A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
| 2008 season | |||
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| Head coach | Curt Onalfo | ||
| Major League Soccer | East: 4th Overall: 6th | ||
| USOC | Quarterfinals | ||
| Playoffs | Conference semifinals | ||
| Top goalscorer | League: Davy Arnaud (7) All: Davy Arnaud (8) | ||
| Highest home attendance | 26,113 | ||
| Average home league attendance | 10,686 | ||
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The 2008 Kansas City Wizards season was the 13th in Major League Soccer and the first season played at the temporary home CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kansas. This marked the start of club's longstanding relationship with the city of Kansas City, Kansas, as the eventual new stadium the team sought out was constructed in this city.
Team News
The Wizards had been seeking sites for a soccer-specific stadium, initially targeting possible locations in Johnson County, Kansas. The Wizards' new ownership identified a site at 159th Street and U.S. Route 69 in south Overland Park, Kansas as its preferred location for a stadium, but this plan was met with numerous difficulties, namely the decision of the town's mayor to pull his support for the financing of the stadium after a vote had failed to secure money for the building of youth fields at the same site.[1]
Due to renovations of Arrowhead Stadium, the Wizards were expected to play at a temporary stadium beginning in 2007, while planning and awaiting the construction of a new facility. Yet on January 31, 2007, it was announced the Wizards would continue to play in Arrowhead in the 2007 season.[2]
The reasons given for the return to Arrowhead were the difficulties in expanding other facilities in the area (the KC Wizards played an exhibition in the beginning of the 2007 season at the District Activities Center owned and operated by the Blue Valley School District in Overland Park, Kansas) and the delay in the Arrowhead renovation plan.
On July 27, 2007, the Kansas City Star reported that Lane4 Property Group, a developer hired by the Wizards, was moving closer to making plans final for a massive redevelopment of now-vacant Bannister Mall that was intended to include a new 18,500-seat stadium for the Wizards and 12 to 18 tournament soccer fields. Under Lane4's plan, the Bannister Mall and Benjamin Plaza shopping centers and the adjoining Benjamin Ranch property would be demolished and replaced with a mixed-use project with retail, office and residential components in addition to a possible Wizards stadium. According to MLS.net on December 14, 2007, the Wizards plans for a new stadium were approved by the Kansas City council. The target date for completion of construction for a new facility had been stated as the beginning of the 2010 season. Team owners are currently collaborating with architecture firm 360 Architecture on the design of the new stadium.
Ultimately, due to the financial crisis among other issues, the Wizards plan failed in Missouri. The aforementioned stadium—now known as Children's Mercy Park—was built in Kansas City, Kansas, near Kansas Speedway and the ballpark.
Matches
Pre-season
Saturn Cup
The senior team played its first competitive match of the 2008 campaign in Norman, Oklahoma at John Crain Field on the campus of the University of Oklahoma on March 22, 2008 as part of the Saturn Cup against Real Salt Lake. The Wizards took home the hardware with the only goal of the contest coming from the head of defender Jimmy Conrad off a Carlos Marinelli free kick. This marked the second time in club history that it won the Saturn Cup.
New Mexico Cup
2008 Colombian newcomer Iván Trujillo scored twice against CSD Municipal the defending Liga Nacional de Guatemala champions in Albuquerque, New Mexico while the Wizards defense held the Reds scoreless, 2-0. The New Mexico Cup was played at the University of New Mexico.
Major League Soccer
Notes
• Kansas City has now qualified for the playoffs in nine of their 13 seasons, both seasons since OnGoal bought the team in 2006.
• Kansas City finished the season 5-1-1 in their final seven matches, including a 3-0-0 record in their last three.
• Claudio López finished his first MLS season tied for second on the team in league goals (6) and tied for the team lead in assists (7).
• Davy Arnaud clinched the team Golden Boot after scoring two goals in his final two games.
• Five times throughout the season Kansas City scored three or more goals.
• Goalkeeper Kevin Hartman and defender Jimmy Conrad are the only Wizards to play all 2,700 minutes this season.
• Hartman, Conrad and defender Michael Harrington are the only three players to start in all 30 MLS games.
• Hartman now has 138 career wins, an MLS all-time record.
• Kerry Zavagnin's final MLS appearance came away to the Revs in the season finale and was his 237th appearance for the Wizards, a club record. He finished with 20,516 minutes played in league play, also a club record.
Results summary
| Overall | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pld | Pts | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD |
| 30 | 42 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 37 | 39 | −2 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 22 | 15 | +7 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 15 | 24 | −9 |
Last updated: Oct 25, 2008
Source: Major League Soccer
Pld = Matches played; Pts = Points; W = Matches won; T = Matches tied; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference
Results
| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F – A |
Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 29, 2008 | D.C. United | H | 2–0 | Trujillo López |
10,385 |
| April 5, 2008 | Colorado Rapids | H | 3–2 | Conrad 2 Sealy |
8,731 |
| April 9, 2008 | New England Revolution | H | 1–3 | Jewsbury | 8,096 |
| April 12, 2008 | Houston Dynamo | H | 0–0 | 9,627 | |
| April 20, 2008 | Chicago Fire S.C. | A | 1–0 | Jewsbury | 17,121 |
| April 26, 2008 | Toronto FC | A | 0–2 | 20,045 | |
| May 3, 2008 | Columbus Crew | A | 1–2 | López | 10,447 |
| May 17, 2008 | New York Red Bulls | A | 1–1 | Conrad | 15,755 |
| May 24, 2008 | Los Angeles Galaxy | A | 1–3 | López | 24,176 |
| June 7, 2008 | Real Salt Lake | A | 0–0 | 11,327 | |
| June 14, 2008 | Columbus Crew | H | 0–3 | 10,385 | |
| June 21, 2008 | Toronto FC | A | 0–0 | 20,293 | |
| June 28, 2008 | Real Salt Lake | H | 1–0 | Own Goal | 10,385 |
| July 4, 2008 | FC Dallas | A | 1–1 | Sealy | 16,765 |
| July 10, 2008 | New York Red Bulls | H | 2–1 | Conrad Arnaud |
8,773 |
| July 17, 2008 | Columbus Crew | A | 3–3 | Own Goal Espinoza Wolff |
16,117 |
| July 27, 2008 | Chicago Fire S.C. | H | 0–0 | 10,385 | |
| August 2, 2008 | D.C. United | A | 0–2 | 18,731 | |
| August 9, 2008 | Chivas USA | H | 3–2 | Victorine López Arnaud |
9,597 |
| August 16, 2008 | Colorado Rapids | A | 1–2 | Harrington | 10,609 |
| August 23, 2008 | FC Dallas | H | 1–1 | Conrad | 9,825 |
| August 30, 2008 | San Jose Earthquakes | A | 1–2 | Arnaud | 10,089 |
| September 7, 2008 | Houston Dynamo | A | 1–3 | Arnaud | 14,297 |
| September 13, 2008 | Los Angeles Galaxy | H | 2–0 | Wolff Arnaud |
26,113 |
| September 20, 2008 | Toronto FC | H | 2–0 | Jewsbury Souter |
8,270 |
| September 27, 2008 | Chivas USA | A | 1–2 | Wolff | 14,783 |
| October 5, 2008 | Chicago Fire S.C. | H | 1–1 | Harrington | 10,385 |
| October 11, 2008 | New England Revolution | H | 1–0 | Conrad | 9,488 |
| October 18, 2008 | San Jose Earthquakes | H | 3–2 | López Arnaud Gomez |
9,841 |
| October 25, 2008 | New England Revolution | A | 3–1 | López Arnaud Own Goal |
16,764 |
Detailed Summary
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