Victor Kamara, a 19-year old former Red Bull Academy player has been making waves in Europe and is close to signing with Malta's Sliema Wanderers, ASN has learned. Kamara has been on trial with the Maltese Premier League club after a four-month stint with Belgian fourth division Royal Racing Club of Montegnee, a source with knowledge of the situation told ASN. Read the full story at ASN's New York Red Bulls page.

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For more information on your hosts Zach and Jason visit AmericanSoccerShow.com, home of the popular American Soccer Show weekly podcast. Be sure to listen in every Monday!

Subscribe to ASN's Audio Soccer News Daily for free! (Just this audio feed, no other ASN items!)

For more information on your hosts Zach and Jason visit AmericanSoccerShow.com, home of the popular American Soccer Show weekly podcast. Be sure to listen in every Monday!

“A lot of things went wrong in one evening.”–DC United head coach Curt Onalfo‘s reaction to his team’s 4-0 opening night loss at the Kansas City Wizards.

DC United got some more bad news Monday, when it was revealed that defensive midfielder Clyde Simms, who had been moonlighting at right back in Bryan Namoff’s absence, would miss 4-6 weeks with a hamstring strain. Simms underwent knee surgery in the offseason.

ASN Philly has taken the liberty of assembling a Best XI for Week One of the 2010 Major League Soccer season. The selections without player ratings were taken from match recaps and an astute viewing of all of the highlights. Still, fans are sure to take offense with some of the inclusions--and omissions. After all, it wouldn't be a "best 11" otherwise. Check it out!

Kansas City Routs DC United 4-0

Kansas City fans at CommunityAmerica Ballpark witnessed a very familiar sight: a Curt Onalfo coached team being outclassed for 90 minutes. Fortunately for those cold and rain-soaked fans, Onalfo was managing the visiting team.

The Wizards welcomed their former head coach back to Kansas City with a thoroughly devasting 4-0 victory over DC United. Peter Vermes’ team was quicker, stronger, and more organized than the visitors. Vermes’ side seemed passionate; Onalfo’s seemed lethargic. Vermes’ new additions to his club were excellent; Onalfo’s were ineffective.

“We had to come out with all the ideas of how we wanted to play and stay disciplined to that, and the guys did an excellent job of executing,” said Vermes after the game while Onalfo was simply left to lament the fact that, “a lot of things went wrong in one evening.”

However in the second minute of the game, United appeared to be the team that would take command of the game. Matt Besler’s giveaway led to a chance for Jaime Moreno, but newly acquired Danish goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen kept the game scoreless with a fine save. Minutes later, DC goalie Troy Perkins made two tremendous saves of his own, first stopping Ryan Smith on a break and then parried Jack Jewsbury’s shot after a giveaway by former Wizard Kurt Morsink.

The breakthrough for the home side came in the 9th minute when Jewsbury found Smith open in the penalty area. Perkins once again denied Smith, but this time, Perkins could not control the rebound. The ball fell in the six yard box, and Kei Kamara, starting in place of the injured Chance Myers, had an easy tap in for the 1-0 lead.

United looked to respond in the 14th minute when Andy Najar’s half-volley from 25 yards cannoned off the crossbar, and Chris Pontius headed the ball home. However, the goal was disallowed as Pontius was offside.

The home side took firm control of the game in the 35th minute when the excellent Stephane Auvray sent a long ball to fellow debutant Smith. Smith expertly controlled the ball in front of three United defenders, and played a square pass to the open Davy Arnaud. The newly named Wizards captain placed a left-footed shot inside the far post to double the Kansas City lead.

Halftime brought no relief for the hapless visitors as the Wizards pressed their advantage. In the 53rd minute, Kamara’s low cross was cut out by Perkins, and Smith capped his sensational evening with a goal has he pounced on the loose ball on the edge of the six yard box. Smith also played a part in the fourth and final goal for Kansas City when his corner kick was handled by Dejan Jakovic in the 69th minute, and Jewsbury completed the rout from the penalty spot.

“(Kansas City) were better tonight, there’s no question about it,” said Moreno after the game. “They were hungrier, and controlled much of the game.”

While Vermes received a total team effort, he was surely ecstatic about the play of both Auvray and Smith, two of his biggest offseason acquisitions. Auvray was seemingly omnipresent in midfield as he excelled in both winning possession as well as starting Kansas City attacks. Smith provided the combination of speed and technique on the flank that has never been seen in Kansas City.

Smith’s night was cut short, however, by a cynical tackle from Julius James in the 81st minute. Luckily for Kansas City, there did not appear to be a serious injury, and the Wizards also have the good fortune of getting a break from league play next week as they play second division AC St. Louis in a friendly.

For at least one night, the Wizards showed that the 2009 season was behind them. While the fans enjoyed the offensive explosion, Vermes also reveled in his team’s ability to shut down the opposition.

“We got four goals, which is great,” said Vermes. “But one of the biggest positive is that we also got a shutout. That is one of the most important things moving forward.”

Scoring:

KC – Kei Kamara 1 (Unassisted), 9th minute
KC – Davy Arnaud 1 (Smith, Auvray), 35th minute
KC – Ryan Smith 1 (Unassisted), 54th minute
KC – Jack Jewsbury 1 (PK), 70th minute

Misconduct:

DC – Dejan Jakovic (caution, reckless tackle), 26th minute
DC – Kurt Morsink (caution, reckless tackle), 28th minute
DC – Santino Quaranta (caution, unsporting behavior), 47th minute
DC – Julius James (caution, reckless tackle), 61st minute
DC – Jaime Moreno (caution, reckless tackle), 67th minute
KC – Kei Kamara (caution, reckless tackle), 83rd minute

Lineups:

Kansas City Wizards: Nielsen, Harrington, Conrad, Besler, Arnaud, Jewsbury, Auvray, Smith (Aiyegbusi), Espinoza (Leathers), Wolff (Bunbury), Kamara

D.C. United: Perkins, Talley, Jakovic, Wallace, Najar (Allsopp), Morsink, Quaranta, Simms (James), Castillo (Khumalo), Pontius, Moreno

Attendance: 10,385

Subscribe to ASN's Audio Soccer News Daily for free! (Just this audio feed, no other ASN items!)

For more information on your hosts Zach and Jason visit AmericanSoccerShow.com, home of the popular American Soccer Show weekly podcast. Be sure to listen in every Monday!

Shannon Boxx notched a goal and an assist for the U.S. Women's National Team, which easily defeated its south-of-the-border rival 3-0. Sunday's international friendly at San Diego's Torero Stadium also say the return of Kristine Lilly to the U.S. squad. The most-capped player in soccer history came on for Sky Blue FC's Yael Averbuch 32 minutes in.

Read the match report.

ASN's Nigel Brooks was at Robertson Stadium Saturday evening for the Houston Dynamo's 1-1 draw with FC Dallas in the first game of the 2010 Major League Soccer season for both teams. Here are just a few of his favorites. All photos ©ASN/Nigel Brooks

ASN photographer Scott Marsh was at the New York Red Bulls 1-0 triumph over the Chicago Fire on March 27. Here are just a few of our favorites (okay, a few dozen), complete with snarky commentary (by ASN). Even more of these photos are on our Facebook page. For more coverage of the Fire match check our story, with player ratings. All photos ©Scott Marsh / ASN