July 17, 2002

NEW YORK, NY- - Release Courtesy of Major League Soccer

Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber today unveiled the starting 11 for the MLS All-Stars which will face the U.S. National Team in the 2002 Pepsi MLS All-Star Game. The contest kicks off at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, August 3, at 3:30 p.m. ET and will be televised live on ABC Sports. The MLS All-Star Team will feature five players making their first-ever All-Star appearance, including the League's top two scorers, Taylor Twellman and Carlos Ruiz.

Twellman, the 22 year-old sensation from the New England Revolution, is joined up top by the Los Angeles Galaxy's Ruiz, a Guatemalan forward. Both players lead the League with 13 goals during their first MLS campaigns. Also making their first All-Star appearances are defenders Carlos Bocanegra (Chicago Fire) and Ryan Suarez (Dallas Burn), along with midfielder Richard Mulrooney (San Jose Earthquakes).

By contrast, the Colorado Rapids' midfield duo of Carlos Valderrama (sixth selection) and Mark Chung (four appearances) have a total of 10 MLS All-Star Game appearances between them. New England Revolution midfielder Steve Ralston and MetroStars defender Mike Petke each appear for the third time in the League's midseason celebration.

In addition to Colorado and New England, two other teams - the Chicago Fire and MetroStars - also placed two players in the starting 11, as goalkeeper Tim Howard (MetroStars) and midfielder Dema Kovalenko (Chicago) earned starting nods for 2002. Seven of the League's 10 teams are represented in the MLS starting selection, while D.C. United, Columbus and Kansas City saw several players named to Bruce Arena's U.S. National Team yesterday. The selection for the MLS All-Stars is as follows (3-5-2 formation):

MLS ALL-STAR STARTING 11
Name               Pos.    MLS Club                All-Star App.
Tim Howard         GK      New Jersey MetroStars   Second
Ryan Suarez        D       Dallas Burn             First
Mike Petke         D       MetroStars              Third
Carlos Bocanegra   D       Chicago Fire            First
Richard Mulrooney  M       San Jose Earthquakes    First
Steve Ralston      M       N.E. Revolution         Third
Carlos Valderrama  M       Colorado Rapids         Sixth
Mark Chung         M       Colorado Rapids         Fourth
Dema Kovalenko     M       Chicago Fire            Second
Carlos Ruiz        F       Los Angeles Galaxy      First
Taylor Twellman    F       N.E. Revolution         First 

Coaching Staff: San Jose Earthquakes Head Coach: Frank Yallop Assistant Coach: Dominic Kinnear Trainer: Bruce Morgan

The starters were selected by (1) fans, (2) fellow players, (3) MLS coaches and general managers, and (4) a media panel, with each group's total votes representing 25% of the total. Fans had determined the starting 11 during the four previous MLS seasons. All-Star reserves for the MLS roster will be named on Tuesday, July 23, by Head Coach Frank Yallop in conjunction with Major League Soccer. In addition, MLS Commissioner Don Garber will select two players to round out the roster of 18 players that will face the U.S. National Team on August 3. Yallop earned the honor of coaching the MLS squad by leading the defending champion San Jose Earthquakes to the best record in the League through the midway point of the 2002 season (8-4-2, 26 points). Named MLS Coach of the Year in 2001, Yallop will make his first MLS All-Star appearance after masterminding San Jose's worst-to-first turnaround last season.

The 2002 Pepsi MLS All-Star Game featuring MLS All-Stars and the U.S. National Team offers four levels of ticket pricing, ranging from $27 to $55 for individuals, and $22 to $45 for groups of 20 or more. For Group Sales and Season ticket package information call D.C. United at (703) 478-6600; or go online at www.dcunited.com and at RFK Stadium advance sales during all D.C. United home games. For individual tickets call TicketMaster - (202) 432 - SEAT (metro D.C.); (410) 481 - SEAT (Baltimore & MD); (703) 573 - SEAT (Virginia); or go online at www.ticketmaster.com and at all TicketMaster outlets including HECHT's, Tower Records and at RFK Stadium.

Soccer fans in the nation's capital have proven to be some of the country's most loyal, as United has increased its home attendance during each of the past three seasons, including a League-leading average of 21,518 in 2001. United's passionate and knowledgeable supporters clubs such as the Screaming Eagles and Barra Brava have repeatedly given the Black-and-Red one of the greatest home-field advantages in MLS.

RFK Stadium, the site of two MLS Cup Championship matches, will host its first MLS All-Star Game as the event returns to the East Coast for the first time since 1997. On August 2-3, Pepsi and MLS will host numerous family oriented events, activities and tournaments at RFK and in the Washington, D.C. area.