ESPN

CARSON -- The Galaxy are living and dying from the penalty spot these days, and after the turn of events early in the second half Saturday night, it didn't look as if there was a whole lot of life in them.

Ah, appearances can be deceiving.

Pat Noonan netted a huge first goal with L.A., finishing a stoppage-time scramble in FC Dallas' box to deliver a 1-1 draw in an often invigorating clash that was otherwise defined by Bill Gaudette's fine play in the nets and a pair of penalty kicks that looked certain to doom the Galaxy to another home defeat.

They instead pulled out a point with an ending that, if not enough to nail down a third successive victory, could be as galvanizing as Josh Saunders' penalty-kick stop to beat Colorado a week ago.

“We getting a goal in extra time, can't be complaining about the point,” said head coach Bruce Arena, who might have had reason to complain anyway. “It's that simple. We missed a penalty. We had some good chances during the game. There weren't a whole lot of chances in the game for either team, but we had enough to get ourselves two or three goals and didn't. ... The team plays that hard and gets a point at the end like that, I think that's a positive.”

Robbie Keane missed the penalty kick, with a chance to take the lead in the 49th minute, and Brek Shea converted from the spot 12 minutes later to provide Dallas an advantage that lasted almost to the finish. But Arena made smart substitutions -- Adam Cristman, Chad Barrett and Noonan, all of them second-half submissions, combined on the winning goal -- and L.A. (3-3-1) got more than they might have on a night in which they weren't quite crisp enough.

Gaudette, making his first-team debut for L.A., was outstanding in place of Saunders, who bowed out to deal with what the team called “personal matters.” The veteran keeper has a history at HDC -- he made his first MLS appearance here in 2005 for Columbus and two years ago helped the Puerto Rico Islanders to a 4-1 win over the Galaxy in the CONCACAF Champions League preliminary round -- so when he saw his name on the board when he walked into the locker room Saturday afternoon, he was ready.

He made three huge saves -- diving to stop George John's quick deflection of a Daniel Hernandez free kick in the 18th minute, parrying Shea in the 21st and leaping to tip away a looping, off-balance Blas Perez header moments after Keane's miss -- but committed the foul that gave Shea the ball at the spot.

Most of the blame on that play goes to David Junior Lopes, making his third start since arriving in a trade from Chivas nearly three weeks ago. Lopes struggled with the ball at his feet the entire match and made several mistakes, none as debilitating as his poor attempt to chest the ball from a Jair Benitez cross back to Gaudette.

Perez raced past him to take possession, and Gaudette took him down. Shea's shot left Gaudette no chance.

(Read full post)

Dramatic finishes first dangled and then jerked away from the U.S. a trip to the London Olympics on a devastating evening for American soccer.

The Americans' under-23 national team rallied from a second-half deficit against El Salvador in the Group A finale and stood just seconds from the victory required to advance to CONCACAF's Olympic qualifying semifinals when a long-range shot -- and another goalkeeping miscue -- forged a 3-3 draw that ended U.S. hopes.

Jaime Alas' 30-yard blast more than four minutes into stoppage bounced off prematurely diving Sean Johnson and into the net Monday night in Nashville, Tenn., giving El Salvador (1-0-2) the group title and a March 31 semifinal showdown with the No. 2 team from Group B -- Honduras is expected -- for one of the region's two berths at this summer's London Games.

Canada (1-0-2), which on Saturday beat the U.S., 2-0, claimed A's other final-four berth with a 1-1 draw against Cuba and likely will face Mexico for an Olympic berth.

Keeping tabs on the road to London:

• WHAT HAPPENED?

The U.S. (1-1-1), an overwhelming favorite to join Mexico in the 16-team London field, failed to qualify for the second time in three Olympics as a revived attack -- Philadelphia's Freddy Adu, FC Dallas' Brek Shea and German-born Terrence Boyd the instigators -- could not overcome subpar defending nor poor management by coach Caleb Porter.

The day had held so much promise. The Americans, expecting a winner-takes-all semifinal against Mexico should they win, were given a different path to London when Cuba's Maykel Reyes scored in the 91st minute to pull even with Canada. A victory would give the U.S. the top spot in Group A and prevent, almost certainly, the need to beat Mexico for an Olympic berth.

Then Boyd, a Borussia Dortmund forward, scored after 59 seconds. Things could be going no better.

(Read full post)

Joe Corona's hat trick led the United States' under-23 national team sprinted to an easy victory in its opener in the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament, and Canada held on for a draw with El Salvador in the other Group A game.

Keeping tabs on the road to London:

[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Mark HumphreyJoe Corona had a big game to lead the U.S.'s rout of Cuba.
• WHAT HAPPENED?

Corona, who chose to play for the U.S. after attending a camp with Mexico's pre-Olympic team, scored three goals as the Americans grabbed a four-goal lead by halftime en route to a 6-0 rout of Cuba in Nashville.

Corona, who was born in Los Angeles, raised in San Diego and plays for Club Tijuana in Mexico's Primera Division, tallied in the 11th (volley after a chest trap), 40th (one-time finish inside the right post) and 88th (inside the left post after two 1-2s with Mix Diskerud) to send the U.S. atop Group A.

New York Red Bulls forward Juan Agudelo, with a can't-miss header, and Philadelphia Union midfielder Freddy Adu, with a forceful blast, also scored goals, and FC Dallas winger Brek Shea was a force on the left flank, setting up the second and third strikes for the U.S.

(Read full post)

This bout with illness that has sidelined Landon Donovan for more than a week will keep him out of the U.S. national team's friendly Wednesday against Italy.

The Galaxy captain did not travel Sunday to Genoa as planned, the club confirmed, and U.S. Soccer announced that Donovan, along with midfielder Jose Francisco Torres and defender Timmy Chandler, both injured, have withdrawn from the team. Replacing them are midfielders Sacha Kljestan and Brek Shea.

Donovan missed last weekend's final game of his loan stint at Everton with what was reported as the flu, and he hasn't yet trained with the Galaxy after joining them Thursday in Tucson, Ariz. Donovan remained at the team hotel, a club spokesman said, during L.A.'s game Friday against Real Salt Lake in the Desert Diamond Cup preseason tournament.

He is suffering from bronchitis, the Galaxy and U.S. Soccer reported.

This is the third successive national team event from which Donovan has withdrawn after Jurgen Klinsmann included him on the U.S. roster, and he and Clint Dempsey -- the Americans' most important figures -- have not played together since the German legend was hired at the end of July.

Donovan pulled out of the national team's October and November friendlies last year to preserve himself for the Galaxy's title run while he dealt with a quadriceps injury -- the extent of which L.A. kept hidden -- and fatigue. His loan to Everton prevented Klinsmann from including Donovan in the January camp, which is usually meant for top domestic players outside the primary U.S. pool.

Donovan, the U.S.'s all-time leader in goals (46) and assists (47), has made just two appearances under Klinsmann, going the full 90 in friendlies last August against Mexico and last September against Costa Rica.

(Read full post)

SAN DIEGO -- Chivas USA's depth is thinner up top than anywhere else on the field, so Cesar Romero's performance during a quick but fruitful trial with the club has been as rewarding as it has been impressive.

The Goats have a fine supply of target forwards, but Romero, 22, is a finisher who can play off a target forward, a skill that ought to prove useful when a goal is needed late in games or as an option when Juan Pablo Angel is not available.

Romero, whose signing was announced Wednesday, has two goals in the equivalent of three full matches this preseason and could add more in Friday afternoon's scrimmage against Loyola Marymount University at Home Depot Center.

“The thing I like about [Romero] is I think in most every game he's played for us, he's had a goal-scoring opportunity,” Chivas coach Robin Fraser said last week. “He seems to have a good nose for the goal. He has good feet. ... He's showing some ability to be dangerous in this league; I think every team's looking for guys who can be dangerous.”

Romero is excited for the opportunity -- and for the chance to absorb from Angel, the Colombian veteran who is arguably the finest pure striker in MLS annals.

“I'm really happy I was able to get an opportunity here at Chivas,” Romero said following the 5-2 loss Wednesday night against Club Tijuana at the University of San Diego. “[Now it's time] to work hard and try to get that starting job and help the team out as much as I can.”

(Read full post)

Hermosa Beach's Abby Wambach and UCLA All-American Sydney Leroux on Friday claimed the top player honors from U.S. Soccer, just hours before leading the U.S. women's team into its Olympic qualifying opener.

Wambach, who scored four goals at last summer's Women's World Cup and was a finalist for FIFA's Ballon d'Or women's player-of-the-year award, won the Female Athlete of the Year honor for the fifth time and second time in succession. Only Mia Hamm also has won five times.

Leroux, which was draft first overall by the Atlanta Beat in Women's Professional Soccer's draft last week, won the Young Female Athlete of the Year award.

Fulham star Clint Dempsey capured the Male Athlete honor for the second time -- Landon Donovan had won the previous two years -- and FC Dallas winger Brek Shea was the Young Male Athlete winner.

CARSON -- The foundation Jurgen Klinsmann and Caleb Porter are building this month at Home Depot Center will support U.S. Soccer's primary men's teams through what could be a pivotal year for the sport in America.

The start of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup and the London Olympics dominate the calendar, but as important as results might be, more crucial is the steps forward the national team looks to take in Klinsmann's first full year in charge and the role the under-23 national team will play in developing talent for the top side.

The teams tangoed late Friday afternoon on Glenn “Mooch” Myernick Field, right outside HDC's main stadium, with the full nats -- starting the So Cal portion of their annual January camp -- scoring four times in 15 minutes late in the first half for a 4-0 victory over the U-23s.

They'll scrimmage one more time at HDC before Klinsmann's group returns to Phoenix for next weekend's friendly against Venezuela, with University of Akron coach Porter's younger group, which is preparing for the Olympic qualifiers in March, sticking around through Jan. 25.

The national team has the usual January collection of top MLS talent and secondary players from European leagues with winter breaks, with two midfielders from the 2010 World Cup side (New England's Benny Feilhaber and Eintracht Frankfurt's nearly forgotten Ricardo Clark) and two players from the preliminary World Cup squad (Chivas USA defender Heath Pearce and Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando).

They've been working the past 10 days in Phoenix, with a lot of fitness work, and will focus on technical and tactical work before the games Jan. 21 against Venezuela and Jan. 25 at Panama.

“This scrimmage gives us an idea of how they are comfortable on the field,” Klinsmann said afterward. “How they shift. How they take a couple of guidelines that we gave them and implement them. And now we can real the players a bit better. Because you never know when you get a fresh group coming in how their understand is of each other, how they read reach other. We know about their personal capabilities, but not in the context of a team, so that's why we need those games to see that.

“And then we can go ahead and modify training sessions and talks where we kind of want to guide them towards on the tactical side as an entire team together.”

There is some crossover between the national team and the U-23s. Freddy Adu, who has been called into only one full camp under Klinsmann after a stirring performance in the CONCACAF Gold Cup title-game loss last summer, is the most prominent name on the roster, but the most important players are with Klinsmann's bunch.

Juan Agudelo, the 19-year-old New York Red Bulls forward, is the most significant -- Klinsmann calls his abilities “special” -- and Sporting Kansas City forward Teal Bunbury are age-eligible for the Olympic team, and so is FC Dallas winger Brek Shea, who is drawing considerable interest from Europe. D.C. United's Bill Hamid and Chicago's Sean Johnson, both goalkeepers, also can make the U-23 roster.

(Read full post)

CARSON -- Turns out David Beckham was wrong.

It's Dwayne De Rosario, not Brad Davis, who captured Major League Soccer's top award, and the voting wasn't close.

The D.C. United attacker, who won the Golden Boot as MLS's top scorer, was revealed as MVP early Friday morning, about 10 hours before a news conference scheduled to make the announcement.

Davis, whose leadership and distribution was pivotal in the Houston Dynamo's run to Sunday's MLS Cup final against the Galaxy, had widely been expected to win the honor. Beckham -- a contender who finished well below where he should have in the vote of media, players and club officials -- had said in passing nearly two weeks ago that Davis had “got the MVP, and rightly so, the service that he provides for their team.”

De Rosario almost universally was considered MLS's best player this year, lifting D.C. United into the playoff race after starting the year with Toronto FC and spending a short stint with New York. Is he the MVP? D.C. faded at the finish and missed the playoffs -- De Ro is the first MLS MVP from a club that didn't reach the postseason -- while others (Davis and Philadelphia's Sebastien Le Toux, perhaps most of all) pulled their clubs into favorable positions during the stretch drive.

De Ro's quality won out over context, and he won among all three voting blocs, massively among his peers, who gave him 26.38 percent of the vote and nobody else above 9 percent.

De Rosario weighted score was 72.72, and he was followed by Davis (43.66), FC Dallas' Brek Shea (27.59), Galaxy captain Landon Donovan (26.52) and Seattle's Mauro Rosales (19.30).

Shea drew more players' votes than did Davis, who was close to De Rosario (25.91 percent to 21.24 percent) in the media balloting. Donovan finished third in the club vote, tied with Davis for third in the player vote but received only 5.18 percent of media support.

(Read full post)

David Beckham? No surprise. Landon Donovan? Been here before. Omar Gonzalez? The man is MLS's Defender of the Year.

Their inclusion in Major League Soccer's Best XI was more or less expected. That left back Todd Dunivant joined them on the league's postseason all-star team was the real reward for the Galaxy.

Dunivant, 30, has enjoyed his finest season as a pro, but his selection to the Best XI comes as a little bit of a surprise after he finished fifth in the Defender of the Year balloting. He leapt past the third- and fourth-place finishers in that vote -- Real Salt Lake's Nat Borchers and Philadelphia's Carlos Valdes -- to join Gonzalez and RSL's Jamison Olave on the all-league side. He's the only outside back on the XI.

Beckham, a first-time Best XI choice after an MVP-quality season, and Donovan, the Galaxy's leader, were expected to make the side, although Donovan's lack of late-season production could have cost him in a deeper than normal field of candidates.

Gonzalez, who was a Best XI choice last year, also was a slam-dunk pick.

Here's the full XI:

GOALKEEPER
Kasey Keller (Seattle Sounders): The former U.S. national team star wrapped a legendary campaign by leading Seattle to the second-best record in the league.

DEFENDERS
Todd Dunivant (Galaxy): L.A.'s left back is rewarded for a marvelous campaign in which he established himself as MLS's best outside back.

Omar Gonzalez (Galaxy): The MLS Defender of the Year had a mammoth campaign, taking a huge stride forward to make the Best XI in back-to-back years.

Jamison Olave (Real Salt Lake): The big Colombian is MLS's most physically dominant backliner, blending athleticism and guile in an explosive package.

(Read full post)

There's David Beckham's name on the list of award finalists that Major League Soccer just released, only it's not with the players up for the biggest honor.

The Galaxy midfielder, the club's best hope for the MVP award, is a finalist for Comeback Player of the Year. D.C. United's Charlie Davies and Chicago's Dominic Oduro are the other finalists. Davies, who returned from a deadly car crash that ended his 2010 World Cup hopes to restart his career in MLS, is heavily favored.

The three MVP possibilities are Houston's Brad Davis, D.C. United's Dwayne De Rosario and FC Dallas' Brek Shea. Beckham mentioned after L.A.'s Western Conference final victory Sunday night over Real Salt Lake that Davis has won the honor, although no confirmation will be coming from the league, at least not until Nov. 18.

Omar Gonzalez is up for Defender of the Year, along with Real Salt Lake's Jamison Olave and Nat Borchers -- Olave won among the same trio last year -- and Bruce Arena joins Seattle's Sigi Schmid (Torrance/Bishop Montgomery HS and UCLA) and Sporting Kansas City's Peter Vermes among Coach of the Year finalists.

Chivas USA is a finalist for the Team Fair Play honor, UCLA product Kevin Hartman (Palos Verdes/Peninsula HS) is up for Goalkeeper of the Year, and former Cal State Fullerton midfielder Michael Farfan (Wildomar) is a Rookie of the Year finalist. The best-referee trio includes Chino's Kevin Stott.

The top-rookie award, expected to go to K.C. forward C.J. Sapong, will be announced Tuesday, along with the Fair Play awards. Defender of the Year is due Wednesday, with announcements following for the Best XI (Thursday). Other awards will be coming next week.

(Read full post)

If the Galaxy advance Thursday night against New York, then beat Real Salt Lake in Sunday's Western Conference final, Landon Donovan will miss some of the preparations for the Nov. 20 MLS Cup title game.

Nothing out of the ordinary.

Donovan (Redlands/Redlands East Valley HS) would be the only player in the MLS Cup final -- or Real Salt Lake's Kyle Beckerman, should the Utahns advance -- in Jurgen Klinsmann's roster for friendlies Nov. 11 against France in Saint-Denis and Nov. 15 against Slovenia in Ljubljana.

He might not make the trip to Slovenia. If he (or Beckerman) are in Major League Soccer's championship, he (or Beckerman) will be released following the game against France.

Only three other MLS players -- Columbus winger Robbie Rogers (Huntington Beach and Palos Verdes/Mater Dei HS), FC Dallas winger Brek Shea and D.C. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid --- are in the 22-man group, which gathers Monday in Paris.

U.S. captain Carlos Bocanegra (Alta Loma/Alta Loma HS and UCLA) would reach 100 caps with appearances in both games. Other locals on the roster are defender Michael Orozco Fiscal (Orange/Magnolia HS) and midfielders Maurice Edu (Fontana/Etiwanda HS) and Michael Bradley (Manhattan Beach). Former Galaxy striker Edson Buddle also is included.

(Read full post)

Depending on which list you gander at, there appears to be at least 15, perhaps a few more, candidates for Major League Soccer's MVP award. OK, whatever.

It's then most wide-open race in league history, but the length of your list could depend on where you stand on Philadelphia's Sebastien Le Toux (struggled half the season, but has been tearing it up the past six weeks or so) or Seattle's Fredy Montero (scoring consistently, but overshadowed by teammates) or Chicago's Dominic Oduro (a dozen goals, but how many has he missed?) or even the Galaxy's Omar Gonzalez (a beast on the league's best defender, but he's, er, a defender).

Some brief thoughts on the true contenders, listed alphabetically:

Osvaldo Alonso (Seattle): MLS's best defensive midfielder makes Seattle go, but Montero and Mauro Rosales figure to siphon votes away -- Rosales with very good reason.

Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake): RSL's season turned rocky after Javier Morales' injury, and the Utahns' captain and midfield leader took the club on his shoulders.

David Beckham (Galaxy): MLS's biggest name has been fantastic in the final year of his five-year contract, providing service opposing teams can only envy. His 15 assists lead the league.

Brad Davis (Houston): The league's best left-winger has been this season's most effective creative player.

Dwayne De Rosario (D.C. United): Double-digit goals (14) and assists (12) and could prod D.C. to the playoffs following a three-year absence, but he was unloaded earlier this year by Toronto FC and New York.

Landon Donovan (Galaxy): Everyone agrees Donovan is MLS's premier talent, and if this hasn't been his best season, it's been very good, and his influence on L.A.'s success -- especially his work off the field -- has been significant.

Omar Gonzalez (Galaxy): L.A. is the best team in MLS because of its defense. The third-year center back is enjoying a monster campaign.

Thierry Henry (New York): Is there a silkier player in MLS? No, and the French superstar has 14 goals despite nagging ailments all year. If New York's campaign hadn't been such a disappointment, he'd have a real chance.

Sebastien Le Toux (Philadelphia): Not so great until the past two months, but he's been one of MLS's two best players -- with De Rosario -- down the stretch. If Philly can pull out an Eastern title, he'll get due consideration.

Mauro Rosales (Seattle): The shoo-in for MLS Newcomer of the Year has impressively engineered the Sounders' attack.

Brek Shea (FC Dallas): Lots of European interest in the tall winger, who might have run away with this award if not for the Hoops' nosedive near the finish.

Our vote? Give us a couple of weeks to think about it.

This week's rankings:

1. GALAXY (18-4-10, 64 points), Last week: 1
Week 30: Idle
Remark: Only one game -- the Champions League group finale at Motagua -- matters before the playoffs begin
Team MVP: Three candidates, and we voted in this order: Beckham, Donovan, Gonzalez
Next: Sunday vs. Chivas USA at Home Depot Center, 6 p.m. (ESPN and ESPN Deportes); Thursday, Oct. 20, in CONCACAF Champions League Group A game at Motagua (Honduras), 7 p.m. (Fox Soccer Channel)

2. SEATTLE SOUNDERS (16-7-9, 57 points), Last week: 2
Week 30: No Montero? No Rosales? Sounders fall out of Shield race with 2-0 home loss to Philadelphia
Remark: 57,000-plus expected for Saturday's home finale, Kasey Keller's final regular-season game
Team MVP: Newcomer Rosales, although Alonso will get votes, too
Next: Saturday vs. San Jose, 7:30 p.m. (Fox Soccer Channel); Tuesday in CONCACAF Champions League Group D game vs. Monterrey (Mexico), 7 p.m. (Fox Soccer Channel)

3. PHILADELPHIA UNION (11-7-14, 47 points), Last week: 5
Week 30: Freddy Adu, Brian Carroll tally as Union wins, 2-0, at Seattle
Remark: Philly's first West Coast win is a big one, sending it atop the Eastern Conference
Team MVP: Carlos Valdes' play in the back is worthy, but it's Le Toux's form that has rekindled the Union's Eastern title hopes
Next: Saturday vs. Toronto FC, 1 p.m. (MLS Direct Kick); Thursday, Oct. 20, at New York, 5 p.m. (ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes)

(Read full post)

CARSON -- It's a work in progress, a process that will take time and much effort, so if the U.S. national team wasn't everything its supporters hoped for in Friday night's friendly against Costa Rica at Home Depot Center, it was enough.

That was Jurgen Klinsmann's take, more or less, following a 1-0 loss to the Ticos, who absorbed heavy pressure -- especially in the first half-hour -- and found chances through counterattacks, with Rodney Wallace finishing one of them in the 65th minute.

The U.S. didn't get a shot on goal in the first half and lacked killer instinct in front of the net. If the Yanks deserved more from this outing, they didn't do enough to get it.

“Bad result,” said Klinsmann, who suffered his first loss as U.S. coach. “Never like to lose a game, but very good performance. I was pleased with the performance. I was pleased with the way all the players tried to implement all the work that we did on the training field throughout the week. ... From a performance point of view, it was very, very positive, what we saw.”

What were the positives? Here are three:

1. CONNECTIONS: The U.S. moved the ball well and interchanged successfully in midfield, especially, more so at game's start than in the second half. Playing out of what amounted to a 4-1-4-1 formation -- with Landon Donovan and Jose Francisco Torres above Maurice Edu in a midfield triangle and Robbie Rogers and Brek Shea on the flanks -- the U.S. created pretty patterns between midfield and the Ticos' box.

(Read full post)

Chivas USA fans hoping to see Nick LaBrocca or Heath Pearce on Major League Soccer's All-Star team are going to have to wait another couple of days. So will Galaxy supporters who want Juninho or Todd Dunivant on the roster.

MLS Commissioner Don Garber opted for frontline firepower with his two selections for the July 27 All-Star Game against Manchester United in Harrison, N.J., which were announced Saturday afternoon.

New York Red Bulls teen forward Juan Agudelo and Sporting Kansas City veteran Omar Bravo were added to the MLS roster, which stands at 14 -- with three of those players uncertain or unlikely to make the game.

Seattle goalkeeper Kasey Keller is expected to be in action in Panama the night before the All-Star Game, leading the Sounders against San Francisco FC in a first-leg preliminary-round clash in the CONCACAF Champions League. FC Dallas winger Brek Shea has a game in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, the night after the midseason exhibition, a Champions League opener against Municipal.

New York coach Hans Backe, who will guide the All-Stars, last week ruled out his Mexican defender, Rafa Marquez, who has been sidelined since the CONCACAF Goldb Cup final because of a hamstring strain.

Keller, Shea and Marquez were on the First XI, selected in a fan vote. So were Galaxy stars Landon Donovan, David Beckham, Omar Gonzalez and Sean Franklin.

Garber told Fox Soccer Channel his reasons for choosing the Colombia-born Agudelo, a rising star with the U.S. national team, and Bravo, a Mexican star.

“I thought Juan was a no-brainer ...,” he said. “Great young player and really an exemplary product of our MLS academy system, so, you know, here's the guy that's proving the system is working. Sitting where we sit, this is an opportunity for Juan to continue his development ... allow him to get into a big-time game and hopefully learn from that experience.”

Of Bravo, he said: “What we really need to do here is play well against Man U, and Omar's a guy that has a lot of big-time experience. He's been there before. This is not a guy that's going to to get flustered. He's playing in games where there have been superclubs, and Omar has performed in those competitions. ... It doesn't hurt that Omar has a real ability to impress this audience of ours, which is increasingly Hispanic.”

Backe and the league will announce the rest of the team Monday.

Landon Donovan, David Beckham and the right side of the Galaxy's backline is headed to Major League Soccer's All-Star Game.

Defenders Omar Gonzalez and Sean Franklin will join L.A.'s superstars in Harrison, N.J., for the July 27 match against Manchester United after their selections to the First XI in balloting by fans. The league announced the list Sunday afternoon.

It's the 11th straight selection for Donovan, the second for Beckham and Gonzalez, and Franklin's first.

Donovan was asked after Saturday's victory over Chicago about what his expected selection would mean, but he appeared unaware of a shift this season from a player/coach/media/fan ballot to strictly fan voting via MLS's website, Twitter and through text messaging.

“For me, it's an honor because the players and coaches vote on it, too,” he said. “If it was fan voting, which it partially is, but if it was only fan voting, it's a little different. Sometimes, more popular teams with bigger fan bases get players in.

“It is something that means a lot to us, and I think we have a lot of guys here who are deserving.”

Donovan is correct about popularity. MLS's two biggest clubs -- the Galaxy and New York Red Bulls -- dominate the First XI, and fan favorites Jack Jewsbury, the Portland Timbers' captain, and retiring goalkeeping legend Kasey Keller, from the Seattle Sounders, also made the list.

The Red Bulls are represented by French forward Thierry Henry, Mexican defender Rafa Marquez and second-year defender Tim Ream. The others are San Jose forward Chris Wondolowski, last year's Golden Boot winner, and FC Dallas winger Brek Shea, who is having an enormous year.

A 12th player -- Sporting Kansas City defender Matt Besler -- was the 12th selection, based on receiving the most text votes.

New York Red Bulls coach Hans Backe, who will guide the All-Stars, is not bound by the vote when he chooses his starting lineup -- these are, true to their name, the first XI chosen for the team. Commissioner Don Garber's two selections will be announced Saturday, and the remainder of the team will be announced July 18. The starters will be determined from the full roster.

(Read full post)