Top 11 players to watch for the Desert Friendlies

Major League Soccer starts up this week and we take a look at the best on offer for the first part of the preseason — the Desert Friendlies. The Portland Timbers and Sporting Kansas City will open the month-long football-fest on Jan. 31 at Kino Sports Complex North Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. The other Desert Friendly date will be Feb. 7. The doubleheader will consist of the Vancouver Whitecaps taking on the San Jose Earthquakes at 5 p.m. and Portland facing the Houston Dynamo at 7 p.m.

DAMARCUS BEASLEY, D, HOUSTON DYNAMO

This U.S. national team veteran (121 appearances and 17 goals) is a lethal left back who has played all over the world — Holland, England, Scotland, Germany and Mexico. He joined Houston in the middle of 2014. At 32, he still has the pace to go with excellent knack for knowing when to push forward. 

RICARDO CLARK, M, HOUSTON DYNAMO 

The 31-year-old may have moved from starter to man-off-the-bench, but his intensity level always makes him worth watching. He’s played 34 matches for the U.S. national team and helped Houston win the MLS Cup in 2006 and 2007. 

CHRISTIAN VOLESKY, F, PORTLAND TIMBERS (played for FC Tucson last season)

Talented, and no doubt hungry, Volesky scored five goals in 11 matches for FC Tucson last summer. He wrapped up his college career at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville with eight goals and four assists in his senior year as the Cougars reached the second round of the NCAA tournament. 

DARLINGTON NAGBE, M/F, PORTLAND TIMBERS 

Born in Liberia, the 24-year-old midfielder/forward is in his fifth season with the Timbers. The former University of Akron star is on track to become a U.S. citizen this year and says he’s open to competing for a spot on the U.S. national team. 

GRAHAM ZUSI, M, SPORTING KANSAS CITY 

Another U.S. national team member had two assists in last year’s World Cup and became a cult hero in Mexico when his dramatic equalizer in a World Cup qualifier against Panama helped Mexico remain alive in its bid to go to Brazil 2014. He had five goals and eight assists for Sporting last season. 

BENNY FEILHABER, M, SPORTING KANSAS CITY

Feilhaber may not get all the press that Zusi does, but his quality is second to none. Desert Diamond Cup historians (OK, so it’s only been four years) will likely choose his bicycle kick in the first 90 seconds of New England’s 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2012 as the greatest DDC goal ever. 

DOM DWYER, F, SPORTING KANSAS CITY 

Twenty-two goals in 33 matches last year, and he’s only 24. Born in England, Dwyer came to the US for an education and ended up winning national junior college player of the year honors and playing for a season at South Florida. In the last three seasons, which included a loan stint at Orlando City FC, he has 39 goals in 63 appearances. 

CHRIS WONDOLOWSKI, F, SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES

“Wondo” has scored in double figures in each of the last five seasons. Two years ago, he netted 27 to tie the MLS season record. He’s a right-place, right-time kind of scorer but does the hard work to get to those spots. He was offered a track scholarship by UCLA. 

DOMINIC KINNEAR, COACH, SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES 

He’s a winner, guiding Houston to two MLS Cup titles and helping San Jose win two MLS titles when he was an assistant. He returns to the Quakes this season in hopes of raising the team back to the level it was three years ago when they had the best record in the MLS. 

OCTAVIO RIVERO, F, VANCOUVER WHITECAPS

The Uruguayan is a new acquisition and just 23 years of age. He’s had 20 goals in 33 matches over the last two seasons for top-level professional clubs in Uruguay and Chile. Vancouver netted 42 goals last season, a total that was 14th among the 19 MLS teams. They can use a shot in the arm like Rivero. 

DAVID OUSTED, G, VANCOUVER WHITECAPS 

We got to give a goalkeeper some love, and Ousted’s worth smothering with heaps of praise. The Dane lead the league in shutouts last season with 13 in 34 matches.