FC Dallas forward Carlos Ruiz and defender Greg Vanney have each been named to the 14-man Inactive Roster for the 2006 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game, as announced today by Major League Soccer. The pair joins Richard Mulrooney and Ronnie O'Brien as the four FC Dallas players named in the 32-man team for this year's All-Star Game. Mulrooney and O'Brien will each be part of Head Coach Peter Nowak's 18-man active squad, which will face two-time defending Premier League champion Chelsea FC on Saturday, August 5 at TOYOTA PARK in Bridgeview, Ill. This match, which kicks off at 5:30 p.m. (CT), will be shown live on ESPN.
Ruiz is currently tied for fifth in Major League Soccer with eight goals scored in 16 games, to go along with his five assists which tie a career-high. All eight of his goals came during a seven game stretch from May 6 to June 11 when he tied a MLS record by scoring in seven consecutive contests. The 26-year old Guatemalan International has missed Dallas' last three games with a hamstring injury that he suffered on July 8 against New York. However, he still leads the club in assists and is tied for the team lead in goals scored with eight, leaving him one tally shy of becoming the seventh player in Dallas history to score 20 or more goals for the club.
In his second season with FC Dallas, defender Greg Vanney has established himself as one of the league's most consistent and skillful defenders. Having spent time this season at left back and center back, the 32-year old leads the Hoops in minutes played amongst field players with 1,705 and has a goal and an assist in that time. He had started every game this season for FC Dallas, including before being rested for the 4-1 win against Colorado because of a light Achilles injury.
