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Posted: Saturday November 08, 2003 10:52 PM
KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- The Kansas City Wizards became the first team to advance to the conference finals, getting goals from Igor Simutenkov and Chris Klein in a 2-0 blanking of the Colorado Rapids.
Kansas City won the total goals series, 3-1, and awaits the winner of the series between the San Jose Earthquakes and Los Angeles Galaxy in the Western Conference final.
Simutenkov opened the scoring in the second minute of first-half stoppage time. Preki and Klein started the play on the near side of the penalty area as Preki sent a short pass to Klein in tight space.
Klein switched the point of attack with a hard cross, picking out an open Simutenkov on the flank. Simutenkov used a bicycle kick to send the ball past the fingers of diving goalkeeper Joe Cannon.
Klein doubled the lead in the 63rd minute, ripping a hard shot along the turf and past a diving Cannon.
The Rapids had an apparent goal waved off in the 49th minute as Wes Hart was whistled for a foul on Diego Gutierrez at the near goalpost. Gutierrez was attempting to defuse a potentially explosive situation as the Wizards were outnumbered in their own penalty area.
Forward John Spencer pounced on a loose ball, hammering a shot into the open net, but the tally was immediately nullified.
In the 72nd minute, Rapids forward Chris Carrieri forced a spectacular save from Tony Meola. Coming off the bench to bolster the attack, Carrieri snapped a header on net, but the veteran 'keeper dived and parried it away.
Should Los Angeles win its series, the Wizards would host the conference final on Friday. If the Sharks win, Kansas City will travel to San Jose for a game on Saturday.
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