Team of the Week: MLS Week 13

A third of the way through the MLS campaign, Seattle Sounders stoppage-time winner ensured they still lead the Supporters’ Shield race.

However, Sporting Kansas City produced by far and away the performance of the week to hand FC Dallas their second 4-0 defeat of the season.

But who makes our MLS Team of the Week this time round?

Goalkeeper – Stefan Frei (Seattle Sounders)

Frei has conceded just ten times in 13 games this season

Lloyd Sam’s header ended Seattle’s three-match run without conceding a goal, but by then Frei had already kept his weekly cleansheet in the Sounders’ 1-0 victory over Colorado Rapids.

The Swiss goalkeeper tops the MLS golden glove race having kept seven cleansheets in just 13 games in 2015.

Centre Back – Justin Morrow (Toronto)

The veteran has slotted in well at right back for Toronto in recent weeks, but plays at centre back in our All-Star’s 3-4-3 formation for Week 13.

Morrow opened the scoring in Toronto’s 3-1 victory with a splendid diving header and was solid in defence from start to finish, snuffing out everything San Jose had to offer.

Centre Back – Jeff Larentowicz (Chicago Fire)

Chicago Fire picked up their first cleansheet in five games in their 3-0 win over Montreal Impact, and Larentowicz produced a dominant display in their best defensive performance in 2015.

The centre-half also takes penalties for Fire and added the second from the spot as Frank Yallop’s side ran amok in the first half and moved into the Eastern Conference play-off spots.

Zusi burst into life against Dallas

Centre Back – Kevin Ellis (Sporting Kansas City)

Sporting KC swept aside a ten-man FC Dallas on Friday night and Ellis was at the centre of things at both ends of the pitch.

He controlled a relaxed Kansas back line and caused chaos at offensive set pieces as he grabbed a goal and an assist in the 4-0 victory.

Right Midfield – Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

Zusi has had a relatively quiet start to 2015 but burst into life to produce a man of the match performance in his side’s 4-0 victory over FC Dallas.

The US international had a hand in two of Sporting KC’s first three goals before finishing a neat team move to make it 4-0 in the second half.

Centre Midfield –  Matt Polster (Chicago Fire)

Polster continues to produce performances better matched to a veteran holding midfielder rather than a rookie.

He produced another assured performance in front of Chicago’s back four as they eased past Montreal and showed why he is an early contender for rookie of the year.

Centre Midfield – Gershon Koffie (Vancouver Whitecaps)

Koffie celebrated making his 100^th MLS start for Vancouver Whitecaps by unleashing a 25-yard thunderbolt that left US international goalkeeper Nick Rimando with no hope.

The midfielder is best known for his work breaking up play in the Whitecaps midfield but ensured that his landmark appearance was a night to remember for the right reasons.

Pappa scored in both of Seattle's games this week

Left Midfield – Marco Pappa (Seattle Sounders)

Just when people were beginning to believe that stopping Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins meant stopping Seattle, Pappa found the net twice in a week to prove them wrong.

The winger produced a curling right-footed effort to earn all three points against Colorado before going even better with a fierce left-footed equaliser as the Sounder’s beat New York Red Bulls 2-1.

Striker – Krisztian Nemeth (Sporting Kansas City)

English fans might not remember Nemeth, who spent two years in Liverpool’s academy system but he is quickly making a name for himself in America.

The Hungarian added another goal and assist to his tallies in his first season in the USA and his partnership with last season’s top scorer, Dom Dwyer, is becoming one of the deadliest in MLS.

Striker – Ignacio Maganto (LA Galaxy)

The rookie forward thought he had scored his first MLS goal against FC Dallas before it was ruled offside but there could be no questions this time round.

The youngster opened his account with a majestic half-volley from just outside the area against New England Revolution, and topped off his performance by assisting LA Galaxy’s second.

Striker – Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto)

In a surprising turn of events Giovinco failed to score this weekend, but he still makes our team of the week after registering two assists and terrorising San Jose Earthquake’s defence.

The Italian has now scored or made an assist in nine of Toronto’s 11 MLS fixtures this season – with five league goals already he could be the most important signing of 2015.

Images courtesy of Victor Decolongon and Otto Greule Jr, with thanks.