SAN JOSE, Calif. – San Jose Earthquakes forward Chris Wondolowski and defenders Steven Beitashour and Ramiro Corrales will face European Champion Chelsea in the 2012 MLS AT&T All-Star Game on July 25 at PPL Park (5:30 p.m. PT / ESPN2, TeleFutura) after the trio were named to the gameday roster by coach Ben Olsen on Sunday.
San Jose and Sporting Kansas City were the lone teams to place three on the squad. The last time the Earthquakes had three or more players selected to the MLS All-Star game was in 2004 when Jeff Agoos, Brian Ching, Landon Donovan, Richard Mulrooney and Pat Onstad made the list.
The All-Star nod is Wondolowski’s second after he suited up against Manchester United in last year’s event. After his hat trick against Real Salt Lake on Saturday, Wondolowski leads the Budweiser Golden Boot race with 17 goals through San Jose’s first 20 games, six better than the next-closest pursuer. Wondolowski also leads MLS in game-winning goals with eight, one away from tying the league record for a single season.
For his efforts, Wondolowski won MLS Player of the Month awards in April and June, becoming one of four players in league history to earn the recognition twice in the same season. He also received a call-up to U.S. Men’s National Team duty from May 26 to June 12, earning his eighth cap in the process.
Beitashour’s All-Star selection is the first in his three-year MLS career. The 25-year-old right back is tied for fourth in MLS with six assists, the most by any other defender. His service has generated two game winners for San Jose in 2012. He has also been a key component of a San Jose defense that has kept five clean sheets this season and helped the club to a league-best 12-4-4 record. Beitashour is one of two players on the squad who has appeared in each of the Earthquakes’ 20 games to date.
Corrales will make his first career All-Star appearance. The 14-year MLS veteran was one of two picks made by league commissioner Don Garber on Sunday. He is the last remaining player to suit up in the league’s inaugural 1996 season. Corrales is all over San Jose’s career record books, leading the way in games played (330), games started (212) and minutes played (18,839). He is also one of just 20 players in MLS history to appear in 200 matches for the same club. So far in 2012, Corrales has five assists in 14 games, third-most on the Earthquakes.
2012 MLS All-Star Gameday Roster
Goalkeepers (2): Dan Kennedy (Chivas USA), Jimmy Nielsen (Sporting Kansas City)
Defenders (6):Steven Beitashour (San Jose Earthquakes), Aurélien Collin (Sporting Kansas City), Ramiro Corrales (San Jose Earthquakes), Jay DeMerit (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Heath Pearce (New York Red Bulls), Carlos Valdes (Philadelphia Union)
Midfielders (6): Osvaldo Alonso (Seattle Sounders FC), David Beckham (LA Galaxy), Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Dwayne De Rosario (D.C. United), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
Forwards (4): Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls), Eddie Johnson (Seattle Sounders FC), Chris Pontius (D.C. United), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
