2009 MLS ALL STAR GAME TOMORROW NIGHT!!!
2009 MLS ALL-STAR GAME
MLS ALL-STARS v EVERTON FC
RIO TINTO STADIUM, Sandy, Utah
July 29, 2009, 7:30 p.m. MT (ESPN2; Galavision)
These games are fun because you get to see some player combinations that can only happen on fantasy league teams. It’s all in good fun as long as no one gets hurt. Here is some news surrounding tomorrow’s game.
Tomorrow night’s All Star game might be without one of the league’s brightest stars, Landon Donovan. The US and Galaxy forward has a right calf injury that might keep him out of the game.
Donovan joins Shalrie Joseph, Pat Onstad, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, and Dwayne DeRosario on the list of All Star absentees.
Per MLS’s collective bargaining agreement the league must select 32 All Stars even if only 18 will dress. All stars receive bonus money for being selected. Here is the full list:
Goalkeepers: Keller, Thornton (Onstad, Ricketts).
Defense: Marshall, Cameron, Conde, Hurtado, Soumare (Conrad, Bornstein, Hejduk).
Midfielders: Ljungberg, Holden, Blanco, Johnson, Davis, Arnaud, Morales, Beckerman (Schelotto, Joseph, De Rosario, Clark, Nagamura, Guevara).
Forwards: Donovan, Casey, Montero (McBride, Ching, Angel).
No DC United, San Jose, or Dallas players made the squad. Fair enough for Dallas and San Jose, but I still think Quaranta and Pontius from DC should be in the squad. The roster consists of 18 players who have represented their country internationally, 5 returnees from last years all star game, and 14 first time debutants.
Everton lost its pre All Star game warm up against River Plate 1-0 on Sunday. Veteran Argentine midfielder and one time MLS target Ariel Ortega scored the only goal of the match. Everton coach Moyes, is weary of the quality of MLS players, stating that the league has improved a great deal in a short amount of time.
Everton brings in a star studded squad with the likes of Louis Saha, Jo, Yakubo, Leon Osman, Steven Pienaar, Philip Neville, Tim Cahill, Joleon Lescott, and, of course, Tim Howard. Additionally, Everton’s recently signed Americans, Arnoux and Peterlin, will not be with the club for the All Star game. Bummer. You can read a small bio for Everton players here: MLSnet.com
The last time Everton played in Salt Lake City, 2007 friendly against Real Salt Lake, the blues were on the wrong end of a 2-0 score line.
Everton captain Philip Neville doesn’t want a repeat of that game:
“It was a shock to our system playing in that kind of heat and humidity,” he recalled.
“We were well and truly beaten and we are better prepared this time. We know it will be tough, they are the best players in the MLS and they will want to show that against us.”
The game should be fun and somewhat competitive. I would like to see the league experiment with some different All Star game options (Best MLS Americans v. Rest of the World, East v. West, CONCACAF All Stars v. Rest of the World, etc). I don’t have too many complaints about the current system since the All Star game is a peripheral gimmick.
I hope you all enjoy the match!