MLS All-Star First XI - Goalkeeper: Kasey Keller (SEA); Defenders: Omar Gonzalez (LA), Sean Franklin (LA), Rafa Márquez (NY), Tim Ream (NY); Midfielders: David Beckham (LA), Jack Jewsbury (POR), Brek Shea (DAL); Forwards: Landon Donovan (LA), Thierry Henry (NY), Chris Wondolowski (SJ); AT&T Text Voting Winner - Defender: Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City)
Here’s a look from a US Open Cup point of view at the players named to the squad so far…
Matt Besler: Played full games in the club’s two qualification matches earlier this year as they edged Houston 1-0 in overtime and drubbed New England 5-0, but only came off the bench for seven minutes in the Third Round 3-0 win against Chicago Fire PDL. He played the full match in a narrow 1-0 loss to Seattle in the 2009 Quarterfinals his rookie year.
David Beckham: Has yet to play in the US Open Cup. Since his arrival in 2007, the club has played only three tournament games, falling in the Quarterfinals a year ago.
Landon Donovan: He helped lead the Galaxy to back-to-back Finals in 2005 and 2006, winning the title for the only time in his career in 2006. Donovan is still the only Galaxy player to earn TheCup.us Player of the Round honors, earning the recognition for his two overtime goals in a 3-1 victory against Colorado Rapids in the Quarterfinals of the 2006 run. He had three of his six career Open Cup goals in that campaign, scoring two in 2005 and one in 2004 for San Jose, where he made eight tournament appearances but only reached the Semifinals once. He did not play in the Third Round match this year after returning from the Gold Cup.
Sean Franklin: The defender played in the Third Round match in the club’s 2-1 victory against the LA Blues. Last year he came off the bench in the 71st minute of the Quarterfinal loss to Seattle already trailing by two.
Omar Gonzalez: The team’s defender of the year last season played in the club’s Quarterfinal loss to Seattle last year. He played in the Third Round 2-1 victory against the LA Blues this year, scoring the equalizer and setting up the game-winner by Mike Magee.
Thierry Henry: Has yet to play in the US Open Cup. Signed with the Red Bulls two weeks after the club’s Third Round upset loss to Harrisburg last year and did not play in the Third Round match last month.
Jack Jewsbury: The midfielder scored the opening goal of a 2-0 victory over Chivas USA in the qualification opener earlier this year, but was not in the lineup for the club’s 1-0 overtime loss the next round. While in Kansas City from 2003-10, the team reached the Quarterfinals four times and in its only trip beyond that point went on to win the tournament in 2004. He made three appearances in the championship campaign, making two starts including the Final.
Kasey Keller: The netminder has been the winning goalkeeper for the Seattle Sounders in the past two USOC Finals and was named the Player of the Tournament by TheCup.us in 2009. His Sounders are in the Quarterfinals a third consecutive year, but Keller did not play in the Third Round.
Rafa Marquez: In his first year in the league, the Mexican star did not play in the Third Round after returning from the Gold Cup.
Tim Ream: Despite returning from the Gold Cup, he started and played the scoreless first half of the Third Round 2-1 victory against FC New York. He entered last year’s upset 1-0 overtime loss to Harrisburg in the 80th minute, falling in the Third Round on a strike in the 117th minute.
Brek Shea: Started his first Open Cup game in the Third Round 3-2 victory against Orlando since coming off the bench (70th minute) already down two goals in the 2008 Quarterfinal upset loss, 3-1, at home to the Charleston Battery.
Chris Wondolowski: Started and played the full 120 minutes of both overtime qualification matches earlier this year as the team edged Portland 1-0 and fell in penalties to Chicago in a 2-2 draw. He scored the opening spot kick only to see two teammates hit the crossbar. He made his first Open Cup appearance off the bench in 2005 with San Jose before moving with the team to Houston where the Dynamo reached the Quarterfinals and Semifinals only once in his tenure (2006). He is one of only three players to score goals representing the USASA and MLS (Dan Stebbins, Juan Sastoque) in the tournament, tallying the third goal for Houston in a 3-0 Quarterfinal win against Dallas and the lone goal in a 2004 First Round loss, 2-1, for Chico Rooks against the PDL Boulder Rapids Reserve. He is the only one of the three to score for a USASA entrant prior to his MLS career. He returned to San Jose in 2009 via an in-season trade prior to the Dynamo playing in the tournament, but has yet to see the club reach the Open Cup.
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