Alonso and Johnson Named AT&T MLS All-Stars
NEW YORK (Sunday, July 15, 2012) - Seattle Sounders FC midfielder Osvaldo Alonso and forward Eddie Johnson were selected to the MLS All-Star roster, MLS announced today. The 18 MLS All-Stars will compete against UEFA Champions League winners Chelsea FC in the 2012 AT&T MLS All-Star Game on July 25 at PPL Park (live on ESPN2, TeleFutura, and in Canada on TSN and RDS starting at 5:30 p.m. PT).
Earning his second All-Star selection in his four-year MLS career, Alonso, 26, has played 90 minutes in his 15 appearances this season. The ever-active holding midfielder has been instrumental to one of the league's top defenses, holding opponents to just one goal per game (second in MLS) and 192 shots against (first in MLS). Alonso leads Sounders FC with 702 completed passes and a passing percentage of 81.4-percent.
Johnson, 28, is named an All-Star for the third time in his eight-year MLS career. He leads Sounders FC with eight goals (tied-eighth in MLS), including five goals in the past six games and five of the team's last seven goals. His 0.62 goals per 90 minutes ranks just outside the top 10 in MLS. Johnson is one of two players in the top 10 of the Golden Boot race who did not play in MLS last season.
Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber selected the only active MLS original -- defender Ramiro Corrales of the San Jose Earthquakes -- and Philadelphia Union defender Carlos Valdés as 2012 AT&T MLS All-Stars.
Because of the competitive format -- MLS vs. the World -- of the AT&T All-Star Game, MLS asked All-Star head coach Ben Olsen to select from among all available players, and he constructed a dynamic, balanced roster loaded with the League's top talent.
Olsen selected all eleven of the original fan-voted All-Stars.
In addition to 12-time All-Star Donovan, the roster also features prominent All-Star veterans such as David Beckham (LA Galaxy, Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake) and Dwayne De Rosario (D.C. United). Nine roster selections are MLS All-Stars for the first time.
The roster is below, followed by bios of each player, listed in alphabetical order by last name. Players are listed by the position they are most likely to play in the AT&T MLS All-Star Game, which is not necessarily the position they play for their respective clubs.
2012 MLS All-Star Gameday Roster
Goalkeeper: Dan Kennedy (Chivas USA), Jimmy Nielsen (Sporting Kansas City)
Defenders: Steven Beitashour (San Jose Earthquakes), Aurélien Collin (Sporting Kansas City), Ramiro Corrales (San Jose Earthquakes), Jay DeMerit (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Heath Pearce (New York Red Bulls), Carlos Valdes (Philadelphia Union)
Midfielders:Osvaldo Alonso (Seattle Sounders FC), David Beckham (LA Galaxy), Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Dwayne De Rosario (D.C. United), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
Forwards: Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls), Eddie Johnson (Seattle Sounders FC), Chris Pontius (D.C. United), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
