“Danish Dynamite” sounds more like a creation from an ambitious baker than the latest hope for the Kansas City Wizards to turn around their dismal fortunes.
Miklos Molnar, the aforementioned Mr. “Dynamite,” will try to continue the preseason scoring pace he began in the preseason as the Wizards open their season Saturday night against the Fire at Arrowhead Stadium. Molnar had seven goals in seven preseason games.
“We feel he can score some goals for us, for sure,” Wizards coach Bob Gansler said of the Copenhagen native. “He’s a pretty direct customer. When he gets an opportunity [to score], he relishes it.”
Molnar will pair with Canadian star Alex Bunbury in the Wizards’ attack. Molnar’s acquisition was one of many off-season moves Kansas City made.
The Wizards also added St. Louis native Matt McKeon as a defensive midfielder and will turn the playmaking duties over to the fiery Mo Johnston. Preki, a most valuable player two years ago, will likely be used as an offensive spark off the bench.
The Wizards have added some youth to the lineup with defender Nick Garcia, an Indiana University product who has secured a starting spot in the defense.
The Fire enters the match with a revamped midfield. Captain Peter Nowak is suspended after receiving a red-card ejection last weekend in Dallas and Chris Armas will miss the match for personal reasons.
Fire coach Bob Bradley will move Jesse Marsch from his spot on the right flank into Armas’ role and insert veteran Sam George on the right side.
Bradley said he’s not sure whether Hristo Stoitchkov, who had a smashing debut with two goals last weekend, will play in Nowak’s spot.
Bradley also said rookie DaMarcus Beasley will be used as a reserve, with Josh Wolff likely pairing with Ante Razov at forward. Saturday’s match will be Beasley’s last with the team until he finishes school in May.
