#TBT Hattricks for KC.

For Throw Back Thursday this week I thought I'd go through all the hattricks in KC's history before last night's four goal performance by Dom Dwyer against FC Dallas.

The first hattrick in KC history actually didn't come until the team's third season, when Digital Takawira hit a second half hattrick for KC in their 3-1 win over New England on May 16th of 1998. Takawira scored three goals in the span of nine minutes to help KC to the 3-1 win. His first goal came in the 76th, with the second coming three minutes later in the 79th. In the 83rd, New England pulled one back from the penalty spot before Takawira finished off his hattrick two minutes later in the 85th.

The team's second hattrick came later in the same year as Preki scored his only hattrick in his KC career on September 5th of 1998 in a 5-1 win over San Jose. After going down 1-0 in just the 7th minute, Mo Johnston scored in the 12th to tie the game off an assist from Preki. In the 18th minute, Preki got his first goal of the game. He added his second just three minutes after the half time break. After a Paul Wright goal in the 59th, Preki finished off his hattrick in the 80th minute.

KC had to wait almost six full years for their next hattrick, which came almost 11 years ago tomorrow, July 3rd 2004 against the same Dallas team, back when they were still the Dallas Burn. Davy Arnaud scored that hattrick in his break out season in a 5-1 win. Arnaud opened the scoring in the 22nd before Jason Kreis equalized less than 10 minutes later. A Kreis red card though just before half time changed the game. Chris Klein made it 2-1 in the 72nd in the second half, Josh Wolff added one three minutes later before Arnaud added his second in the 79th. Arnaud finished his hattrick in stoppage time of the rout.

Up to this point there has been an inability to find highlights, but from here we now have highlights of the goals.

The next hattricks for KC came in back to back games in the 2007 season, both for Eddie Johnson. The first came against the New England Revolution on the road again. After falling behind 2-0 early in the first half, Davy Arnaud scored in the 25th to pull KC within one and a minute later in the 26th, Johnson got his first goal of the game. Johnson got his second goal of the game in the 38th minute as he beat Jay Heaps for a second time and beat Matt Reis at the near post to make it 3-2 KC.  New England pulled it back level in the 69th on a Sharlie Joseph penalty kick before Johnson finished off his hattrick in the 82nd on a through ball from Carlos Marinelli. Johnson rounded Reis and put the ball in the net for his hattrick and the 4-3 win.



The very next week at Arrowhead, Eddie Johnson hit a second hattrick, the first natural hattrick in KC history. New York had an 8th minute goal by Juan Pablo Angel hold up through the first half, even with a Clint Mathis red card in the 36th minute. KC struck early in the second half though to level the score on a long ball over the top by Michael Harrington for Johnson who chipped Jon Conway in the New York net to level the game. Johnson added his second just before the hour on a cross by Jose Burciaga that found Johnson unmarked at the back post. Johnson finished his hattrick in the 85th after being played in by Sasha Victorine he slotted the ball into the corner past Conway. A late Dema Kovalenko goal made it 3-2 but KC won the game.



The final hattrick before last night's Dom Dwyer four goal performance came from the most unlikely of sources, Birahim Diop. The "Diop Game" had occurred earlier in the year when Diop scored twice in his first start for KC. This game, the finale of the 2010 saw KC already eliminated from playoff contention against the San Jose Earthquakes. Diop opened the scoring for KC in the 36th minute as he headed a long ball by Jonathan Leathers past an onrushing Jon Busch to put KC up 1-0. Diop added a second on the hour mark, after he missed a Roger Espinoza cross, the ball came back to Diop who headed the ball past push and into the net. 10 minutes later, San Jose pulled one back through Chris Wondolowski. Diop though finished off his hattrick in the 76th off a long ball from Craig Rocastle, Diop brought the ball down and fired a curling shot into the net to give KC a 3-1 lead. KC added a fourth on an own goal in second half stoppage time to make it 4-1 KC.