Voting opened Wednesday for the 2014 AT&T MLS All-Star Game, with the MLS All-Stars set to face Bayern Munich in Portland on August 6.
Each MLS team has eight players on the ballot and Sounders FC has some strong candidates. Here is a look at the eight eligible players for Seattle.
Stefan Frei, goalkeeper – As Sigi Schmid put it on Tuesday, "He's the starting goalkeeper right now for the team that has the most points in the league." With a 1.62 goals against average, he is eighth among the 13 goalkeepers with at least 10 starts this season and his three shutouts ranks sixth in the league.
Chad Marshall, defender – Among the most consistent center backs in MLS, he may not get the recognition of players like Omar Gonzalez and Matt Besler, but he has been at least as destructive to opposing attacks, winning headers, blocking shots and clearing danger as well as anyone in the league.
DeAndre Yedlin, defender – The accolades speak for themselves for the 20-year-old Seattle native. A 2013 All-Star after being selected by MLS Commissioner Don Garber, Yedlin has earned a spot on the U.S. National Team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup with his explosive play at right back. He is the first MLS Homegrown Player named to the U.S. World Cup roster and he is only getting better as he continues to mature and develop at the professional and international levels.
Osvaldo Alonso, midfielder – He remains in the conversation for the best defensive midfielder in MLS and has been a vital piece to Seattle's continued success atop the MLS Supporters' Shield standings. A three-time MLS All-Star and 2012 MLS Best XI selection, Alonso continues to expand his offensive game while playing alongside Gonzalo Pineda.
Clint Dempsey, midfielder – He has been one of the league's most volatile attackers, with eight goals and three assists in just nine matches, scoring at a rate of 0.96 goals per 90 minutes. He is among five players in the league that have contributed to 11 goals this season, but has played the fewest minutes of any of them. The U.S. National Team captain also is among 10 MLS players representing the Stars and Stripes in the World Cup.
Brad Evans, midfielder – Known for his versatility, Evans has played all across the midfield and back line this season already, finding ways to contribute to the team's success no matter what position he is playing. Now back from camp with the U.S. National Team after he wasn't named to the World Cup roster, he will be out to prove himself yet again in the coming weeks.
Lamar Neagle, midfielder – Quietly he has been among the most productive players in Seattle with four goals and three assists in 12 appearances thus far. That would make him the leading scorer on four teams in MLS and No. 2 on 12 more, but in Seattle he is third behind Dempsey and Martins, while being among the top-scoring wide midfielders in the league.
Obafemi Martins, forward – He leads the league with six assists, but is far from just a set-up man. In his second year with Sounders FC he has also dazzled with five goals and has shown to be a leader on the field with his willingness to work for the team's success.
Voting at MLSsoccer.com runs through July 11 at noon PT, while there will also be a vote via twitter from July 2-6. Media members selected the 152 players on the ballots, from which the Fan XI will be selected by the top vote-getters at each position, with one goalkeeper, three defenders, four midfielders and three forwards earning selections. One of the forward selections will be chosen through an EA Sports contest on July 11. The remaining All-Stars will be selected by Portland Timbers Head Coach Caleb Porter—who will coach the All-Stars at Providence Park—as well as a Commissioner Garber and a player vote.
Sounders FC has had seven different players named to the All-Star Team. In addition to Alonso and Yedlin, Seattle has been represented by Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Kasey Keller (3x), Freddie Ljungberg (2x), Fredy Montero (2x) and Eddie Johnson.
U.S. OPEN CUP DRAWS NEAR
Sounders FC will learn its opponent for the fourth round of the 2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday night when the LA Galaxy II hosts PSA Elite at 7:30 p.m. PT. Sounders FC would either host PSA Elite (USASA) on June 18 at Starfire Sports Stadium in Tukwila, or visit the LA Galaxy II (USL PRO) at the StubHub Center's Track and Field Stadium.
If LA Galaxy II wins, Seattle will get a good preview of its Open Cup opponent on Saturday at Starfire when the Sounders FC reserves face them at Starfire Sports Stadium in Reserve League action.
U-18S CLINCH DIVISION CROWN
With a 4-0 win over Strikers FC on Sunday, the Sounders FC U-18 Academy team clinched the USSDA Northwest Division title with a 16-4-6 record with one match remaining. Bolstered by three double-digit scorers in David Olsen (13 goals), Satoshi Chaffin (11 goals) and Adeseyi Adekoya (10 goals), Sounders FC will close the regular season on Saturday against San Juan Soccer Club. With the division title comes a spot in the 32-team playoffs.
