Wizards Hold on for Win

After failing to defeat Chicago in seven previous tries, the Kansas City offense made sure the eighth time would be successful.

Preki had a goal and two early assists as the Wizards jumped out to a three-goal lead and held on to defeat the Fire, 4-3, Saturday before 7,540 at Kansas City, Mo.

Preki scored on a free kick to give Kansas City a 4-1 lead with 27 minutes left.

It proved to be the game-winner as Chicago’s Diego Gutierrez and Dema Kovalenko scored late goals. Gutierrez scored in the 68th minute and Kovalenko scored in the final minute of the game.

The game was scoreless for the first 13 minutes. Then Kansas City rookie Miklos Molnar stole the ball from Fire goalkeeper Greg Sutton and put it in the net to put the Wizards (1-0) ahead in the 14th minute. Preki fed Chris Klein to make it 2-0 in the 28th minute.

Chris Henderson’s diving header off another Preki assist put Kansas City up 3-0 in the 42nd, but Chicago (0-2) cut the deficit with Ante Razov’s header in the final minute of the first half.

Colorado 1, Dallas 0--Marcelo Balboa’s header with 10 minutes left gave the Rapids a victory over the Burn before 13,119 at Dallas.

Balboa scored off Anders Limpar’s corner kick, putting it in the upper left corner from 14 yards out. It was Balboa’s 16th career goal and third game-winner.

Colorado (1-1) got the shutout despite losing rookie goalkeeper Adin Brown four minutes into the second half after he collided with Burn midfielder Ted Eck. Backup David Kramer made one save.

Dallas (1-1) had only three shots on goal, all by Jason Kreis in the second half.

Columbus 2, San Jose 1--Robert Warzycha scored on a direct kick in injury time following overtime as the Crew defeated the Earthquakes before 16,095 at Columbus, Ohio, for its first victory.

With the clock stopped at 10:00, Warzycha got fouled from behind by Esmundo Rodriguez about 30 yards from the goal. Warzycha lifted the direct kick over a wall of five defenders, beating San Jose goaltender Joe Cannon to his right.

It was the first time the Crew (1-1) had a game decided in Major League Soccer’s new sudden-death overtime format. A minute of extra time was added following the second five-minute overtime period. It was San Jose’s season opener.

Tampa Bay 1, New England 0--Raul Diaz Arce scored his third goal of the season in the 53rd minute as the Mutiny defeated the Revolution before 14,811 at Tampa, Fla.

Diaz Arce lofted a header over goalkeeper Jeff Causey off a pass from Steve Ralston, who has two goals and two assists this season as the Mutiny improved to 2-0 for the first time since 1997.

New England is 0-1-1.