Online voting kicks off for the 2008 Pepsi MLS all-star game

17 maja 2008 @polishnews Sport Możliwość komentowania Online voting kicks off for the 2008 Pepsi MLS all-star game została wyłączona
Soccer ball on the grass

This year’s All-Star team will take on West Ham United, who boasts a roster full of international talent, highlighted by the captains of Sweden, Australia and Wales – Freddie Ljungberg, Lucas Neill and Craig Bellamy. The club also has several England internationals including Robert Green, Matthew Upson, Scott Parker and Kieron Dyer plus American defender Jonathan Spector and Portuguese forward Luis Boa Morte. West Ham United features one of soccer’s most recognizable jerseys, with the claret body and sky blue sleeves. The team is affectionately known as the “Hammers,” a reference to its origin as the company team for Thames Ironworks.  West Ham United finished in the top half of the English Premier League table with 49 points for the 2007-2008 season.

This year marks the fifth time that MLS All-Stars have taken on a high-profile international opponent in the MLS All-Star game. In 2003 the MLS All-Stars defeated Mexican club CD Guadalajara 3-1, in 2005 claimed a victory over English opponents Fulham 4-1, in 2006 beat English power Chelsea FC 1-0 and last year they defeated Scottish Premier League front-runners Celtic FC 2-0 on goals from New York Red Bulls striker Juan Pablo Angel and FC Dallas midfielder Juan Toja. The format of the Pepsi All-Star game makes it arguably the most competitive all-star game in American professional sports.

The announcement schedule for the 2008 Pepsi MLS All-Star Team is as follows. Dates are subject to change.

·         Wednesday, May 14 – Online fan voting begins
·         Monday, May 19 – All-Star Game media credential registration begins 
·         Monday, June 30 – All-Star Coach announced (decided by team with the most points per game as of June 29th)
·         Wednesday, July 2 – Online balloting ends
·         Thursday, July 10 – All-Star ‘First XI’ announced
·         Tuesday, July 15 – All-Star reserves announced

About Major League Soccer

Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer is the top-flight professional soccer league in the United States and features many stars from the U.S. and around the world.  Now in its 13th season, the 14 teams in MLS are: the Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, Chivas USA, Columbus Crew, D.C. United, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, Kansas City Wizards, Los Angeles Galaxy, New York Red Bulls, New England Revolution, Real Salt Lake, San Jose Earthquakes and Toronto FC.  For more information about MLS, log on to the League’s official Web site at www.MLSnet.com.

Fans can vote at www.mlsnet.com for the 11 players they want to face West Ham United