NEW YORK – Landon Donovan’s string of MLS All-Star appearances is over, but DeAndre Yedlin’s might just be getting started.
MLS All-Star manager Peter Vermes and league Commissioner Don Garber filled out the final 18-man game day roster on Monday for the upcoming summer showcase later this month, and it’s just as memorable for the names on the list as well as the big one left off.
Those added by Vermes include Real Salt Lake captain and US national team regular Kyle Beckerman and LA Galaxy striker Robbie Keane, while Garber opted to use his traditional two Commissioner’s picks on New York Red Bulls Designated Player Tim Cahill and the young Seattle Sounders defender Yedlin, who becomes the first rookie named to the gameday roster since defender Michael Parkhurst earned the honor for the New England Revolution in 2005.
Donovan, meanwhile, was left off the roster for the first time in his MLS career, snapping a league-record of 12 consecutive All-Star appearances.
Vermes also added Real Salt Lake’s Nick Rimando as a backup goalkeeper, defenders Corey Ashe (Houston Dynamo) and Tony Beltran (Real Salt Lake), midfielder Patrice Bernier (Montreal Impact) and forward Camillo Sanvezzo (Vancouer Whitecaps).
Yedlin, Cahill, Keane, Ashe, Beltran, Bernier and Sanvezzo are all making their first All-Star appearances. Beckerman will appear his seventh consecutive All-Star Game, while Rimando will make the third appearance of his career.
The first 10 players on the roster were named by the fans earlier this month, while Montreal Impact forward Marco Di Vaio was added to the roster via the ‘In the Game’ Challenge on July 11.
The All-Stars take Serie A side AS Roma in the AT&T MLS All-Star Game on July 31 at Sporting Park (9 pm ET/ 6pm PT | ESPN2, UniMas in the US; TSN and RDS in Canada).
MLS All-Star Gameday Roster
Goalkeeper: Raúl Fernández (FC Dallas), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
Defenders: Corey Ashe (Houston Dynamo), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Tony Beltran (Real Salt Lake), Aurélien Collin (Sporting Kansas City), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)
Midfielders: Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Patrice Bernier (Montreal Impact), Tim Cahill (New York Red Bulls), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Will Johnson (Portland Timbers), Mike Magee (Chicago Fire), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
Forwards: Marco Di Vaio (Montreal Impact), Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls), Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy), Camilo Sanvezzo (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
