ProSoccerTalk’s Best XI from Week 2 in Major League Soccer includes a man one blogger called The Wizard of Earnshaw. I mean, how great is that!
Goalkeeper:
- New England’s Matt Reis
Why we like them: His big save – no, let’s go with “massive” – on Dilly Duka’s wonderful first-half shot was a real game-saver as New England got the year started with three fairly massive points on the road.
Back line:
- Montreal Impact’s Hassoun Camara
- D.C. United’s Dejan Jakovic
- Philadelphia Union’s Amobi Okugo
- Toronto FC’s Darren O’Dea
Why we like them: Camara started his team’s scoring in a big road win with a spectacular overhead kick, then helped get the job done on defense. (Let’s face it, we’re a sucker for the overhead kick. Especially when it’s an outside back doing the overhead kicking.)
As for O’Dea, he got the job done for Ryan Nelsen’s team, then handed off all the credit.
Jakovic stepped into the challenges with just the right amount of force as D.C. United prevailed in its home opener, against RSL.
(MORE: Okugo is ProSoccerTalk’s MLS Player of the Week)
Midfield:
- Montreal’s Patrice Bernier
- Vancouver Whitcaps’s Kenny Miller (pictured)
- Chivas USA’s Giovani Casillas
Why we like them: Remember how effective Portland’s Diego Valeri was last week. Well, Montreal’s Bernier sure does. And he was having none of that Saturday in Oregon, working hard to keep the Timbers’ playmaker under wraps as his team took the big road win to go 2-0.
Casillas played just less than half an hour for the Goats, but his introduction helped change the game as Chivas USA rallied from a goal down to give its new manager his first MLS victory.
In Vancouver, the veteran Scotsman took the armband from injured captain Jay DeMerit, then made everyone feel good about it, running the attack and capitalizing on a boo-boo to supply a confident game-winner over visiting Columbus.
Forwards:
- Toronto FC’s Robert Earnshaw
- New England’s Jerry Bengtson
- San Jose’s Adam Jahn
Why we like them: The piece called TFC’s two-goal man The Wizard of Earnshaw. I mean, how great is that! Bengtson’s hold-up play was important, but his goal was technically perfect, and what a huge goal it was for New England, which opened the season with a win on the road.
Like Casillas, San Jose’s Jahn was a second-half game-changer off the bench. He got free for the Earthquakes’ late equalizer. Then he punished New York again by earning the penalty kick, which Chris Wondolowski converted, although not before a little bit more drama still.