SALT LAKE CITY - Major League Soccer (Wednesday) announced the 14 additional selections for the 2007 Sierra Mist All-Star Game, in addition to the MLS First XI, the five players chosen by Steve Nicol and the two Commissioner's Picks originally announced. Newly-acquired Real Salt Lake midfielder Kyle Beckerman was among the 14 additional All-Stars named by the League today, the process based on the four-tiered voting process (fans, players, media, and general managers) that closed on June 25. The Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game, featuring the League's best and brightest taking on Scottish champion Celtic FC, takes place Thursday night at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo. (7:00 p.m. MT, live on ESPN2 and Galavision).
Beckerman joins new teammate DF Eddie Pope, who was named one of two Commissioner's Picks by MLS Commissioner Don Garber, on the 32-player 2007 MLS All-Star list. The All-Star nod is the first such honor for the 25-year-old Beckerman, who is in the midst of his eighth MLS campaign after spending his first two years with the Miami Fusion (2000-01) and the next five-and-a-half seasons with the Colorado Rapids (2002-2007) prior to joining RSL via a trade earlier this week. Beckerman notched one goal and two assists in 13 contests (all starts) for the Rapids during the first half of the 2007 MLS campaign, and recently returned from U.S. National Team duty, having made his second and third "caps" with the U.S. senior squad during the Copa America tournament in Venezuela earlier this month.
Since the MLS vs. the World format was started, the additional selections have been made as the MLS All-Star gameday roster is limited to 18 players. In the case any of the original 18 players were unable to participate, any substitutions would come from the 14 additional selections. The additional selections are considered MLS All-Stars, and will listed as such in official league records.
The complete list: Kyle Beckerman (MF, Real Salt Lake); Jim Brennan (DF, Toronto FC); Jeff Cunningham (FW, Toronto FC); Danny Dichio (FW, Toronto FC); Brad Guzan (GK; Chivas USA); Frankie Hejduk (DF; Columbus Crew); Justin Mapp (MF; Chicago Fire); Ben Olsen (MF, D.C. United); Guillermo Barros Schelotto (MF, Columbus Crew); Steve Ralston (MF, New England Revolution); Claudio Reyna (MF, New York Red Bulls); Eddie Robinson (DF, Houston Dynamo); Taylor Twellman (FW, New England Revolution); Ronald Waterreus (GK, New York Red Bulls)
