FC Kansas City Moving to New Stadium in 2014

FC Kansas City has a new home. After spending the 2013 season playing at Shawnee Mission North High School, at the district athletic complex, they are now moving to a facility without football lines. The team today announced that they've signed a two year contract with UMKC to play their games at Durwood Stadium on UMKC's campus.

The stadium, just south of the Nelson-Atkins museum and east of the Plaza, currently seats 850 people for games. As part of the agreement, capacity will be increased to 3,200, with what is apparently a mix of permanent and temporary seats (seating chart here). Back in 2010, the KC Wizards drew just over 1,200 there for a US Open Cup qualifier against the Colorado Rapids.

The move makes sense in many regards, one of the big complaints about the league as a whole last year was the number of stadiums that had football lines along with the soccer lines. The Blues at least have resolved this complaint by people watching the game as Durwood only has soccer lines.

The draw back of the move though is that the Blues will be moving to a smaller facility. Durwood seats 1,400 fewer people than FCKC's average last year at Shawnee Mission.

Club President, President Brian Budzinski tried to address some of those concerns today: “the support in our first year was beyond what we could have expected, We understand the seating capacity is smaller than what our average attendance was last season, but we felt the move to a soccer-specific facility of this caliber was important for our fans’ game day experience and for the players on the field.”

So the team is valuing a better viewing experience with a field without the football lines over a larger crowd. The stadium now becomes the second smallest in the league ahead of Chicago's Benedictine University site after Boston also announced today that they are moving to play at Harvard next year.

Personally I like the move, it shows a nice commitment by FCKC to develop the game instead of just trying to get more people into the stadium. It should also create a better atmosphere at UMKC without the large track around the field too.

Open Cup Qualifier Date Set

The Wizards have to qualify once again to get into the US Open Cup proper this year. We found out about a month ago that the Wizards won the right to host the Colorado Rapids for the first play in game. Today the date and location of the game was announced. The Wizards will take on Colorado on Tuesday April 13th at Stanley H. Durwood Soccer Stadium on the campus of UMKC at 7:30 pm. The game will take place 3 days after the Rapids and Wizards get together in a league game out Community America. This would seem to make things easier for Colorado who could now just stay in KC, train on Monday before the game on Tuesday.

A Pair of Wins by a Pair of Goals

The Wizards are a little over a week away from their home opener and closed out their preseason with two wins by a 2-0 score line out at Swope Park. I didn't make it in time, but first the Swope Park Rangers played UMKC for the second time in week. Thanks to two first half strikes by Kei Kamara the Rangers pulled off the win. Kamara's first goal came off of a cross from Mauro Fuzetti, his second came from the penalty spot.

Next game the Wizards-AC St. Louis game, the game supposed to be played tomorrow, but rescheduled for today due to the expected weather tomorrow. The team was made up of mostly starters, minus a few injuries and Jimmy Conrad and Josh Wolff in DC for the CBA negotiations. KC came out as the more aggressive side early in the game and would have grabbed the lead if not for the post, as Kamara hit the wood work. The Wizards continued to be the more dominate side and St. Louis struggled to get many offensive chances in the first half. Their best chance came off of a mistake by central defender Matt Besler. Besler attempted to head the ball back to to Jimmy Nielsen, but did not get enough on it and the pass was picked off. Nielsen cut the angle but the St. Louis player found an open player in the box, but the shot was over the bar. KC had their chances as well, Santiago Hirsig missed just a little high and wide of the goal while Kamara hit side netting on a diving header.

In the second half the Wizards continued to dominate with Nielsen has little to do. KC finally grabbed the lead as a Chance Myers cross was met by Craig Rocastle who took a touch and then beat the keeper to his right to give KC the lead they deserved. The Wizards continued their dominance and they doubled the lead through the same combination, only this time it was Rocastle feeding Myers. Myers than 5 holed the keeper doubling the teams lead. KC held onto the lead for the rest of the game most of that time holding possession in St. Louis' half of the field. In the end the game wasn't as close as the score, St. Louis never looked likely to score and KC cruised to the win.

Wizards Man of the Match - Chance Myers - Is starting to really show the promise that made him the number 1 pick in the draft a few years ago. A goal and an assist was just the start of his performance, he dominated the wing for KC. Him and Harrington will be a force on that wing if they end up being the starters.

St. Louis Game Moved Up

Due to the predicted forecast for Kansas City this weekend, the Wizards and AC St. Louis have moved up the first leg of their home and home series from this Saturday to Friday. With the move, the "Supporters' Showdown" schedule for after the game Saturday has been canceled. The Wizards final preseason game is now set for Friday at 5pm. Before the first team takes on St. Louis, the Swope Park Rangers will once again take on UMKC. That game is at 3pm. So if you have part of the day off work make it out early for that game. I'll likely be a little late but should be there fairly early in the first half of the game against St. Louis.

Wizards Defeat UMKC

The Wizards continued their preseason tonight out at CAB in a game against NCAA Division 1 UMKC tonight in a friendly that Wizards season ticket holders were invited to. The Wizards started the game with a lineup almost exactly like the one used by the white team in last Thursday's intersquad scrimmage, but early on the game was back and forth as UMKC held their own. In fact they forced a very good kick save out of Jimmy Nielsen very early in the game. Things also got a little chippy as the half went on, with Davy Arnaud taking a hard foul that earned the UMKC player a yellow. Shortly after, Arnaud and another UMKC player saw yellow and we got a bit of a shoving match as Arnaud appeared to elbow the UMKC player trying to get a little retribution for the hard foul. The Wizards grabbed the lead late in the first 45 minute period as UMKC had some very lax defending as Ryan Smith took the ball right off the defenders own foot inside his own box, took a touch and slipped the ball past the keeper to give KC the lead.

The Wizards made only one change after 45 minutes with Pablo Escobar coming on for Jimmy Conrad. KC doubled their lead on a very nice play by Stephane Auvray after a through ball from Chance Myers. Auvray danced by a few defender in the box that sent the keeper the wrong way and Auvray slid the ball into the net to double the lead. KC began to really control the game more and more and UMKC got less of the ball. UMKC started to get more frustrated and Arnaud was once again fouled about 25 yards from goal. Arnaud stepped up on the free kick and put it off the post and into the net to the keepers right, a really nice free kick to make it 3-0. With KC continuing to dominate possession, UMKC loss a player to a second yellow card. They immediately replaced the player so the Wizards didn't play with a man advantage, but it showed the physicality that was taking place in the friendly. KC made it 4-0 before the end of the second 45 minute period as Michael Harrington streaked down the left and played a nice lofted cross where substitute Jonathan Leathers had time to place a looping header back across goal and over the head of the keeper into the net.

KC had made a few changes over the course of the second period, but made even more before the final period started. With UMKC not having as many players, the Wizards continued to be the team that controlled the game especially with the fresh legs. It did take a little while for those fresh legs to get underneath them in the offensive end, but finally Zoltan Hercegfalvi hit a rocket that made it 5-0. The ball only rarely got deep into KC's half as the period went on and KC continued to find ways into the Kangaroos box. Teal Bunbury got brought down on one of those runs being awarded a PK. Bunbury stepped up and placed the ball to the keepers left out of reach to make it 6-0. With less than 2 minutes left in the game, KC added the extra point as Santiago Hirsig knocked home a corner to give KC the 7-0 win.

Overall it was a good performance although the lack of goals in the first period against the college team was a little frustrating, still it was nice to see the team continue to play well and combine. Smith continues to be very impressive and Auvray really is a beast in the center of midfield, both these guys I think are going to have good seasons in MLS.

Reserves Win

The Swope Park Rangers defeated UMKC today out at the Swope Park training complex 2-0 this afternoon. Unlike the Creighton game earlier this season, the reserves dominated play the entire game, giving UMKC very few chances to work with. KC took the lead early in the first half, when Abe Thompson played a great ball through the middle that Michael Kraus ran onto. Kraus sloted the ball low to the far post to give KC the lead. Soon after that KC had the chance to double the lead. Abe Thompson went up to meet a Jonathan Leathers cross, but was fouled in the box. Thompson stepped up for the PK, but did not get enough power behind it, and the keeper made the save. Here's how the team lined up for the first half.

Pardo
Leathers - Josh White - McKenzie - Marquess
Morsink
Pizarro - Souter - Espinoza
Thompson Kraus

In the second half, KC continued to push but didn't get a whole lot of very good chances. Still when they did get them, the UMKC defense and goalkeeper was able to match them. KC made two subs about a quarter of the way through the half, bringing on 2 guest players for White and Souter. After the sub, the Rangers switched to a 3-4-3.

Pardo
Leathers - McKenzie - Marquess
Morsink
Pizarro - Guest player 1 - Espinoza
Guest player 2 - Thompson - Kraus

Finally, Austin Williams subbed in for Thompson in around the 80th minute. KC finally got their second goal on a nice little play. A long ball over the top was played into Kraus. Kraus chested the ball down into the path of Kurt Morsink who collected, took a few touches and slotted the ball past the keeper. Soon after that, the team almost had a third as Kraus had a ball cleared off the line. Nelson Pizarro played the rebound back into the box from the wing. The ball floated into the goal, but Kraus was judged to have fouled the keeper as they both went up for the ball.

The game overall was a little rough, with multiple yellow cards being given out to both teams over the course of the game.

Swope Park Rangers in Action

The Swope Park Rangers, the Wizards reserves will be in action this coming Monday after the first team's game against San Jose on Sunday. The Rangers will be taking on UMKC, who starts their spring season 2 days earlier against University of Missouri at Rolla and Rockhurst. The game against UMKC will take place at 2:30 on Monday at the training facility.

Speaking of the reserves, another game that was announced a while back, is that the Rangers will take on Missouri State on Wednesday April, 29th.

Guest Players in Iowa

The Wizards will have 4 guest players with the team this weekend when they go to Iowa to take on the Minnesota Thunder. Two of the players are coming from this past weekend's open tryouts. Chad Becker from Rockhurst and Austin Williams from William Jewell have been invited to come to the game. The other two are Josh White formerly of UMKC (who was likely the guy in the last picture on Thad's post from yesterday) and JD Warman, who has played with the KC Brass in the past. I'll be on the scene giving a running commentary tomorrow so I'll let you know how these guys look if they play.

NCAA Tournament

Not Wizards related, but locally relevant was today's draw for the NCAA Tournament. Local school, UMKC advanced to the tournament with a 1-1(4-3) penalty kick win over Oakland. The Kangaroos will be playing at the University of Tulsa in the first round of the tournament on Friday. Should the 'Roos win that game, they'll get a very interesting second round match up. The 'Roos would play the University of Creighton, who UMKC beat earlier this season, the Blue Jays only loss of the season.

The other team of note in the tournament, is a team packed with plenty of local players, Drake University. The Bulldogs will be taking on St. Louis University on Friday at SLU. The Bulldogs roster includes 10 players from the KC area. The winner of that match will be heading to Indiana to take on the Hoosiers.

Good luck to both the Kangaroos and Bulldogs in the NCAA tournment.

Reserves Top UMKC

The Wizards reserve players topped UMKC easily this morning out at the Swope Park training center, 8-1. The game was as close as it was, as the reserves dominated the performance for long stretches of the game. Here's how the reserves started out:

Kronberg
Myers - McMahen - Wahl - Watson
Marinelli - Souter - Morsink - Espinoza
Pore - Trujillo

The scoring started early, as in the 9th minute, Kevin Souter overlapped Carlos Marinelli, who backhealed the ball as he went by. Souter then crossed the ball where Ivan Trujillo met it with his head and powered it past the Kangaroos keeper. The reserves continued to dominate, and Marinelli put one shot off the cross bar. The second goal came soon after, though, in the 17th as Trujillo settled the ball in the box and laid it off to Marinelli as he ran past. Marinelli then slotted the ball to the far post. Only 3 minutes later, it was 3-0, again from Trujillo, as Ryan Pore dribbled along the end line, getting the keeper to commit before slotting the ball to Trujillo who had an empty net to finish into.

Ten minutes later, in the 30th, the Wizards made it 4, through Roger Espinoza, off of a cross from Chance Myers that Espinoza finished with his head. In the 40th, it became 5-0 as Pore again crossed the ball, where Lance Watson dummied it, leaving it for Trujillo, who finished it to finish off his hattrick. Before the half time whistle, the Wizards made it 6-0, as in the 43rd minute, Pore scored on a breakaway.

Half time saw the Wizards make 3 changes, as Marinelli, Ryan McMahen, and Watson came off for Rauwshan McKenzie, Jonathan Leathers, and Nelson Pizarro. The changes led to some confusion in the back, and UMKC pulled a goal back in the 48th off a cross. Five minutes later, in the 53rd, the Wizards restored their 6 goal lead, as Kurt Morsink hit a blast from about 25 yards out into the top corner. In the 62nd minute, the Wizards made their last change, as Michael Kraus came on for Pore. The Wizards finished out their scoring in the 80th minute, when Pizarro hit another long shot from about 25 yards out that beat the 'Roos keeper. Overall, it was a dominating performance, it was not hard to tell which team was the home team.

Another Reserve Game

Along with the game this Sunday against Rockhurst University, the Wizards reserves have another friendly schedule. This on is on August 18th, again at the Swope Park training complex, against Creighton University. Michael Kraus' alma mater will play the reserves at 10:30 am that day. This will be the 4th or 5th college side the reserves have played this year (SMU, Drake, Rockhurst, Creighton), along with playing the Brass. If I've forgotten any, feel free to comment below.

And thanks to Roush on bigsoccer, we know that they will also be playing UMKC on August 24th at noon.

UMKC Getting Stadium

The UMKC Kangaroos will be getting themselves their own soccer stadium ON campus. Set to open in 2009 and be fulling completed by 2010. The Stanley H. Durwood Foundation has donated $5 million gift to the athletic department. Included in the project are locker rooms and offices for the men's and women's soccer program as well as a four lane track and concession stand. This will be great for the UMKC soccer team to have a place right on campus to play their games. Without a football team, the team has a great chance to become a really big thing on campus. In the picture below, I'd assume they're going to take out a few of the lanes on the current track to fit the soccer field in there (Click on the picture for a clearer image.).
Credit to the Kansas City Soccer Review for first breaking the story.