Photo by Nick Turchiaro/ISIPhotos.com
By IVES GALARCEP
It hasn’t taken long for Major League Soccer’s incoming class of international newcomers to make an impact.
MLS Week Two saw several new faces turn in standout performances, led by the Toronto FC tandem of Robert Earnshaw and John Bostock. Vancouver Japanese midfielder Daigo Kobayashi delivered his second straight gem, complete with Goal of the Week contender, while New England centerback Jose Goncalves helped lead the Revs to a shutout win in his MLS debut.
A couple of second-year MLS players returned to the Best XI after repeated appearances here last year. Patrice Bernier earned SBI MLS Player of the Week honors for his masterful showing vs. Portland, while Vancouver’s Lee Yung Pyo turned in another complete outing in a Whitecaps win.
Here are this week’s picks for the SBI MLS BestXI:
SBI MLS Best XI: Week Two
HONORABLE MENTION: Dan Kennedy, James Riley, Darren O’Dea, Victor Bernardez, Andrew Farrell, Oswaldo Minda, Reggie Lambe, John Thorrington, Sam Cronin, Nigel Reo-Coker, Chris Pontius, David Ferreira, Adam Jahn, Juan Agudelo, Jerry Bengtson.
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What do you think of this week’s selections? Who didn’t make the Best XI that you feel should have? Who is on the squad that you were happy to see honored.
Share your thoughts beow.
Ives, I am a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ghana. I enjoy your blog and have to get my MLS fix from internet articles since I can’t watch the games. Would you mind writing the players names similar to how you have the honorable mention written? The internet is slow here and struggles to load the pictures.
Thanks!
Glad to see so many of my Revs on here and in honorable mention. Nguyen, Bengston, Farrell, Reis, and Goncalves all looked good.
What about Kwame Watson-Siriboe, Ives?
No Jack Mac? Goal-line clearance and a game-winning goal? Wow
He was pretty much absent all game… bad crosses and lazy runs… had a solid last 10 mins tho… Pretty sure there were other people with better overall games
Canadian domination. America’s Hat had a good week!
It’s the infamous “Great White North media bias.”
Seriously lacking in Americans…
and white players, for that matter
sooo few protestant frat boys who belong to skull and bones …. RACISTS.
others have mentioned it, but brandon mcdonald was near flawless on saturday. deserves notice, cause that doesn’t happen very often.
What? No Roy Miller in this week’s best XI? This list is rubbish.
Agreed. He single-handedly won that game for (his) team.
ay i dont see how NR-C is an honorable mention. He was absent that game. Miller n Kobayashi on point doe. I aint mad atchya Vancouver. #crew96
Pajoy’s game winner doesn’t merit inclusion on this list? Color me perplexed.
No it shouldn’t, but I thought Jako and McDonald both put in really good shifts, surprised they aren’t even honorably mentioned.
he would have to not crap all over the place the rest of the game to be included in this list.
Simply scoring a goal doesn’t put you on the Best XI for the week. by that logic the team would include everybody who scored.
Am I crazy to think Lee Nguyen’s name could be in the conversation for the Gold Cup?? He was playing with so much confidence and poise before a shoulder injury abruptly ended his 2012 season. Nguyen was definitely one of the few bright spots on a poor NE team last season. Based on last weekend’s match, it’s not a stretch to think that good form is back. I love his game. He brings a little flair but can play simple and effective. I know he has 3 caps back in 2007 when he was just a young prospect. It hasn’t been an easy road since then but it appears it’s all coming together. Could he be international caliber??
Had a six game mini pac to the revs last year and by the end of the season my girlfriend and I were going to pretty much watch Nguyen. I’m hoping that he gets the nod for the gold cup
He’s got game
I know he only played about 35 minutes, but Kelyn Rowe should at least be on the honor roll. He turned that game for the revs.