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22 MLS Players Head off to World Cup in Brazil - This Week in MLS

June 9, 2014 - Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release


Twenty-two of Major League Soccer's top players travel to Brazil this week, as 32 countries continue the quest to bring home the World Cup trophy. The United States team, which will be making its seventh consecutive World Cup appearance, features 10 current MLS players. Jurgen Klinsmann's squad arrived in Sao Paulo this morning and will play its first match on Thursday, June 16 in Natal against Ghana. The following MLS players will represent the U.S. in Brazil:

NAME POS MLS CLUB NOTE

Brad Davis M Houston Dynamo Set piece specialist and six-time MLS All-Star

Matt Besler D Sporting Kansas City Powerful central defender & 2012 MLS Defender of the Year

Graham Zusi M Sporting Kansas City 2013 MLS All-Star and Best XI selection

Omar Gonzalez D LA Galaxy Towering central defender & 2011 MLS Defender of the Year

Kyle Beckerman M Real Salt Lake One of the best defensive midfielders in MLS & captain of RSL

Nick Rimando GK Real Salt Lake More than 100 shutouts in MLS - second all-time in MLS history

Clint Dempsey F Seattle Sounders FC U.S. World Cup team Captain; scored 8 goals in MLS in 2014

DeAndre Yedlin D Seattle Sounders FC First MLS Homegrown player to make a World Cup team

Michael Bradley M Toronto FC Returned to MLS this year after time in the Bundesliga & Serie A

Chris Wondolowski F San Jose Earthquakes Tied for MLS single-season goal scoring record with 27

Twelve international MLS players, led by newly acquired Spanish forward David Villa of NYC FC, will represent their respective countries this year, including:

NAME POS MLS CLUB COUNTRY NOTE

Tim Cahill M New York Red Bulls Australia Australia's all-time leading scorer

Julio Cesar GK Toronto FC Brazil 2013 Confederations Cup champion

Waylon Francis D Columbus Crew Costa Rica Rising star; started all 10 games for Crew

Giancarlo Gonzalez D Columbus Crew Costa Rica Debuted in MLS this season

Roy Miller D New York Red Bulls Costa Rica Regular starter for NY, making 1st World Cup

Oswaldo Minda M Chivas USA Ecuador Three-year MLS veteran

Marvin Chavez M Chivas USA Honduras Playmaking midfielder & 2012 MLS All-Star

Oscar Boniek Garcia M Houston Dynamo Honduras Two-way player; 13 assists in 3 MLS Seasons

Jerry Bengtson F New England Revolution Honduras High-scoring striker; scored in MLS debut

Victor Bernardez D San Jose Earthquakes Honduras 2012 MLS Best XI selection

Steven Beitashour D Vancouver Whitecaps FC Iran Attack minded right-back; 2012 All-Star

David Villa F New York City FC Spain Spain's all-time leading scorer

2014 AT&T MLS All-Star Game Fan Voting Update

Just one week into fan voting for the 2014 AT&T MLS All-Star Game, the following are the online results as of June 8:

Top 5 Goalkeepers Top 7 Defenders Top 7 Midfielders Top 7 Forwards

1. Nick Rimando (RSL) 1. Matt Besler (SKC) 1. Clint Dempsey (SEA) 1. Landon Donovan (LA)

2. Julio Cesar (TOR) 2. Omar Gonzalez (LA) 2. Michael Bradley (SEA) 2. Thierry Henry (NY)

3. Eric Kronberg (SKC) 3. DeAndre Yedlin (SEA) 3. Kyle Beckerman (RSL) 3. Jermain Defoe (TOR)

4. Donovan Ricketts (POR) 4. Aurelien Collin (SKC) 4. Graham Zusi (SKC) 4. Robbie Keane (LA)

5. Jaime Penedo (LA) 5. Chad Marshall (SEA) 5. Tim Cahill (NY) 5. Chris Wondolowski (SJ)

6. Seth Sinovic (SEA) 6. Will Johnson (POR) 6. Obafemi Martins (SEA)

7. Steven Beitashour (VAN) 7. Benny Feilhaber (SKC) 7. Bradley Wright-Phillips (NY)

Fans can vote for the All-Star First XI through Friday, July 11 at 3 p.m. ET online HERE .

Week 15 National Broadcasts

Wednesday, June 11

Montreal Impact vs. D.C. United, 7:30 p.m. ET (TSN, RDS)

Portland Timbers vs. FC Dallas, 10:00 p.m. ET (ESPN2/ESPN Deportes)

Sweet Tweets

@Brad_Davis11 - June 5 - Brad Davis, Houston Dynamo

My first skateboard.#OneNationOneTeam#icantskate http://instagram.com/p/o4EOzWoXNO/

@b_feilhaber22 - June 7 - Benny Feilhaber, Sporting Kansas City

I hope it's still cool to go watch @backstreetboys in concert. #datenight

@Ddwyer14 - June 7 - Dom Dwyer, Sporting Kansas City

So pleased for @JozyAltidore getting a couple goals right before the World Cup! #ConfidenceUpppppp

@Omar4Gonzalez - June 8 - Omar Gonzalez, LA Galaxy

Behind the scenes: #USMNT epic selfie. #BrazilBound #1N1T pic.twitter.com/yRfmxq5Iq8

@jonnysteele22 - June 9 - Jonny Steele, New York Red Bulls

@WillJohnson04 thanks for the jersey it will fit jaydan! Didn't know Mls made jersey size youth small!!! pic.twitter.com/UNiu4kkKoQ

@ mbesler - June 9 - Matt Besler, Sporting Kansas City

That moment when you land in Brazil and realize you're here to play in the WORLD CUP...yea, that just happened #USA

Quotables

"[The team] needed the three points. It was a really long stretch and the struggle, the adversity, the red cards; all those things have been frustrating. Since they have not stopped working, the game rewarded them tonight with three points before the break and gives us the momentum to go to Portland and fight. We're trying to get people healthy to try to fight the second half of the season with a complete roster. That would be great."

FC Dallas head coach Oscar Pareja on breaking the winless streak

"So it was the first time for all of us, it's something we completely supported and, frankly, wanted him to achieve. So we are proud. It's not easy to be a professional athlete and it's certainly not easy to be a professional athlete while juggling academics as well. So it's a credit to Diego that he stuck with it over the last few years and is going to get his high school degree on Thursday night. It's a credit to him to be able to give all the time and effort and dedication needed to be a professional athlete, but also keeping in mind the academic side of things as well."

New England Revolution general manager Michael Burns on Diego Fagundez graduating high school

"We went into this game saying we wanted to have 32 points after 15 games. And that means we've had a really, really good run."

Seattle Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid on teams' historic run of form

"He is the hardest working guy in training every day. With that persistence, that work ethic, you just knew it was going to come together eventually. You can only keep someone like that down for so long when they have so much to give, and that guy gets better every day."

Sporting Kansas City head coach Peter Vermes on World Cup bound Graham Zusi's work ethic

"Unless you're there, you really don't know how big an event is it. No offense to Seattle Seahawks and the Super Bowl, but it's the Super Bowl times 10."

Seattle Sounders FC forward Clint Dempsey comparing the World Cup to the Super Bowl

"The only disappointing part is we haven't had the results that we wanted, we've played well in a number of games, but that doesn't get you much. The playing well is always good but the thing that matters is the results. Conversely, the Chicago game (a 1-1 tie last week) was as ugly a game as you're going to play in and see, but we got a point out of it and can feel OK about it. We want to play well, we have a team that has good players. It's enjoyable for us when we play well, but at the end of the day, this is a results business, and we have to get results."

LA Galaxy forward Landon Donovan on not letting standings effect the teams confidence

"My frame of mind is to take this one day at a time, I want to enjoy playing soccer and enjoy being around the team. (If I'm Rookie of the Year) after all the games I've played then that's the case. But it's about getting into the playoffs this year. That's the most important thing."

Toronto FC defender Nick Hagglund on not letting his solid performances go to his head

"First thing is we have a great locker room. Losing four in a row you can start to point fingers at people, but that doesn't happen here. The guys are very positive, and everyone believes in each other. That's our belief we knew we could get three points this week and we did. We were lucky to get the first goal which put us in a great spot and we played well after."

New York Red Bulls head coach Mike Petke on the team's morale during their four-game losing streak

Week 15 Game Previews

Wednesday, June 11

Montreal Impact vs. D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.

- The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Second-half goals from Montréal's Jack McInerney and United's Eddie Johnson left the teams in a 1-1 draw May 17 at RFK Stadium.

- The Impact have won both visits by United all-time to Québec, including a 2-1 triumph last Aug. 17 in the only encounter at Stade Saputo. United have never lost to the Impact at RFK Stadium.

- The Impact return to league play after winning the Canadian Championship for a second consecutive year, taking the second leg of the final series 1-0 vs. Toronto FC, winning the title 2-1 on aggregate. The victory qualifies the Impact for the 2014/15 CONCACAF Champions League.

- United have recorded back-to-back shutouts for the second time this season following their scoreless draw with Columbus over the weekend.

Portland Timbers vs. FC Dallas, 10 p.m.

- FC Dallas put an end to their eight-game winless streak on Saturday night, Fabian Castillo's goal in the 62nd minute snapping a tie and giving his team a 3-2 win against the Colorado Rapids at Toyota Stadium.

- Fanendo Adi scored his third and fourth goals in the last three games as the Timbers won for a third time in their last four matches, handing Real Salt Lake just their second defeat of the season in a 3-1 Portland win over the weekend.

- The teams are meeting for the second time this season. A late Blas Perez goal gave FC Dallas a 2-1 victory, March 29 at Toyota Stadium.

- The road team has never won in the series, in nine meetings all-time. The Timbers have won three of the four meetings all-time in Portland.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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