Blue Links 8/5

The result of SKC's own game aside, there were other results around the league that were positive. With a playoff spot all but guaranteed, Sporting are focused on the Supporter's Shield. After erasing one of their games in hand against LA, Seattle lost again to San Jose 1-0. Still a lot of soccer left, but it is great to see Seattle coming back down to earth. D.C. United is in 2nd place just behind SKC in the Eastern Conference. They lost to Houston 1-0.

Hallelujah.... Dom Dwyer is officially an MLS All Star. Happy for him that he is in it now, but I still don't understand how he wasn't selected originally. Jason Davis of ESPNFC writes that Dom Dwyer is his MLS MVP at this point in the season! ESPN is showing the love to SKC right now. They have Sporting as the best team in the league in their MLS Power Rankings. But MLSSoccer.com has LA as the top team.. despite the fact that SKC just beat them.

ICYMI... Igor Juliao has shown his quality on the field, but now we've learned that this is a very well put-together young man. He spoke to Steve Brisendine about changes that are needed in his native Brazil.

Saturday night's friendly in Ann Arbor, MI between Manchester United and Real Madrid set the record for highest attendance of a soccer game ever in America at 109,318. Don't tell me America doesn't love soccer:

Incredible pic of the Man Utd v Real Madrid crowd last night. Biggest ever in USA. 109 318 people. Michigan Stadium pic.twitter.com/GG0q4lmDRR

— Jamie Frank (@jamiefrank87) August 3, 2014

Jermaine Jones still is without an MLS team. He turned down a Designated Player offer from the Chicago Fire.

Erik Palmer-Brown and Jon Kempin played in the MLS Homegrown Game last night as part of All Star week. A "homegrown" player is signed by the MLS club's first-team roster from their respective development academy. In the scoreless draw, Kempin took home MVP honors for his 2nd half work.

Although he was snubbed from the All Star game, Benny won MLS Player of the Month for July. The THIRD STRAIGHT Sporting player to take the honor.

Jorge Claros was the 28th different starter for SKC this season. Here are some other stats from the draw against the Union.

Sporting next head to Vancouver on Sunday to face Pedro Morales and the Whitecaps. Then Toronto come to town the next week. Look for Dom, and the whole team for that matter, to keep up their success this season against the Canadian sides.

I leave you with the Evolution of FIFA. Clips of each video game from 1993-2014: