Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Thursday 14 december 2017
Seattle goalie Miller leads LAFC list in MLS expansion draft

By GREG BEACHAM with Zimmerman in a formi- players selected for addi-
AP Sports Writer dable central pairing. tional assets.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Se- “Center backs like him The moves are all part of
attle goalkeeper Tyler Miller are not easy to come by,” a bigger plan for Bradley
was the Los Angeles Foot- LAFC general manager and Thorrington, who have
ball Club’s first pick in the John Thorrington said. been scouting on several
Major League Soccer ex- “Those are two guys that continents for most of the
pansion draft on Tuesday. have a great potential of past few months. LAFC
LAFC also chose Sporting working together. It’s not seems likely to be a thor-
Kansas City forward Latif an easy position to fill with oughly international club,
Blessing, San Jose forward two top targets. When you as evidenced by the ex-
Marco Urena, Columbus look at the pair, I think they pansion draft featuring five
left back Jukka Raitala and just complement each oth- players from five different
Toronto defender Raheem er really well.” countries.
Edwards. The club then Thorrington began the draft Miller could be a keeper in
traded Raitala and Ed- uncertain of how many of net, however. The 24-year-
wards to Montreal for Lau- his five choices would be old New Jersey native
rent Ciman, the Impact’s In this July 19, 2017, file photo, Seattle Sounders goalkeeper with the club when it begins and Northwestern product
former All-Star defender. Tyler Miller second from right, leaps to grab the ball against D.C. play as MLS’ 23rd franchise spent the past two years
Coach Bob Bradley’s club United in the second half of an MLS soccer match, in Seattle. in March, and he quickly stuck behind Stefan Frei
finally has some assets to Associated Press shipped out 40 percent of with the two-time Western
begin shaping a roster start with nothing,” Bradley different ways to put your his haul. Conference champion
around the three promi- said. “So we need to start team together.” That’s normal in recent Sounders. Thorrington ac-
nent players it had previ- to get some names. We With the arrival of Ciman, years: Only four of the 10 knowledged a minor signifi-
ously acquired: Mexican need to have some players LAFC already has the ba- combined players chosen cance in LAFC’s decision
forward Carlos Vela, Egyp- that you feel can step on sis for a stout defense on a by Atlanta and Minnesota to announce Miller as its
tian defender Omar Gaber the field and play the kind team that intends to play in last year’s expansion first selection. Blessing and
and American defender of football that we want, up-tempo, attacking foot- draft actually stayed with Urena, who is likely headed
Walker Zimmerman, who but also players that have ball. their clubs, and only three to the World Cup with Cos-
joined last weekend in a some value so that as you The 32-year-old Ciman was appeared in a game. ta Rica next year, fit LAFC’s
trade with FC Dallas. continue to have discus- MLS’ Defender of the Year Those clubs’ general man- desire for exciting attack-
“As we build a team, we sions with clubs, you’ve got in 2015, and he will team agers traded six of the 10 ing players. q