Sunday, September 27, 2009

Points Dropped - Playoffs Slim to None

The Wizards playoff hopes were slim coming into last night's game against Colorado, and with the 0-0 draw and the way other results went around the league, slim is packing their bags right now. KC was the more dominate team throughout the game, and looked the more likely to get the goal throughout the game, but could not find the net. Meanwhile Colorado hung back deeper in their end, hoping to spring Conor Casey or Omar Cummings on a counter. Early on, much of the play was in Colorado's end of the field as KC created a few half chances, but failed to really test Preston Burpo in the Colorado net. The best chance came on a half volley by Santiago Hirsig off a corner kick. Coloado's best early chance came in the 24th minute, when Cummings danced around the top of the box before firing a shot that Kevin Hartman did well to push wide of the net. KC continued to create half chances, or looks, but either the shots were poor, right at Burpo, or KC just couldn't connect on the final ball.

In the second half, KC continued to push the game. KC was making more of the chances they were coming up with but still could not find the net. Davy Arnaud headed just wide of the post off of a cross in the 53rd. The Wizards best chance, and the best chance of the game came in the 78th minute, when a Claudio Lopez corner was met by an unmarked Jimmy Conrad at the back post. Conrad tried to steer his header inbetween the post and the Rapids player marking the post, but Conrad ended up putting it off the post and the ball bounced back into play. KC had another golden chance in the 81st off a quick counter started by Hartman. The ball went from Lopez on the right back across to the left, where it was then crossed in for Zoltan Hercegfalvi, whose slit touch didn't redirect the cross enough to put it into the net, instead sending it just wide of the post. KC pressed forward late but could not find the net, having to settle for the 0-0 draw.

Wizards Man of the Match - Matt Besler - The rookie did a good job last night of shutting down and frustrating the league's leading scorer, Conor Casey. Casey was never able to get a good look on goal, thanks to the work of Besler.

Honorable Mention - Jimmy Conrad

Player Ratings - Hartman 6, Leathers 5, Conrad 6, Besler 6, Harrington 6, Arnaud 4, Jewsbury 5, Hirsig 5, Lopez 5, Kamara 6, Wolff 5. Subs Hercegfalvi 5.

1 comment:

MOUFWASH said...

i think Harrington and Besler have figured out thier side now, their defensive spacing was much better and they had a better understand of each other going forward