RSL's Pope selected to MLS all-star team

Real Salt Lake has its first-ever all-star.

Eddie Pope, a nine-time MLS all-star selection, will be in the starting lineup for the MLS all-star team that will face English Premier League club Fulham FC at the 2005 All-Star Game on July 30 at Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.

Pope's ninth all-star-game selection ties the record for most career nominations with current MetroStars defender Jeff Agoos.

Pope, a 31-year-old defensive stalwart, is one of the most accomplished defenders in MLS and American soccer history. A member of the 1998 and 2002 World Cup teams, Pope has started 11 contests for Real Salt Lake in 2005, scoring one goal.

Four members of Western Conference leaders FC Dallas will be in the starting lineup.

Dallas will bring both strikers in Carlos Ruiz and U.S. national team phenom Eddie Johnson, along with defender Greg Vanney and midfielder Ronnie O'Brien.

The New England Revolution will have three starters at the game July 30 — midfielders Clint Dempsey and Shalrie Joseph and goalkeeper Matt Reis.

Also making the squad were midfielders Landon Donovan of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Amado Guevara of the MetroStars and defender Jimmy Conrad of the Kansas City Wizards.

League Commissioner Don Garber announced the starters Wednesday at a news conference in Columbus. He said reserves would be announced today.

The starters were chosen by equal vote among coaches and general managers, fans, media and players.

Garber said the league scheduled the all-star game against Fulham in large part because the club features former Chicago Fire defender Carlos Bocanegra and former Columbus Crew star Brian McBride, both regulars for the U.S. national team.

"We could have picked a wide variety of teams, and Fulham is one that we chose for that very reason."