The Colombian influence in MLS continues to grow.
FC Dallas continued to do their part in maintaining the trend by signing 25-year-old Colombian striker Luis Perea, adding a complement up top to Blas Perez and giving FCD more firepower during a time which Brek Shea is off on U.S. Under-23 duty. Perea most recently played in Peru and Chile, but his last club, Peruvian side Universidad San Martin de Porres, folded.
According to a club release, FCD was able to sign Perea through a connection established by new technical director Fernando Clavijo, who knew his father — former Colombian national team defender and two-time World Cup veteran Luis Carlos Perea.
The younger Perea announced his arrival immediately, scoring a goal and assisting on another in FC Dallas' 3-1 reserve league victory over Real Salt Lake Tuesday night. Bryan Leyva and Jonathan Top also scored for FCD, while rookie Emiliano Bonfigli opened the scoring for Real Salt Lake in the ninth minute. Nat Borchers started for RSL after sitting out the regular season opener while he comes back from a knee injury.
Here are a few more notes from around MLS:
IMPACT TICKET SALES REACH 50,000
The Montreal Impact are on a quest to set an attendance record when they host their first home MLS match this weekend, and they are well on their way to achieving that goal.
The club announced that it has passed the 50,000 mark in ticket sales for Saturday's match against the Chicago Fire. It needs to sell a little more than 8,000 more to break the Olympic Stadium record set by the 1981 Montreal Manic, who played in front of 58,542 against the Chicago Sting.
Temporary on-field seats have been added to push the capacity for the stadium to around 60,000.
REVS ADD GERMAN DEFENDER
The New England Revolution acquired German defender Florian Lechner on a free transfer from 2. Bundesliga side Karlsruher SC, adding a versatile piece to their back line.
Lechner, 31, is a right back by trade but can play anywhere across the defense, according to a team release. With Darrius Barnes (calf strain) ruled out for this weekend's match at Sporting Kansas City, John Lozano (hip flexor) listed as doubtful and A.J. Soares still dealing with a knee injury, the club's options were starting to become increasingly thin.
Lechner had trained with the club during its preseason stint in Tucson, Ariz.
SOUNDERS ADD MIDFIELD DEPTH
The Seattle Sounders added to their midfield depth by agreeing to terms with rookie Andy Rose and securing the transfer of Alex Caskey from the Charleston Battery.
Rose was a Real Salt Lake 2012 supplemental draft pick who was then shipped to Seattle for the rights to Leone Cruz. A standout defensive midfielder and captain at UCLA, Rose occupies an international roster slot, something that became less of an issue for the Sounders after Mauro Rosales and Alvaro Fernandez received their green cards last week.
The attack-minded Caskey was a third-round draft pick by the Sounders in the 2011 SuperDraft but signed with the Battery, accounting for a goal and an assist in 15 starts.
D.C. SIGNS NEAL
After a trial, former Stoke City midfielder Lewis Neal earned a contract with D.C. United, signing with the club on Tuesday.
The 30-year-old Neal was most recently with Orlando City, where he helped the club to the USL Pro championship. With Perry Kitchen and Andy Najar missing time for international duty, the versatile Neal, who played for a number of teams in his native England, will help provide cover and depth in the midfield.
HOUSTON WINS RESERVE OPENER
Former University of Virginia and U.S youth standout Brian Ownby broke a scoreless tie in the 80th minute, as the Houston Dynamo topped the Colorado Rapids 1-0 in the reserve league opener for both clubs.
Ownby, whose checkered injury past facilitated a drop to the 2012 supplemental draft, scored off a rebound of a saved Jermaine Taylor shot after rookie Warren Creavalle played Taylor through into the area.
Homegrown goalkeeper Tyler Deric made five saves to earn the clean sheet for Houston.
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What do you think of the signing for FCD? Impressed by the expected turnout in Montreal? Think Lechner can help the Revs' defensive woes? Do you see Rose or Neal being key contributors for Seattle and D.C.? Think Ownby can materialize into a supplemental draft steal for the Dynamo?
Share your thoughts below.