Notables and Quotes

So a win would have put us into the final playoff spot, but we'll take the point against a strong Chicago team. We're currently one point behind Colorado and Real Salt Lake for the final playoff spot and two points behind New York for 4th in the East. Playoffs are certainly within reach with some strong results over the final three games, but obviously nothing is assured or easy. Check out the notables and quotes from yesterday afternoon's game. Reserve recap posted here in a bit for those who didn't stick around.

Notables:

· Following the match, Kansas City sits 8-10-9, 33 pts in a tie for 5th place in the Eastern Conference with D.C. United.
· Kansas City is one point out of the final playoff place behind the Colorado Rapids and FC Dallas. The Wizards are also just two points behind the New York Red Bulls for 4th place in the East.
· Kansas City is now 9-19-6 all-time against Chicago, including a 7-6-5 record at home.
· Two of Kansas City’s three remaining matches will be played in Kansas City, where they hold a 7-2-4 record this season.
· Defender Michael Harrington scored his second goal of the season and the fifth of his two-year career.
· Striker Josh Wolff and midfielder Herculez Gomez recorded assists on the play.
· Wolff has three assists on the year and Gomez has three, two since joining Kansas City.
· Wolff has 23 career assists in a Wizards uniform, good for 6th all-time in franchise history.
· It was Gomez’s 10th career assist.
· Goalkeeper Kevin Hartman and defender Jimmy Conrad are the only Wizards to play all 2430 minutes so far this season.
· They are two of eight players in MLS to play every minute for their team thus far in 2008.
· Hartman made three saves and now has 1123 for his MLS career.
· He trails only former Wizards standout Tony Meola (1136) for the all-time MLS lead.
· Hartman has 110 saves on the year, tied for 1st in MLS with Jon Busch of Chicago.
· Wizards midfielder Jack Jewsbury returned to the lineup after sitting out due to yellow-card accumulation last weekend.
· Two former Wizards started along the back line for Chicago (Diego Gutierrez and Brandon Prideaux).
· After the match, Gutierrez took part in an autograph signing that benefits Nothing But Nets, a charity to help end the spread of malaria world-wide.
· Wizards players Jimmy Conrad, Kevin Hartman and Josh Wolff joined Gutierrez and Brian McBride from Chicago.
· Following the match, Kansas City and Chicago’s reserves faced off in an MLS Reserve Division match-up on the field at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.
· Kansas City entered the meeting 6-1-2 in 2nd place in the MLS Reserve Division standings behind the Houston Dynamo.

Quotes:

KANSAS CITY WIZARDS HEAD COACH CURT ONALFO
On the game
“In games like this, which was a playoff-caliber game, it comes down to a play or two. We made two poor plays that led to Chicago’s goal. I told the guys at halftime that we just needed one play to get back into it. To Mikey’s (Harrington) credit, he stepped up and put a beautiful ball in the back of the net and we end up getting a point in front of a great sellout crowd. Now we just need to look forward to next week’s game against a very good New England team.”

On the Wizards helping their playoff push by earning a tie
“We got out of here with a point. We wanted three points, but we still gained a point on the competition instead of three, and that’s the reality of the situation.”

KANSAS CITY WIZARDS DEFENDER MICHAEL HARRINGTON
On the handball penalty that led to Chicago’s goal
“It was just a tough break. I was having a very good game up to that point. I knew I could either let that get me down and affect my performance or I could realize that things like that happen and keep playing.”

On scoring the equalizing goal
“It was a great feeling. I just found myself in the right spot. It’s not like I was thinking ‘I’ve got to score a goal now since I gave up the handball.’ I was just trying to have a solid second half and it turned out that I got a good look at goal.”

KANSAS CITY WIZARDS FORWARD JOSH WOLFF
On the Wizards playoff position
“We’re still right there. If we would have won today, it would have put us into the final playoff spot. There’s three games left, and we just need to find a way to win some games.”

KANSAS CITY WIZARDS MIDFIELDER KEVIN SOUTER
On his first MLS start
“It’s good to get a start for sure. We wanted three points, and we only got one point, but we can take that. We put out a lot of effort in the second half. In the final third we just couldn’t put it in the back of the net. But we’ll definitely take the point today.”