Photo by ISIPhotos.com
By IVES GALARCEP
Jack McInerney’s breakout season really took off in April, with a league-leading four goals during the month, good for the MLS lead and good for a spot on the SBI MLS Best XI for the Month of April.
From his stoppage-time equalizer vs. Toronto FC, to his virtuoso performance in the Philadelphia Union’s 3-2 win vs. D.C. United, McInerney has thrust himself into the U.S. Men’s National Team conversation at the age of 20 and is now poised to challenge the MLS record for most goals before the age of 21 (currently held by Columbus midfielder Eddie Gaven).
McInerney is joined on April’s Best XI by a trio of Portland Timbers who helped drive the Timbers to an unbeaten month. SBI Player of the Month Will Johnson leads the way for a Portland side that also included a pair of honorable mention selections that could have easily been on the Best XI.
The April Best XI wouldn’t be complete without at least one Cinderella story, and Colorado goalkeeper Clint Irwin fits that bill. He helped the injury-ravaged Rapids compile a 2-1-1 record despite losing a starting lineup’s worth of players to injury.
Here is the rest of the SBI MLS Best XI of the month of April:
SBI MLS BEST XI OF THE MONTH (APRIL)
Dominic Oduro———–Ryan Johnson—————Jack McInerney
————Michel———-Will Johnson———Diego Chara————
Roy Miller—-Matt Besler———–George John——-Josh Williams
———————————-Clint Irwin————————————–
HONORABLE MENTION
Raul Fernandez, Mikael Silvestre, Omar Gonzalez, Aurelien Collin, Zach Loyd, Brian Mullan, Matt Hedges, Dax McCarty, Tim Cahill, David Ferreira, Andrew Jacobson, Nigel Reo-Coker, Oriol Rosell, Rodney Wallace, Graham Zusi, Thierry Henry
————
What do you think of our selections? Who are you happy to see included? Who do you feel was the biggest snub?
Share your thoughts below.