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Posted on Sat, Sep. 13, 2008 10:15 PM
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Wizards escape basement with win

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The star power of David Beckham attracted a season-high crowd for the Wizards on Saturday afternoon at Arrowhead Stadium.

But it might be a glorious three-minute stretch of play in the second half by the Wizards that brings them back.

A pair of highlight-reel goals from Josh Wolff and Davy Arnaud between the 67th and 69th minutes ignited what had been a bland game and lifted the Wizards to a 2-0 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy. It came in front of an announced crowd of 26,113 that left happy, having witnessed one of the sports world’s true superstars, and cheering the home team to a much-needed win.

“This was a huge boost of confidence as we go into the last six games of the season, (four) of which are at home,” said Wizards coach Curt Onalfo.

The Wizards, 7-9-8 with 29 points, moved ahead of Toronto FC, which is scheduled to play the Wizards next Saturday at CommunityAmerica Ballpark, and away from last place in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference.

The moribund Galaxy, meanwhile, failed to win a game in its 12th straight attempt and, at 6-10-8, remains in last place in the Western Conference.

Onalfo made some major adjustments to the Wizards’ starting lineup. Most noticeable was the benching of designated player Claudio Lopez, who did enter in the 71st minute. Onalfo also moved Arnaud to central midfield, put newcomer Herculez Gomez on the right flank, Roger Espinoza on the left, and paired Wolff with the team’s other newcomer, Abe Thompson, up top.

Onalfo also made it clear that the Wizards’ aim was to try and neutralize Beckham and MLS leading scorer Landon Donovan, then try and deal with the rest of the Galaxy.

Both moves showed glaringly, especially in a first half where neither team put together much in the way of potent attacking runs. Extended possession of the ball was — to put it in soccer parlance — nil, and most of the half was filled with long, ineffective passes sent up and down the field.

“With all the adjustments we made, it took us some time to adjust ourselves,” Onalfo said. “Once we adjusted, I thought we were pretty good. The guys came out good in the second half, and at a crucial time, Josh scored his goal.”

Wolff’s goal, his second in eight games with the Wizards this season, was set up when Arnaud sent a ball wide to Gomez deep in Galaxy territory on the right side. Gomez fired a cross so hard and fast that it was all Wolff could do to get his right heel on it and redirect it just inside the left post.

“We worked the last two weeks on getting the ball across and getting it to the back (post),” Wolff said. “I wasn’t able to pull it in front of me, so I had to just get as much on the ball as I could.”

The celebration, which earned Wolff a yellow card for pulling off his shirt, had barely died down when Arnaud stepped into a ball from 33 yards out and fired a laser into the upper-right corner that Galaxy goalkeeper Josh Wicks might not have even seen.

“That’s probably right up there with the best shot I’ve taken,” Arnaud said. “I’d like to say (I was aiming for the corner). But I was just trying to get it on frame.”

It was the third straight game in which Arnaud has scored.

The other part of Onalfo’s game plan took care of the rest. Wizards defenders effectively shackled Beckham and Donovan, and the rest of the Galaxy appeared lost, failing to mount any decent attacks. The Galaxy finished the game with just two shots on goal (to the Wizards’ six).

“I thought Kansas City brought more energy in the second half than we did,” Los Angeles coach Bruce Arena said. “The second half was there for both teams, and Kansas City got the better of it. That second goal by Arnaud was fantastic. There’s not a goalkeeper in the world who could’ve stopped that.”

Onalfo said, “I really liked the way the guys managed the game after we got the two-goal lead. This was a good lineup to go with. My intention is to go with the same lineup next week and try to build on it.”

Posted on Sat, Sep. 13, 2008 10:15 PM
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