Rogers, Donovan, Kljestan Named to MLS Best XI
Rolling Hills Estates' Robbie Rogers capped off a breakout season today when he was deservedly named to the MLS Best XI.
Also named: the Galaxy's Landon Donovan and Chivas USA's Sacha Kljestan, both of whom enjoyed the best seasons of their respective careers so far.
Rogers scored six goals and added three assists for the Columbus Crew, was a constant threat on the flank and teamed incredibly well with MLS MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto.
Donovan was one of the few bright spots on a ghastly Galaxy team, finishing as the league's top scorer with two hat tricks en route to a 20-goal total and winning the Honda Player of the Year award for an amazing fifth time.
Kljestan scored five goals this year, but more importantly was the propulsive spark in midfield for an injury-stricken Chivas USA team that needed his stability and leadership.
The complete team:
goalkeeper Jon Busch (Chicago Fire)
defenders Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards), Bakary Soumare (Chicago Fire), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew)
midfielders Cuauhtémoc Blanco (Chicago Fire), Guillermo Barros Schelotto (Columbus Crew), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew), Shalrie Joseph (New England Revolution), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA)
strikers Kenny Cooper (FC Dallas), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy).
Cooper was also named MLS Comeback Player of the Year after scoring 18 goals this season, rebounding from the broken shin he suffered eight games into the 2007 season.
Meanwhile, New Yawk Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and his Columbus counterpart Michael B. Coleman placed a friendly wager on Sunday's game.
The bet from the (edited) Red Bull press release:
If the Red Bulls win, Mayor Coleman will send a package of Ohio State Buckeye candies and a case of Columbus's finest ale from the Columbus Brewing Co. If the Crew wins, Mayor Bloomberg will send a large John's Special pizza pie in honor of Staten Island's own, Red Bulls' Forward John Wolyniec, from Basille's Restaurant on Staten Island, a large Italian Hero from Leo's Latticini and Mama's of Corona and a case of Brooklyn Lager from Brooklyn Brewery.
About 100 Percent Soccer
Sportswriter Nick Green has written the 100 Percent Soccer column since 2005 for the Daily News, Daily Breeze and other Los Angeles area newspapers. The blog of the same name began in 2007. A native of England, he began writing about soccer in the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat in the stands for one in the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer and is married to a long-suffering soccer widow. Join Nick on FaceBook and follow him on Twitter.
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