Thursday, May 07, 2015

#TBT Highest Scoring Game in KC History

On May 2nd, 1996, the then KC Wiz played at the time, the highest scoring MLS game in the league's short history. Against the Columbus Crew at Arrowhead Stadium, KC came from behind to top the Crew 6-4.

Played in front of 8,848, KC jumped out to an early 1-0 lead thanks to a rocket of a shot by Mark Chung after a patented cut back by Preki drew three defenders to him in the fifth minute. Columbus was ale to find the equalizer in the 20th minute when Brian McBride headed home a corner from Billy Thompson, deflecting off of defender Tommy Reasoner who tried to keep the ball out with his knee. The score would stay at 1-1 headed into the half time break.

The second half started with a bang as KC jumped back out in front in just the 47th minute. Preki received the ball out wide and tried to curl a shot into the net. He succeeded in beating goalkeeper, Bo Oshoniyi, but didn't beat the cross bar. The rebound though fell to Mo Johnston who knocked the rebound home for a goal in his debut for KC. This time the lead lasted only a minute as a long throw in from McBride found Todd Yeagley in the box, he was able to bring the ball down and bury it. Columbus would take the lead for the first time a little after the hour mark as Mike Clark beat Reasoner to a cross by Thompson and headed the ball into the net to make it 3-2.

Only a minute after making it 3-2, Columbus made it 4-2 as McBride crossed the ball into the box looking for Adrian Paz, but Reasoner in an attempt to cleared the ball, fired the ball into his own net. The two goal lead would only last a couple minutes though as KC won a penalty kick as Digtal Takawira tried to dribble around a Crew defender on the ground who hit the ball with his hand. Preki stepped up to take the penalty, pulling a Panenka, softly chipping the ball past Oshoniyi and into the net to make it 4-3. Only a couple minutes after the penalty kick, KC was level with Johnston again the scorer. After a partial clearance out wide, Takawira headed the ball back into the middle where Johnston knocked it home to make it 4-4. KC wasn't done and in the 77th minute, Mike Sorber got in on the act firing a shot from long range that beat Oshoniyi and put KC in front 5-4. With Columbus chasing the game late, KC found a sixth to seal the game on the counter in the 88th minute. Takawira led the counter dribbling against two Crew defenders. At the top of the box, Takawira took a bit of a big touch and Preki pounced on the ball, one timing it into the corner right in front of Takawira.

The game would stand as the highest scoring game in league history for just two years before being surpassed by the LA Galaxy's 7-4 win over the Colorado Rapids in 1998. The game is still the highest scoring in KC history and tied for the record for most goals score in a game.


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