This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
No players from Real Salt Lake were voted onto the First XI of the MLS All-Star team that was announced today, but that doesn't mean none of them will represent the league when it plays Manchester United on July 27.While the First XI was decided entirely by fan voting, the rest of the game-day roster will be chosen by league commissioner Don Garber and all-star coach Hans Backe of the New York Red Bulls. It's hard to imagine that at least one or two RSL players wouldn't be chosen, especially considering how good the team has been defensively this season.Goalkeeper Nick Rimando has a 0.75 goals-against average — better than everybody else in the league except injured Donovan Ricketts of Los Angeles, including First XI choice Kasey Keller — and has spearheaded a defense that has allowed the fewest goals in the league, while defender Jamison Olave is the reigning MLS Defender of the Year who pretty clearly has had a better season than at least Rafa Marquez, who made the First XI while playing only nine of 20 games for the Red Bulls.Most of the First XI is hard to quibble much with, though.Forwards Thierry Henry of New York and Landon Donovan of Los Angeles share the league lead in scoring — San Jose's Chris Wondolowski is the only arguable choice up top — while midfielders David Beckham of the Galaxy, Jack Jewsbury of Portland and Brek Shea all have enjoyed tremendous seasons, and defenders Sean Franklin and Omar Gonzalez have been the Galaxy's answers to RSL's Olave and Nat Borchers.Commissioner Garber will make his two choices on Saturday, before Backe fills out the roster on July 18. The MLS All-Star Game takes place at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey on July 27.