2004 Kansas City Wizards season

The 2004 Kansas City Wizards season was the ninth for the club in Major League Soccer. Kansas City completed what was their best-performing season at the time: the Wizards finished first in the Western Conference and second overall with 49 points. The club scored 38 goals and conceded 30 goals, the latter being the fewest in the 10-team season. The Wizards would eliminate defending MLS Cup champion San Jose Earthquakes over two legs in the conference semifinals, then defeat the 2002 MLS Cup winner LA Galaxy in the one-legged Western Conference final to advance to MLS Cup 2004.

In MLS Cup, Kansas City faced D.C. United, the second-place team in the East who had navigated significant mainstream media attention throughout the season due to the signing of teenage sensation Freddy Adu. The Wizards opened scoring in MLS Cup through José Burciaga Jr. in minute 6, but were done in by three successive D.C. goals (including an Alex Zotincă own goal) as United took home the Cup in a 3–2 result.

Despite this ending to the season, the Wizards did attain silverware in the 2004 calendar year. In September, the club won their first U.S. Open Cup. Kansas City beat rivals Chicago Fire 1–0 in the final, which served as a bulwark somewhat from the tough MLS Cup loss. Their seasonal performance also qualified them for the ensuing CONCACAF Champions' Cup.

Squad

Competitions

Major League Soccer

DateOpponentVenueResultScorersAttendanceApril 3, 2004Chicago Fire S.C.H0–0April 17, 2004Columbus CrewH1–0ArnaudApril 24, 2004Dallas BurnA0–1May 1, 2004Colorado RapidsH2–0Klein WolffMay 8, 2004Chicago Fire S.C.H2–2Klein ArnaudMay 15, 2004D.C. UnitedA0–1May 22, 2004Dallas BurnH2–0Jewsbury WolffMay 30, 2004MetroStarsA0–1June 2, 2004New England RevolutionH2–3Wolff ArnaudJune 5, 2004Los Angeles GalaxyA2–1Gomez GutierrezJune 9, 2004Colorado RapidsA1–0WolffJune 12, 2004Columbus CrewA2–2Conrad ThomasJune 19, 2004New England RevolutionA3–1Arnaud Thomas 2June 26, 2004San Jose EarthquakesA1–1Burciaga Jr.July 3, 2004Dallas BurnH5–1Arnaud 3 Klein WolffJuly 10, 2004D.C. UnitedH1–0ThomasJuly 17, 2004Dallas BurnA1–0GutierrezJuly 24, 2004Los Angeles GalaxyH2–2Arnaud JewsburyJuly 28, 2004MetroStarsH1–2KleinAugust 14, 2004San Jose EarthquakesH0–2August 18, 2004Columbus CrewA1–2GrahamAugust 21, 2004New England RevolutionA2–1Wolff ArnaudSeptember 1, 2004Chicago Fire S.C.A1–3WolffSeptember 4, 2004MetroStarsH1–0WolffSeptember 10, 2004Colorado RapidsA1–3WolffSeptember 18, 2004San Jose EarthquakesH1–0GutierrezSeptember 25, 2004Colorado RapidsH1–0SimutenkovOctober 2, 2004Los Angeles GalaxyA1–1Own goalOctober 9, 2004San Jose EarthquakesA0–0October 16, 2004Los Angeles GalaxyH1–0Josh Wolff

U.S. Open Cup DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF – AScorersAttendanceJuly 20, 2004Fourth roundAtlanta SilverbacksA4–1Arnaud 2 Gomez GutierrezAugust 4, 2004QuarterfinalsDallas BurnH4–0Klein Arnaud Detter ZotincaAugust 24, 2004SemifinalsSan Jose EarthquakesH1–0SimutenkovSeptember 22, 2004FinalsChicago Fire S.C.H1–0 (ASDET)Simutenkov

MLS Cup Playoffs DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF – AScorersAttendanceOctober 24, 2004Conference SemifinalsSan Jose EarthquakesA0–2 October 30, 2004Conference SemifinalsSan Jose EarthquakesH3–0Stephenson Own goal JewsburyNovember 5, 2004Conference FinalsLos Angeles GalaxyH2–0Arnaud 2November 14, 2004MLS Cup 2004D.C. UnitedN2–3Burciaga Jr. Wolff

Squad statistics No.Pos.NameMLSUSOCPlayoffsTotalMinutesDisciplineAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsLeagueTotal22FW Davy Arnaud30943423814262633460012DF Jimmy Conrad291404037126103335007MF Diego Gutierrez283414036425203245003DF Nick Garcia2604040340229530200015FW Josh Wolff261030413311225228440023MF Alex Zotinca250414033117792365005MF Kerry Zavagnin240404032021602881006DF Jose Burciaga Jr.2414041322187626010014MF Jack Jewsbury222304129314061860004DF Shavar Thomas2511000261188019700010MF Francisco Gomez231310026210971262001GK Tony Meola2103000240189021460026DF Taylor Graham17130202217509440017MF Chris Klein1952100216169418740019FW Matt Taylor1731010193524562008MF Diego Walsh15000301806887110025GK Bo Oshoniyi90204015081012790020FW Igor Simutenkov9122301434566690024MF Khari Stephenson30304191442700027FW Justin Detter603100911622750011FW Preki2010003090125002DF Vuk Rasovic10000010454500 Final Statistics

References