Win, Win, Win Day Yesterday

No KC didn't win their friendly with Chivas de Guadalajara last night, the two ended up drawing 2-2, but the bigger thing to take from the game last night was that no one picked up an injury and most of the projected starters that played last night didn't play more than 45 minutes. Last night also turned into a better night in league play yesterday for KC, as two teams chasing KC in the playoff race dropped points. The Chicago Fire can no longer catch the Wizards after their 2-1 home loss to FC Dallas last night the Fire's maximum points are 43, and KC is already on 45. The other big result for KC, was DC's 2-1 loss in Vancouver to the Whitecaps. That puts DC in the position that they'd have to win out while KC loses out for them to pass KC. So last night couldn't have gotten much better for KC.

At LIVESTRONG Sporting Park, KC's draw with the real Chivas served it's purpose, it got first teamers a run out to get some game play while giving reserves a chance to play. In the first half KC had some good possession and created some good half chances, but it was Chivas that had the better chances, early on as Marco Fabian got in behind KC's defense and had rounded Eric Kronberg. A nice challenge by Aurelien Collin did enough to throw off Fabian and he pushed his effort wide of Kronberg's post. Fabian though did get on the scoring sheet later in the half from the penalty spot after Collin fouled Carlos Fierro in the box. Fabian sent Kronberg the wrong way and the Goats went up 1-0. KC continued to create some good chances but didn't really test Luis Ernesto Michel in the Chivas net. KC's best chance of the half came in the 30th minute when Kei Kamara beat his defender with pace and fired a shot that beat Michel but not the post. The rebound fell to Graham Zusi, whose goal bound shot was headed away before it got to Michel. The last good chance of the half for KC fell to the man who'd played for both teams, Omar Bravo. Bravo had been played in with a nice chip from Jeferson, but Michel was quick off his line and Bravo couldn't get his shot past the keeper.

Five half time changes for KC saw the majority of the guys that might start Saturday leave the game they'd gotten their legs warm and active after half a week and a half with no games for the majority of them. Early on in the second half, Omar Bravo was played in on goal and this time beat Michel, but Bravo was ruled to have been offside on the play and the score remained 1-0 Chivas. KC finally grabbed their deserved equalizer in the 75th minute through 19 year old Soony Saad. Another substitute, Milos Stojcev played Saad in alone on goal with a nice through ball. Saad dribbled in on Victor Hugo Hernandez in the Chivas net and five-holed the keeper tying the game at 1-1. KC kept pushing and in the 86th looked like they might have found a winner. After Kevin Ellis had done well to keep the ball in and beat his defender, he was brought down just outside the box to the right of the goal. Stojcev played in a good free kick that took a deflection to the back post where Ellis was there to bundle the ball over the line to give KC a 2-1 lead. The lead didn't last long for KC though, as Chivas came down the field and in the 88th minute, all too easily it seemed, found an equalizer through Erik Torres. Torres got a poor back pass, turned Collin one or two times and then fired a shot that got under Kronberg and rolled into the net to tie the game at 2-2. The drama wasn't over though, late in stoppage time after a string of hard challenges by both teams along the sideline, Craig Rocastle picked up a red after he connected on his hard challenge. The red didn't matter though, the ensuing free kick was headed away by Ellis and then came the final whistle with the game ended 2-2.

WIZARDS Man of the Match - Kevin Ellis - Ellis had a good game tonight in the minutes he had, he seemed to be one of the bench guys that was really trying to use this opportunity as a chance to show Peter Vermes that they deserved more playing time, Saad and Stojcev being the other two that really seemed intent on improving their position last night.

Player Ratings - Kronberg 4, Sinovic 5, Olum 5, Collin 5, Myers 5, Arnaud 5, Zusi 6, Jeferson 5, Bravo 6, Sapong 6, Kamara 6. Subs Aiyegbusi 5, Harrington 5, Diop 4, Saad 7, Rocastle 5, Stojcev 7, Ellis 7, Lorenz NR.