, as well as both teams being tied in 9th place on 22 points. A win will put either team into a playoff position, as they'd leap frog LA and move into a tie for 6th with Dallas and DC. While Eskandarian and Galindo may be back, it's unlikely either one is ready to go a full 90. Hopefully the Wizards can exploit the holes in Chivas' lineup and get a much needed win. Right now I'll take a repeat of last year's first leg of the playoff match up.

KC - 1 (Arnaud)
Chivas - 0