With eleven matches over five days, Week 28 provided plenty of opportunities for MLS players to stake their claims for a place in the Team of the Week, presented by EA SPORTS FIFA 16.
New England and Columbus, both winners of important intra-conference matches over the weekend, lead the way with two first XI selections apiece, while Orlando City's newcomer Adrian Winter made a splash with two goals and thus vaulted into his first TOTW appearance.
GK: Tim Melia (Sporting Kansas City) – The Chivas USA alum reached a career high in saves, seven, while standing on his head to keep a precious clean sheet for SKC in Portland at midweek.
D: Victor Cabrera (Montreal Impact) – Played a vital role as his team earned a rare point from a trip to LA, as Montreal's composed defending shut down the vaunted Galaxy attack.
D: Bobby Burling (Colorado Rapids) – The big man showed a finisher's touch to beat D.C.'s Bill Hamid on Saturday and made a bevy of defensive interventions, all without committing a single foul.
D: Andrew Farrell (New England Revolution) – Made a slew of important defensive plays, many of them deep in his own penalty box, as his team held off Sebastian Giovinco and TFC.
D: Harrison Afful (Columbus Crew SC) – With a relentless motor and an attacking mindset, the Ghanaian looks perfect for Crew SC and on Saturday vs. Philadelphia, he notched his first MLS assist.
M: Cristian Techera (Vancouver Whitecaps) – With a goal and an assist vs. Colorado on Wednesday, the diminutive Uruguayan continued to impress in his debut season in British Columbia.
M: Michel (FC Dallas) – Scored what turned out to be the game-winner on a rare Olimpico vs NYCFC, but was also one of the Dallas’ more dangerous players with three shots on goal and his trademark free kicks.
M: Javier Morales (Real Salt Lake) – A goal, an assist and a pivotal role in some tantalizing sequences of legit pass-and-move attacking soccer from RSL at Houston.
M: Adrian Winter (Orlando City SC) – City's summer arrival from Switzerland led the unexpected romp over Sporting with a goal in the 3rd minute and another 69 minutes later, powering the desperate Lions to a much-needed win.
F: Diego Fagundez (New England Revolution) – Continued his fine form by scoring his third goal in as many games and helping the Revs weather Toronto FC's pressure.
F: Kei Kamara (Columbus Crew SC) – Two goals vs. Philly ran his league-leading total to 20, and kept him in contention for the all-time single-season scoring mark of 27 (jointly held by Roy Lassiter, Chris Wondolowski and Bradley Wright-Phillips).
Coach: Mauro Biello (Montreal Impact) – IMFC's interim boss set his team up to successfully stymie the defending champs, as LA dropped points at home for just the fourth time all season.
Bench: Bill Hamid (DC), Fatai Alashe (SJ), Sacha Kljestan (NY), Cristian Higuita (ORL), Juan Manuel Martinez (RSL), David Accam (CHI), Obafemi Martins (SEA)
