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D.C. United Advance
With Comeback Victory Over Habour View
 Second-half
strikes from Jamil Walker and Jaime Moreno separated by only
four minutes sent D.C. United into the semifinals of the
CONCACAF Champions' Cup, as they came from behind to claim a 2-1
victory against Harbour View FC on Wednesday night in Kingston,
Jamaica.
United advance
with a 4-2 victory on aggregate over the two-match quarterfinal
series. United held a 2-1 advantage going into the game after
defeating Harbour View last Wednesday at the Maryland SoccerPlex
on goals from Alecko Eskandarian and Josh Gros.
 Donald
Stewart had put the home side on top when he headed home a free
kick in first-half stoppage time. But two players making their
first-ever appearances for D.C. pulled the contest level, Walker
finishing a cross from Steve Guppy, whose signing with United
was announced Wednesday. Moreno then notched the game-winner
shortly thereafter, curling home a shot after receiving the ball
from playmaker Christian Gomez.
"I just want to
congratulate our team for their effort," D.C. United Peter Nowak
said. "We might not have played the best, but we managed to win.
We have a lot of work to do but we'll be ready for the next
round of this cup."
Though D.C. held
much of the possession in the early moments, Harbour View were
dangerous going forward on the counterattack. The home side had
a good opportunity when Jomo Gordon was put through from a good
pass, but he put his attempt over Nick Rimando's crossbar.
The Jamaican side
went ahead after Bryan Namoff committed a foul at the edge of
the penalty area. On the resulting free kick, a loosely marked
Stewart headed the ball into the net.
Nowak made one
change at the break, inserting Walker for Eskandarian, then
Guppy was injected 56 minutes in. The pair combined just a few
minutes later to tie the match and restore United's one-goal
lead on aggregate. The English veteran provided a pinpoint cross
to a streaking Walker, who headed the ball into the net.
A combination
more familiar to United fans sealed the result just four minutes
later. Gomez made a streaking diagonal run into the Harbour View
box, dribbling through several defenders before laying the ball
off to Moreno. After a couple of quick touches, United's
Bolivian veteran used his left foot to curl the ball into the
far post.
D.C. United will
face two-time defending Mexican champion Pumas UNAM in the
semifinals, who dramatically survived their quarterfinal series
against CD Olimpia of Honduras. The two clubs played to a 1-1
draw in the first leg, then the teams traded first-half goals in
Wednesday's return leg in Mexico City to send the game into
extra time. Just when it seemed as if the tie would have to be
decided by penalty kicks, Bruno Marioni's goal sent Pumas
through with a 3-2 aggregate victory.
Kansas City Knocked
Out of the Champions' Cup in Dramatic Fashion
 Goalkeeper
The Kansas City Wizards were cruelly dumped out of the
CONCACAF Champions' Cup on Thursday night, Deportivo Saprissa scoring a
dramatic late equalizer before getting an extra-time winner for
a 2-1 victory in the second leg of their quarterfinal series at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa in San Jose, Costa Rica.
The teams played
to a scoreless draw in the first leg in Kansas City a week ago,
then Jose Burciaga gave the Wizards a stunning lead in the 79th
minute from a free kick.
But some two
minutes into second-half stoppage time -- on almost the final
kick of the game -- Gerald Drummond turned home a rebound from
close range after Kansas City 'keeper Bo Oshoniyi had parried a
powerful drive from Pablo Brenes.
Then six minutes
into extra time, Ronald Gomez flicked a bouncing ball over his
head into the Wizards penalty area where Drummond beat the
on-rushing Oshoniyi and looped the ball into goal.
Saprissa
dominated the match, the Wizards unable to muster a single
attempt at goal in the opening 45 minutes. But their defense
held firm as Oshoniyi was really tested only once, able to block
a firm angled drive from Gomez.
The breakthrough
finally came after Kerry Zavagnin was clipped some 25 yards
straight out from goal. Burciaga's powerful swerving drive
fooled Saprissa goalkeeper José Francisco Porras and sailed into
the back of the net.
 Just
when it seemed the MLS side would escape Costa Rica with a
remarkable result against that country's 23-time champion and
the runner-up in last year's Champions Cup, a long ball was
played into a crowded Wizards penalty area. Nick Garcia's headed
clearance was pounced on by former MetroStars midfielder Brenes,
and his fierce blast was barely kept out by Oshoniyi. It fell
into the heart of the goal area where Drummond was on hand to
give it the final push over the line. After Drummond's second
goal put Saprissa ahead on the night and on aggregate, Alonso
Solis nearly doubled the lead with a dipping blast that rattled
the woodwork.
That left the
Wizards alive to pull level and they nearly did. Davy Arnaud was
left all alone in front of goal but just headed an Alex Zotinca
cross past the post, then Chris Klein hammered a long-range
blast that beat Porras, only for it to come down off the
underside of the crossbar and bound away to safety.
"It was an
awfully good performance for so early in the season. We did
pretty much what we felt we needed to do in terms of not sitting
back and sucking up the pressure, but going at them as well. I
think our guys put on a tremendous performance for so early in
the season," said Wizards head coach Bob Gansler. "As I told
after the game, they have every right to be proud of the 120
minutes and we will build on this."
Saprissa advances
to the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup where they will
face CF Monterrey of Mexico, while D.C. United of MLS and
Mexico's Pumas UNAM will play in the other semifinal series.
About the National Soccer Hall
of Fame and Museum
 Located in
Oneonta, NY, the National Soccer Hall of Fame opened a 30,000
square foot, state-of-the-art museum in 1999. The Hall of Fame
tells the story of soccer in
America through artifacts, photographs, and video clips. The new
Hall features an extensive interactive, youth oriented Kicks
Zone where visitors have fun kicking,
heading and playing computer trivia stations and video
soccer games. The VideoWall portrays some of the greatest
moments and the greatest goals in history as well as live soccer
action with World Cup, MLS, and U.S. Soccer matches. Unique and
rare artifacts on exhibit range from the world’s oldest soccer
ball to the FIFA Women’s World Cup trophy won by the USA in
1999,
Pelé's and Mia Hamm’s uniforms, Kristine Lilly’s golden
shoes, NASL championship rings, the original MLS championship
trophy, MLS gallery - it’s all at the National Soccer Hall of
Fame. In addition to the interactive Museum, the National Soccer
Hall of Fame complex boasts the
Kicks
Zone Store,
a research library, four world-class soccer fields and
office/meeting facilities. The Hall plans to add a stadium, an
indoor soccer arena and housing facilities in the future.
The mission of
the National Soccer Hall of Fame is to celebrate the history,
honor the heroes, inspire the youth and preserve the legacy of
soccer in the United States.
The National
Soccer Hall of Fame is open every day of the year, except
Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. Admission is $9.00 for
adults, $8.00 for students, $6.50 for children 6 or older and
senior citizens. Children 5 and under are free.
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