Midfielder Clint Dempsey, defender DeAndre Yedlin and forward Obafemi Martins were selected to the MLS All-Star Fan XI Wednesday. The Sounders not only lead the MLS standings, they have the most players on the Fan XI. The MLS All-Stars play Bayern Munich at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 6 at Providence Park in Portland. The game will be televised on ESPN2, UniMas, TSN and RDS.
This is the third All-Star appearance for Dempsey, 31, and first with Seattle. He played in 2005 and 2006 with the New England Revolution. In addition to captaining the U.S. National Team and scoring twice at the World Cup, Dempsey has nine goals (fifth in MLS) and three assists in 10 appearances this season, leading the league with 0.90 goals per game.
Yedlin, 21, is back for the second year in a row after being selected by MLS Commissioner Don Garber as a rookie in 2013. The Seattle native has 12 appearances this season and became the first MLS Homegrown Player to represent the U.S. at the World Cup, where he made three appearances and logged 112 minutes.
Martins, 29, earned his first All-Star selection after joining Sounders FC 16 months ago. The Nigerian striker matched his 2013 total of eight goals this season (sixth in MLS) to go with six assists (tied-seventh). He is one of three players in MLS with at least six goals and six assists each in 2014.
Martins earned his place on the Fan XI through the All-Star “More Than a Vote” Challenge. Fans scored more than one million goals with Martins in the FIFA 14 game, with one goal equaling one vote. Others who finished in the top five were former Sounder Eddie Johnson (D.C. United), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls) and Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy).
Sounders FC has earned multiple All-Star selections in each of its six years. Yedlin is the fifth Seattle player to be selected to multiple All-Star games, joining Kasey Keller (2009-11), Freddie Ljungberg (2009-10), Fredy Montero (2009-10), and Osvaldo Alonso (2011-13).
In what could shape up to be a stateside World Cup showcase, MLS All-Star opponents Bayern Munich field seven players that took part in Germany’s World Cup-winning team. Fourteen Bayern players represented their countries in Brazil, more than any club in the world.
The Fan XI received the most votes at their respective positions from combined fan voting on two platforms, online at MLSsoccer.com and via Twitter. The ballot consisted of eight players from each club, as chosen by the media.
A 3-4-3 formation was selected for this year’s Fan XI. Bios for the 11 All-Stars named today are at the bottom of this release.
2013 MLS All-Star Fan XI
Goalkeeper: Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
Defenders: Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)
Midfielders: Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
Forwards: Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls), Obafemi Martins (Seattle Sounders FC)
1 Comment
Pretty awesome lineup there. Even more awesome that three Sounders are a part of it. Before the year is over this is going to be a great year in sports for Seattle.