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Published on June 8, 2009 under Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release


Revolution forward Taylor Twellman Wins MLS Player of the Week for Week 12

New England Revolution forward Taylor Twellman was voted Major League Soccer's Player of the Week for Week 12 of the 2009 season. Twellman scored twice in the Revolution's 4-0 defeat of the New York Red Bulls on Sunday, June 7, and became the fifth player to score 100 career goals in Major League Soccer.

At the age of 29 years and 100 days, he was the youngest player to reach the century mark, besting Jeff Cunningham's previous mark (31 years, 360 days). He also achieved the feat in fewer games than any of the previous four players to reach 100 goals. His two goals Sunday take his career tally to 101 in just 174 games. Twellman and his New England Revolution next play on Saturday, June 13 when they visit the Kansas City Wizards. Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. ET. For more on Twellman's award click here.

The Major League Soccer Player of the Week is selected each week of the MLS regular season by a panel of journalists from The North American Soccer Reporters (NASR). The group consists of members of print, television, radio and online media. More information and membership information can be found at http://www.soccerreporters.com.

Dynamo Midfielder Stuart Holden to chat live with fans Tuesday on ESPN Soccernet at 3 p.m. ET

Houston Dynamo midfielder Stuart Holden will chat live with fans via ESPN Soccernet at 3 p.m. ET on Tuesday, June 9. Fans can submit questions and follow along with the chat by clicking here. The Dynamo, the hottest team in MLS with a three-game winning streak and eight-game unbeaten streak, play Chivas USA on Wednesday, June 10 at 8:30 p.m. ET in a televised match on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes.

Taylor Twellman joins elite MLS club; Crew, Dynamo surging

The New England Revolution's 4-0 defeat of I-95 rivals New York Red Bulls Sunday abounded with milestones.

The Revs' Taylor Twellman, who has missed much of the season due to lingering whiplash-like symptoms following an on-field collision last year, came off the bench at halftime to score his 100th and 101st career Major League Soccer goals. Teammate Jay Heaps marked his 300th career appearance with the game's opening goal and an assist. To complete the trifecta, goalkeeper Matt Reis also recorded his 50th career shutout.

Less auspicious is the fact the Red Bulls, who have not won on the road since May of last year, equaled Real Salt Lake's MLS record winless road streak at 19 with the loss.

The champion Columbus Crew are back in the mix after a completing a season sweep of the Kansas City Wizards Saturday. Last year's Volkswagen MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto had two goals in the 2-0 win, thrusting the MLS Cup holders into third place in the Eastern Conference and just three points back - having played one game fewer - from second-place D.C. United.

The Houston Dynamo, who have has six wins in an eight-game unbeaten streak, continued their Western Conference ascension with a 1-0 road victory over the top team in the Eastern Conference the Chicago Fire. Chicago stayed atop the conference standings despite back-to-back shutout defeats at home.

MLS players shine in World Cup qualifiers as their club stand-ins step up

The Los Angeles Galaxy's Landon Donovan converted penalty kicks in both the United States' 3-1 loss in Costa Rica Wednesday and its 2-1 defeat of Honduras in Chicago Saturday. His Galaxy teammates, however, handled a road trip to Toronto FC admirably without their star forward, bringing home a rare road win - their first of the season. Alan Gordon had a goal and an assist in the 2-1 win, while Edson Buddle scored the game-winner as a second-half substitute.

Chivas USA captured a 1-0 win over conference rival Seattle Sounders FC despite missing their midfield anchor Sacha Kljestan and dynamic fullback Jonathan Bornstein, who both traveled with the USMNT. Bornstein started in Saturday's U.S. Men's National Team victory over Honduras, which was the U.S. Men's first come-from-behind win in a World Cup qualifier since 1985.

Colorado Rapids forward Omar Cummings has been on the giving end of many goals for teammate and League leading scorer Conor Casey this season. However, with Casey named to the USMNT squad late last week, Cummings produced a goal of his own as Colorado came from behind to tie Real Salt Lake 1-1 at Rio Tinto Stadium.

Chicago's Gonzalo Segares helped lead his Costa Rica team to back-to-back wins against the United States and Trinidad and Tobago. The Ticos now lead the CONCACAF hexagonal and may soon be looking forward to their third-straight World Cup appearance. Meanwhile, New York Red Bulls defender Alfredo Pacheco and his El Salvador teammates heaped more misery on Cuauhtémoc Blanco's Mexico, surprising El Trí with a 2-1 defeat despite Blanco converting an equalizing penalty kick.

Six MLS Stars Called Up for Confederations Cup

United States head coach Bob Bradley has called up six MLS players to the FIFA Confederations Cup roster for the U.S. Men's National Team.

Jonathan Bornstein and Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Conor Casey (Colorado Rapids) and Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy) were all named to the 23-man USMNT roster Sunday. Houston's Brian Ching and the Columbus Crew's Frankie Hejduk were ruled out of contention due to injury.

The FIFA Confederations Cup is made up of the six champions of each regional confederation, the defending World Cup Champions, and the host nation of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The USMNT plays defending World Cup Champions Italy on June 15, then faces Brazil on June 18 before completing group play on June 21 against Egypt. The U.S. qualified for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup by winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2007.

MLS Quotables

New England Revolution rookie Darrius Barnes on teammates Taylor Twellman (100 goals), Jay Heaps (300 games) and Matt Reis (50 shutouts as a goalkeeper), who all reached milestones Sunday:

"To be able to play in the league that long and have those types of accomplishments is second to none. Hopefully, I'll be blessed enough to stay healthy and to have the kind of years like they have all had."

Colorado Rapids head coach Gary Smith on Real Salt Lake striker Yura Movsisyan, who opened scoring in the 1-1 tie at a sold-out Rio Tinto stadium Saturday:

"That guy caused us a lot of problems. We found it difficult to deal with him. I thought he was their brightest player, and he's a thorn in my side to be quite honest."

With both sides battling injuries and occupying the last two berths of the Western Conference, FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman feels San Jose Earthquakes coach Frank Yallop's pain:

"I can imagine Frank's feelings. What do you have to do to catch a break?''

Previewing Week 13: June 10-14, 2009

Wednesday, June 10

Chivas USA at Houston Dynamo, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN2, Deportes)

- The Houston Dynamo are the hottest team in Major League Soccer, putting their three-game winning streak and eight-game unbeaten streak on the line against the top team in the Western Conference - Chivas USA. This is their first meeting of the season. Six points separate Houston from Chivas, but Houston has two games in hand. The teams bring to the table strong defenses and two veteran goalkeepers that are vying for Goalkeeper of the Year honors. The teams have allowed the fewest goals in the league (Houston 7 goals against, Chivas 9 goals against), with Chivas USA keeper Zach Thornton posting seven shutouts and a 0.69 goals against average and Houston Dynamo keeper Pat Onstad posting six shutouts and a 0.64 goals against average; the Dynamo haven't allowed more than a single goal in any of their last nine games, with six shutouts during that time.

Saturday, June 13

Chicago Fire at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m. (DK, Match Center)

- After opening the season with an 11-game unbeaten run, the Chicago Fire have lost their last two games and were shut out in both contests. D.C. United is energized after their 2-0 victory over the New York Red Bulls last week. They sit in sole possession of second place with a 4-2-7 record and 19 points, only two behind the Fire. The teams met on March 28 at RFK in a game that ended 1-1. United forward Jaime Moreno added to his all-time regular season goal tally last week and now has 126 for his career, nine of which have come against the Fire.

New York Red Bulls at Toronto FC, 8:00 p.m. (DK, Match Center)

- This is the first meeting of the two Eastern Conference clubs this season. The last was won by Toronto FC 3-1 at Giants Stadium on Oct. 4, 2008. Both clubs will look to better their position in the Eastern Conference standings as they head into a long summer stretch. The Red Bulls are reeling in a four-game losing streak in League play having been outscored 10-2 in those four games. The Red Bulls sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with only nine points and a 2-9-3 record. Juan Pablo Angel has scored four career goals against Toronto FC and will look to break out of a personal two-game scoreless streak.

Houston Dynamo at FC Dallas Wizards, 8:30 p.m. (FSC, FSE)

- The intrastate duel has been dominated by the Dynamo since their inception to Major League Soccer in 2006. They hold a 6-1-5 record against FC Dallas, with FC Dallas' only win coming on Sept. 2, 2006 (1-0 at Pizza Hut Park). "I think people build it up to be a big rivalry because they are in-state," Dynamo midfielder Stuart Holden said. "But I think it is a big rivalry because the previous meetings have gotten pretty heated." Boasting the League's best defense, the Dynamo first face a midweek test against the League's best team record-wise, Chivas USA. After going six games without a win, FC Dallas have posted a win and a draw in their last two, led by Kenny Cooper, who has two goals in the last two games after going more than a month without one. It's the second meeting of the year between the teams -- as might have been expected Houston took a 1-0 victory at home on May 9.

New England Revolution at Kansas City Wizards, 8:30 p.m. (DK, Match Center)

- The return of Taylor Twellman to the New England Revolution has jumpstarted the team, as they have won their last two games after a six-game winless run, including a 4-0 thrashing of New York on Sunday. Twellman became the youngest player in MLS history to reach 100 league goals when he scored the first of his two goals last weekend; at 29 years, 100 days when he scored, goal No. 100 came in his 174th regular-season game. The Wizards have won just once in their last seven games, though they sit in a three-way for third place in the Eastern Conference with both New England and Columbus, five points behind the Chicago Fire.

Real Salt Lake at Los Angeles Galaxy, 10:30 p.m. (DK, Match Center)

- The Los Angeles Galaxy just continue to produce results, stretching their undefeated streak to nine games and still having lost just once on the year, though securing their first victory in more than a month in last weekend's 2-1 win at Toronto FC. Landon Donovan had been part of 10 of the Galaxy's 13 goals on the season entering the game; Alan Gordon and Edson Buddle both stepped up to score in his absence. Since their record-setting 6-0 win against New England on April 25, Real haven't won. They succumbed to a late game-tying goal in the second Rocky Mountain Cup meeting with Colorado over the weekend. RSL has scored just four goals in the seven games since that six-goal outburst at Rio Tinto Stadium.

San Jose Earthquakes at Seattle Sounders FC, 10:30 p.m. (DK, Match Center)

- The Seattle Sounders have just one win in seven games and are reeling from a 1-0 defeat at Chivas USA last weekend - but don't call it a slump just yet: MLS' new kids are loaded with talent and a home game against the struggling San Jose Earthquakes could be exactly what they need to kick start the middle stretch of their season. The last time the Sounders managed more than a goal in a League win was when they blanked the ‘Quakes 2-0 in Seattle on April 25. That game reignited a classic West Coast rivalry that harkens back to the 1970s and the NASL, and with both sides desperate for wins as the season nears halfway, the rivalry remains as hot as ever.

Sunday, June 14

Chivas USA at Columbus Crew, 3:00 p.m. (Telefutura)

- The Columbus Crew may have started the season slow, but nobody's writing off last year's championship team as a fluke. And for good reason - the Crew have won three of its last five games and is unbeaten in eight. Argentine ace Guillermo Barros Schelloto had both goals in a 2-0 win over the Kansas City Wizards on Saturday, lifting his season tally to eight. That was the Crew's first shutout of the season, and they'll need a good defensive show if they're to fend off Chivas USA's unpredictable Mexican striker Eduardo Lillingston, who has shown he can score when it matters most. The Goats also boast one of the league's best defenses, thanks in part to the solid play of another Mexican standout, Mariano Trujillo.

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Major League Soccer Stories from June 8, 2009


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