All-Stars: MLS Week 11

It was a bad week for the Supporters’ Shield leaders as DC United and Vancouver Whitecaps both lost, while Orlando City finally claimed their first home win.

Nine matches produced 24 goals but who makes into our MLS Team of the Week...

Frei is in his seventh season in MLS - his second for Seattle

Goalkeeper- Stefan Frei (Seattle Sounders)

Seattle’s Swiss keeper made a league-high five saves to help the Sounders move to within a point of Vancouver Whitecaps, thanks to a 2-0 victory over their Cascadia Cup rivals.

The Supporters’ Shield holders kept their fifth cleansheet of the season but the outcome could have been very different had Frei not reached Pedro Morales’ looping effort with the score at 1-0.

Centre Back – Eric Avila (Orlando City)

Avila scored the opener as Orlando City claimed their first home MLS victory at the fifth attempt, sweeping aside a lacklustre LA Galaxy.

Orlando City were dominant from start to finish and the defence were key to that; Avila and co. restricted Galaxy to just one shot on target which came with the score already 4-0.

Centre Back – Maurice Edu (Philadelphia Union)

Few gave Philadelphia Union a chance against DC United – MLS’ in-form side – but Jim Curtin’s side, marshalled by Edu, produced a magnificent display.

The towering centre-back was the stand-out performer as DC failed to muster a single attempt on target, allowing Zach Pfeffer to steal all three points at the death.

Romero scored two in Montreal's 1st win

Centre Back – Matt Hedges (FC Dallas)                      

Dallas have relied on their attack this season but when they didn’t fire, Hedges turned up trumps marshalling his defence to a cleansheet that earned a point and sees them top the MLS standings.

2015 has been a good year for the centre back – so far he has passed 100 regular season appearances for Dallas and made his debut for the US national team.

Right Midfield – Andres Romero (Montreal Impact)

Playing on the right of Montreal’s 4-2-3-1 formation, Romero pounced twice in ten first half minutes as Montreal blew away Real Salt Lake to claim their first win of the season.

The Argentine notched his first with a calm chip beyond Nick Rimando before adding an altogether easier second tapping into an open goal after Dominic Oduro’s effort struck the post.

Centre Midfield – Darwin Ceren (Orlando City)

Ceren was the first name on our teamsheet this week, as he produced a textbook midfield performance against the reigning MLS Cup champions.

He was everywhere in defence, stealing the ball of Galaxy’s midfield time and time again, and backed up Orlando’s attack to perfection, and deservedly added his side’s fourth from long-range.

Centre Midfield – Michael Bradley (Toronto FC)

The US captain hasn’t replicated his international form with Toronto very regularly this season but produced a moment of individual brilliance to earn a draw with New England.

Bradley won the ball in midfield, muscled off the first defender, glided past two more Revolution players and slid the ball home from just inside the area. A goal of the week contender for sure.

Maloney was on fire for Chicago

Left Midfield – Shaun Maloney (Chicago Fire)

The FA Cup winner has blown hot and cold in the early stages of his MLS career but he burst into life in New York as he dominated Fire’s red-hot first-half performance.

Maloney’s inch-perfect free kick allowed Razvan Cocis to head home the opener and he continued to be New York’s tormenter in chief creating a number of chances for himself and his teammates.

Striker – Chad Barrett (Seattle Sounders)

Football is about taking opportunities and Barrett took his with aplomb – making his first start of the campaign, in place of Obafemi Martins, the striker scored both goals for Seattle.

It is difficult to see Barrett keeping Martins out when he returns from his mystery leg injury, but a two-goal a game back-up striker can’t be a bad thing for Seattle.

Striker – Cyle Larin (Orlando City)

Larin looks to have found his feet in MLS - after a difficult start to his rookie campaign the number one SuperDraft pick has now scored in back-to-back games for the first time.

Tesho Akindele scored seven times to claim Rookie of the Year in 2014; Larin has four goals already and is in line to become the second player ever to be first pick and Rookie of the Year.

Striker – Will Bruin (Houston Dynamo)

Giles Barnes’ has stolen the limelight for Houston this year, and although he got on the scoresheet once again he was outshone by Bruin in their 3-1 victory over Portland.

Bruin has played his entire professional career with the Dynamo and showed why he is such a valuable asset, adding a cheeky chipped third to his headed opener to seal victory.

Images courtesy of Victor Decolongon, Minas Panagiotakis and Thearon W. Henderson, with thanks.