The Fire opened its Major League Soccer schedule Saturday with none of the offensive fireworks that marked its comeback in the CONCACAF Champions Cup less than two weeks ago.
Instead, the Fire played to a scoreless tie against the Kansas City Wizards.
The Fire came into the game with 13 victories in 17 games against Kansas City, the highest percentage they have against any Major League Soccer team.
However, the Fire came away with only one point in the first draw between the two teams in their 18 MLS games.
The Fire also lost defender C.J. Brown for Saturday’s game at San Jose. Brown received a red card after scuffle with Kansas City’s Chris Klein on the touch line near the Kansas City bench. Klein also received a red card.
Kansas City had most of the dangerous scoring chances in the game, despite missing its two most creative offensive players–Preki and Igor Simutenkov. The Wizards’ top two goal scorers from last season suffered injuries in February that will keep them out of action for several more weeks.
The Fire attacked effectively only in the final minutes of the game. In the 79th minute, Damani Ralph cut the ball back to the right, losing Wizards defender Alex Zotinca and with Wizards goalkeeper Tony Meola seemingly at his mercy. Ralph shot the ball over the crossbar.
The Wizards had many more chances to score, and they were as good as Ralph’s from the game’s opening minutes.
The Fire had only one shot on goal in the game. Nate Jaqua’s header in the 14th minute was easily saved by Wizards goalie Tony Meola.
Fire coach Dave Sarachan left forward Ante Razov on the bench to begin the game but inserted him in the 66th minute for Justin Mapp.
Razov has nine goals, including three game-winners, in 12 games against the Wizards. He was listed as questionable for the game with a right groin strain. Razov managed no shots, though, and was offside twice.
Meanwhile, former Fire forward Josh Wolff was causing some problems for former teammates.
He blasted a shot over the crossbar in the seventh minute. Wolff then forced Fire goalie Henry Ring to make a diving save on a 30-yard left-footed shot in the 38th minute.
Wolff commanded the attention of the Fire defense, which fouled him three times within a couple of yards of the penalty area. The Wizards, though, made no dangerous chances with the resulting free kicks.
The Wizards continued to put the Fire on their heels in the second half. Kansas City squandered one of its best scoring chances in the 77th minute when Wolff played a ball that almost went over the end line to middle of the penalty area. But Francisco Gomez put a right-footed shot from near the penalty spot over the crossbar.
