There are still three weeks left in MLS All-Star voting and Sounders FC’s hot start to the 2014 season is seeing its rewards to the players on the ballot.
Clint Dempsey is leading the midfielders in votes while Obafemi Martins, DeAndre Yedlin and Chad Marshall are all among the top seven in their positions as fan-voting continues. The 2014 AT&T MLS All-Star Game will be played on August 6 against Bayern Munich at Providence Park in Portland.
Voting continues until July 11 at MLSsoccer.com/All-Star/2014/vote with one goalkeeper and nine field players being determined in the fan vote. An 11th field player will be determined by the EA Sports/AT&T ‘More Than A Vote’ Challenge, in which players are awarded votes based on the number of goals scored by players on the EA SPORTS FIFA 14 game on various game systems. As of June 20, Martins was the leader, outpacing former Sounder Eddie Johnson, who is in second place on the list.
The Sounders FC players on the All-Star ballot are goalkeeper Stefan Frei; defenders Yedlin and Marshall; midfielders Osvaldo Alonso, Lamar Neagle, Brad Evans and Dempsey, and forward Martins. Each team has eight players eligible for the fan vote. The remaining players on the roster will be selected by MLS Commissioner Don Garber, All-Star Coach Caleb Porter and a vote among the players.
Current Leaders:
Goalkeeper – 1. Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake). 2. Julio Cesar (Toronto FC). 3. Eric Kronberg (Sporting Kansas City). 4. Donovan Ricketts (Portland Timbers). 5. Jon Busch (San Jose Earthquakes).
Defenders – 1. Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City). 2. Steven Beitashour (Vancouver Whitecaps FC). 3. Aurelien Collin (Sporting Kansas City). 4. Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy). 5. DeAndre Yedlin (Sounders FC). 6. Seth Sinovic (Sporting Kansas City). 7. Chad Marshall (Sounders FC).
Midfielders – 1. Clint Dempsey (Sounders FC). 2. Michael Bradley (Toronto FC). 3. Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City). 4. Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake). 5. Benny Feilhaber (Sporting Kansas City). 6. Tim Cahill (New York Red Bulls). 7. Will Johnson (Portland Timbers).
Forwards – 1. Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy). 2. Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls). 3. Jermaine Defoe (Toronto FC). 4. Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy). 5. Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes). 6. Dom Dwyer (Sporting Kansas City). 7. Obafemi Martins (Sounders FC).
CASCADIA IN THE OPEN CUP?
Sounders FC learned its potential opponents in the quarterfinal of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Monday, setting up a possible matchup with the Portland Timbers or a rematch of the 2012 Open Cup championship match with Sporting Kansas City. If Sounders FC can advance past the San Jose Earthquakes on Tuesday night at Starfire, Seattle will host the winner of Tuesday’s meeting between Portland and Kansas City. The potential quarterfinal match is scheduled for July 9 at 7:30 pm PT at Starfire Stadium.
TIMBERS LOCK UP ADI
Fanendo Adi had impressed greatly in his first six matches with the Timbers. The 23-year-old Nigerian forward has four goals and two assists in just 316 minutes while on loan to Portland, but on Monday the Timbers announced his permanent transfer, completing a deal that will make him the club’s second Designated Player on the roster, joining Diego Valeri.
ON THE AIR
710 AM ESPN Seattle announced on Monday that it will carry the U.S. National Team’s Group Stage match with Germany on the air. Thursday’s match kicks off at 9 am PT, running simultaneously with the other Group G match between Portugal and Ghana. The U.S. needs a win or draw to ensure advancement to the Round of 16, but would also advance if Portugal and Ghana draw.
