Sounders FC’s All-Star class of 2014 grew by two on Saturday, as Osvaldo Alonso and Chad Marshall were added to a group that already included Clint Dempsey, Obafemi Martins and DeAndre Yedlin. With five total, Seattle has more representatives in next month’s All-Star Game in Portland than any other team in MLS.
For Alonso, the four-time Sounders FC MVP, it is the fourth All-Star selection after he earned the honors in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Marshall earned his third All-Star selection and first since 2010. The MLS All-Stars will compete against Bayern Munich on August 6 at Providence Park in Portland.
“It always feels great when they call you and tell you’re an All-Star,” Alonso said. “I’m very happy to be there and be a part of that group and play against Bayern Munich.”
Alonso has been the fulcrum around which Seattle has swung throughout the season, and the holding midfielder has been pivotal in driving Sounders FC to a league-best 12-4-2 record. Marshall, meanwhile, has been a defensive wonder in the middle of the back line for Sounders FC. With Yedlin and Marshall joining on the defensive side and Dempsey and Martins representing the league’s top-scoring offense, Seattle’s All-Stars put on display the balance that has helped the club reach so much success over the first 18 matches of the season.
“It’s always great to be there with your teammates—Clint, Oba, DeAndre, and Chad,” Alonso said. “It’s exciting for me. I’m very happy for all of us.”
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Dempsey and Yedlin were voted to the All-Star team by fans, while Martins earned his spot through the EA Sports “More than a vote” Challenge, in which goals scored on the EA Sports FIFA 14 game counted as votes for forwards around the league.
Ten out of 19 MLS teams are represented on the All-Star team, with Seattle leading the way with five selections. The other clubs with multiple selections are Sporting Kansas City, LA Galaxy and the New York Red Bulls with three each and two each from Toronto FC, Real Salt Lake and the Portland Timbers.
The full 23-man All-Star roster is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
Defenders: Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Aurélien Collin (Sporting Kansas City), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Chad Marshall (Seattle Sounders FC), Michael Parkhurst (Columbus Crew), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)
Midfielders: Osvaldo Alonso (Seattle Sounders FC), Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Tim Cahill (New York Red Bulls), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Will Johnson (Portland Timbers), Diego Valeri (Portland Timbers), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
Forwards: Jermain Defoe (Toronto FC), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls), Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy), Obafemi Martins (Seattle Sounders FC), Erick Torres (Chivas USA), Bradley Wright-Phillips (New York Red Bulls)
