Wizards Miss Chance

The Wizards missed a chance to take advantage of the results on Saturday, only able to get a 1-1 draw with Chicago today out at Community America Ballpark. After last night's results had gone the Wizards way, the Wizards had a chance to push themselves into 4th place in the East. Unfortunately, a penalty kick in first half stoppage time put away by Cuauhtemoc Blanco put the Wizards in a hole they had trouble pulling out of.

The first half as a whole was back and forth with each team missing chances, the Wizards came closest, when Herculez Gomez hit the cross bar with a free kick. Late in the first half, though, a cross to the back post, where Brian McBride was waiting. Michael Harrington, was marking McBride, and as the cross came in, Harrington rose for the ball, which struck his hand. Leaving the referee with no choice but to call the penalty. Unlike last year, when Kevin Hartman saved Blanco's PK, this one was placed just out of the reach of Hartman, giving Chicago the 1-0 halftime lead.

The Wizards wasted no time in the second half getting back into the game, though, with Harrington helping to redeem himself for the PK call. A ball across the box from Gomez found Harrington, who cut inside his man and curled a shot just out of reach of Jon Busch. The Wizards continued to press the game for the rest of the second half, but didn't create many great chances and in the end had to settle for the draw. Unfortunately, with the draw, the Wizards basically put themselves in a tough spot. They now likely need to win all 3 of their remaining games, to make it into the playoffs, any more dropped points and the Wizards can likely look towards next year.

Wizards Man of the Match - Jonathan Leathers - Leathers did well today marking up on Blanco for most of the game. Harrington would have been man of the match had he not caused the penalty in the first half, so Leahters, who's been more than serviceable on the back line for the Wizards this year.