Kansas City Wizards News Release - kc.wizards.mlsnet.com

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

CARY, NC -- The Kansas City Wizards rallied from a two-goal deficit to defeat the Carolina RailHawks of USL-1 4-2 Tuesday in extra time.

Kansas City advances to the quarterfinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup against the Seattle Sounders (USL-1). Kansas City will travel to Seattle next Tuesday for a match at Qwest Field, time still TBA. Forwards Ivan Trujillo and Claudio Lopez starred Saturday’s victory after coming on in the second half.

Carolina jumped on top with goals on either side of halftime. First, midfielder Santiago Fusilier put the RailHawks on top in the 44th minute after taking a pass from midfielder Ryan Solle up the middle and lofting a ball over on-rushing goalkeeper Eric Kronberg. Then, in the 58th minute, midfielder Matthew Watson slammed a right-footed blast inside the left post from the top of the 18-yard area off a headed pass from forward Dan Antoniuk.

Kansas City began in four-goal onslaught ten minutes later, when substitute midfielder Michael Harrington found substitute forward Trujillo. Harrington collected a loose ball on the left edge of the penalty area and cut to the end line, losing a defender in the process. His left-footed cross found the head of Trujillo at the top of the six-yard area, and Trujillo redirected the ball into the lower-right corner to bring Kansas City within a goal.

The Wizards then equalized in the 82nd minute after midfielder Roger Espinoza was fouled inside the penalty area. Designated player Claudio Lopez stepped to the penalty spot and buried a left-footed blast under the cross bar to tie the game 2-2.

Kansas City struck immediately into stoppage time, as Lopez played a brilliant through ball out of midfield for Trujillo running toward goal. Trujillo calmly slotted the ball past goalkeeper Chris McClellan for a 3-2 lead the Wizards would not relinquish.

Lopez created another goal in the 119th minute, when he played a long ball between defenders for Ryan Pore. Pore was free to goal and rounded the goalkeeper, but McClellan ran into Pore, knocking him off the ball for a penalty kick. Pore stepped to the spot and buried a shot into the lower-right corner for the final 4-2 score line.

Kansas City now travels to Texas for an MLS match against FC Dallas on Friday, July 4 at 6:00 p.m. CT on HDNet. Kansas City will now face the Seattle Sounders (USL-1) in the Open Cup quarterfinals next Tuesday, July 8 at Qwest Field, time TBA.