The 2010 Kansas City Wizards season was the club's 15th season since its establishment in 1995. The club participated in the MLS for the 15th time, and in the U.S. Open Cup for the 14th time. Local television broadcast rights were held by KCWE in the first year of a four-year deal. Every home and away match for the league season was available on local over-the-air high definition. On January 20, the club broke ground on their future stadium.
Review
Preseason
The club decided to travel to Arizona for preseason training after opening camp in cold Kansas City. As promised by the front office in the off-season, the club brought in a large number of trialist and draft picks to fight for the limited squad positions. Much of the preseason banter surrounded the departure of the Latin striker Claudio Lopez and the contract status of goalkeeper Kevin Hartman. Hartman's situation was used as an example against the collective bargaining agreement between the league and the players' union however Hartman was replaced by Danish goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen. In addition to all the player movement, the Wizards found themselves winners in a weighted allocation lottery for the services of US Youth player 16-year-old Luis Gil. Despite "winning" the lottery, speculation was that the league had agreed the youngster would be placed somewhere on the west coast and he was quickly traded to Real Salt Lake for a second round draft pick, future transfer consideration, and a Senior International roster spot.
March (1–0–0) 3 points
Ryan Smith made his introduction to the club and the league in the Wizards opener, an emphatic 4-nil win over D.C. United. Kei Kamara opened his account slamming home a rebound from a Smith shot on Troy Perkins' goal. Davy Arnaud doubled the lead in the first half with Smith, earning the assist. Despite being an official "sell-out", the weather kept a large number of fans from seeing new goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen make his debut. Nielsen was tested only the one time by the all-time league-leading goal scorer, Jaime Moreno, but the Danish keeper nicknamed "White Puma" responded properly and kept his sheet clean. The second half opened similarly to the first half as Smith got his first goal of the season, passing another rebound into an open net, this time in front of The Cauldron. 15 minutes later, Smith's corner intended for Kamara found instead the hand of a defender and referee Kevin Stott pointed to the spot; Jack Jewsbury (late entry to starting eleven) made the best of the situation and gave the home squad a 4-goal lead.
Off the field
Hours before the season opener, the Wizards organization invited a group of season ticket holders to tour the construction site of the new stadium. Tactically, the club hid the formation they planned to play often, letting people believe they were playing a 4–4–2 when in fact Peter Vermes had installed a new hybrid 4–5–1 and 4–3–3 formation. Birahim Diop and Chance Myers were both intended to be in the starting eleven to open the season; however, both became injured and were replaced with Jack Jewsbury and Kei Kamara, who would both make the most of their chances and earn the starting positions. In addition to all the roster changes, Indian footballer Sunil Chhetri was added to the club very late in March despite not having an open roster spot available. The Chhetri signing brought so much attention to the club from India that the Wizards held a video press conference for the reporters in India.
April (1–1–1) 4 points With no league match scheduled for the second week the Wizards visited their new cross state rival AC St. Louis. The friendly was part of a doubleheader planned to pit the Swope Park Rangers versus University of Evansville and Wizards v Saint Louis. In the opener the newest striker Sunil Chhetri struck for a hat trick against the amateur Evansville Purple Aces leading to a 5–0 victory. The Wizards fielded a weaken side for the second match but still came out ahead 2–1 thanks to a late Santiago Hirsig winner, more importantly though was the loss of backup center forward Zoltán whose ACL was torn and is expected to miss five-to-eight months. The striker was placed on the injured reserve list allowing Chhetri to join the roster without having to move another player.
Colorado became the second visitors to CommunityAmerica Ballpark in 2010 as well staying to open the 2010 U.S. Open Cup later in the week at Stanley H. Durwood Soccer Stadium on the downtown campus of UMKC. The league match-up was hindered by harsh fouls and questionable officiating yet Kei Kamara scored the lone goal and winner off the boot of Ryan Smith from a long distance free kick. Colorado defender Julien Baudet was sent off in the 72nd minute and despite having one of the deadliest strike duos in the league the Rapids didn't trouble Jimmy Nielsen. The Open Cup match started with Teal Bunbury scoring his first professional goal but it would prove to not be enough as Rapids midfielder Wells Thompson would net a Brace ending the Open Cup run before it had even started.
Traveling to Seattle has proven tough for most clubs in the league, but Kansas City handed the Sounders their first ever home loss in 2009 and appeared ready to duplicate that result. In their first away match of the season the Wizards invited pressure early and it nearly cost them as the Sounders had a handful of half chances in the opening minutes. Young Colombian standout Freddy Montero was denied on the doorstep by the strong right hand of Jimmy Nielsen which marked the end of the Seattle pressure and ushered in Kansas City's possession for the remainder of the first half. Frustrated and maligned James Riley first and Steve Zakuani later picked up careless yellow cards and Swedish International Freddie Ljungberg was held without incident for much of the match. Jimmy Conrad was forced out of the match with injury which left the KC backline lacking age and experience; Harrington (24), Besler (23), Escobar (23), and Espinoza (23). Enjoying much of the ball the Wizards could only muster two shots on goal out of nine, despite having 19 in their first two matches. Ryan Smith and the Wizards created nine corners and nine shots to Seattle's two corners and five shots however the Sounders second shot on goal came in the 92nd minute and found the netting despite an apparent illegal throw-in . Making only his second professional appearance Michael Fucito came on in the 85th minute and got on the end of a throw in from fellow substitute Brad Evans winning the game 1–0. Chance Myers had an immediate counterattack but failed to beat goalkeeper Kasey Keller one-on-one.
Landon Donovan and The Galaxy brought in their perfect 12 points and Edson Buddle's league leading seven goals to face the stingy defense of the Wizards. To the dismay of neutrals and supporters alike the weather affected the match as the Kansas City area saw hours and hours rain previous and during the match. Both clubs had trouble holding the ball and at times it looked more like a tennis match but Kansas City did have the better of chances despite the match ending in a scoreless draw. Jimmy Nielsen and Donovan Ricketts would take home most of the accolades and Kei Kamara the scapegoating, Kamara botched a sitter in the first half.
Off the Field
April's Fools! at Michael Harrington's expense. The premise of the stunt was that Maxim was doing an animal themed photo-shoot for a future article, this prank resulted in national coverage as it appeared on numerous outlets including SportsCenter. Before the second home game against Colorado another ceremony was planned for the fans, this time allowing them to sign the first beam of steel in the new stadium.
Cauldron Man of the Month Jimmy Nielsen
May (0–4–1) 1 point Following the encouraging result against LA, the club appeared poised to pick up some points on a quick two city road trip to Houston and the nation's capital, where pointless D.C. United awaited, while both road match ups and the subsequent home match on May 15 would all be on national television where the side has struggled in recent seasons. Wizards starting centerback Jimmy Conrad couldn't pass a pregame fitness test and the young backline who held the league leading Galaxy offense scoreless seemed ready to handle a club missing their starting forward Brian Ching. The young Wizards lost the plot quickly and the Dyanmo jumped them as Matt Besler picked up a quick yellow and the disappointing young Mexican strike Luis Ángel Landín gave the home side an early lead, the goal was only his second since joining the club as a Designated Player and both have come against KC at Robertson Stadium. Wizards captain Davy Arnaud was sent off for only the second time in his eight years after making contact with the goalkeeper and the club never recovered in the heat and humidity as the Texan side cruised to a 3 – nil victory.
After being skunked in the league opener the Black-and-Red had been shutout in four of five matches and had managed zero points while scoring only two goals and conceding a total of 13. Even without the services of captain Arnaud and veteran Conrad the club looked favorites in the ESPN2 MLS Game of the Week. In an attempt to shake things up and to aid in the wary legs from playing a man down just days earlier Peter Vermes gave Santiago Hirsig and Chance Myers each their first starts of the season, neither of which made the desired impact and were both subbed by the 51st minute. Australian international Danny Allsopp provided a first half brace while 19-year-old Bill Hamid made his professional debut earning him a league record as the youngest goalkeeper to ever register a win at just 19 years 161 days, besting Tim Howard's record by four days. Hamid was stunning in his appearance making five saves, the biggest denying Jack Jewsbury directly before halftime. The Wizards created more chances but their finishing aim let them down again as they recorded 14 shots and only a single tally that came very late when substitute and team goal leader Kei Kamara spoiled the clean sheet in the 92nd minute.
Another struggling Eastern Conference foe would find a point off of the Wizards when the Chicago Fire came calling on another rainy Kansas City Saturday night. The club followed their 2010 script perfectly as they outshot the Fire 18–8 (10–6 on net) while holding a commanding double digit corner kick advantage 11–1 but as in many of the earlier games the Wizards simply could not get the ball around Chicago goal keeper Andrew Dykstra who ended the match with eight saves. Julio Martínez put the visitors ahead in the 14th minute and former US International Brian McBride doubled the lead straight out of halftime. Davy Arnaud would have a goal called back and several KC shots hit woodwork before Kei Kamara pulled one back only two minutes after the lead was doubled. Much of the second half would be played in the Wizards final third but the equalizer wouldn't come until Kamara tapped in a deflected shot from Teal Bunbury in the 89th minute, despite increased pressure the homeside would not find a magical stoppage time winner and was forced to live with splitting the points.