Last week, I took a massive, attempt-at-an-all-encompassing look at the origin and pedigree of the 14 designated players currently in Major League Soccer. From here on out, though, it'll just be quick updates on how they're doing as the season rolls along -- as well as info on any new DPs who happen to be signed midway through the campaign.
The goal, of course, is to provide fans in Toronto and Vancouver with an idea as to how their designated players are stacking up against the dozen others in MLS. So for Week 2, let's give 'er a look:
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Week 2 (March 21-27)
David Beckham (LA): Becks smacked the upright with one of his patented free kicks (albeit a deflected one) in the opening five minutes, but that's the closest he'd come to scoring in the Galaxy's demoralizing 4-1 loss to Salt Lake. He nearly played the whole game -- being subbed out in the 88th minute -- and also picked up his second yellow card of the campaign, this one for rather aggressively yapping at ref Jair Marrufo following a delayed offside call.
Juan Pablo Angel (LA): Good news, kinda, for Angel, who got his first goal for Los Angeles, heading home a free kick after a mistake at the back by Salt Lake. I say "kinda" because it was an 80th-minute consolation tally when L.A. was already down 4-0. But hey, who knows -- if things come down to goal differential, it could be big!
Landon Donovan (LA): Landycakes missed the match, as he was off on international duty for the ol' U.S. of A, as they went up against Argentina and got mercilessly thrashed 5-0 in a game that could have easily been decided by eight or nine goals. What's that? Oh, sorry, that was our friendly against Argentina last year. The Yanks tied 'em 1-1.
Julian de Guzman (Toronto): Still recovering from off-season knee surgery, JDG wasn't on Toronto's roster for the 2-0 win against Portland. Even so, he played exactly as many minutes (zero) as a few other DPs.
Branko Boskovic (DC): Speaking of non-playing DPs, Boskovic made the same contribution to his team in Week 2 as he did in Week 1: Filling a space on the roster, and a seat on the bench.
Thierry Henry (NY): While traveling overseas to get booed in Euro 2012 qualifying surely would have been a fun excursion for the Frenchman, Henry was absent from New York's 0-0 draw with Columbus not due to international duty, but due to a strained left hamstring.
Rafael Marquez (NY): Marquez, meanwhile, was on international duty and had quite a decent little day, winning his 100th cap for Mexico as El Tri, powered by a brace from Chicharito, got past Paraguay 3-1 in a friendly.
Alvaro Fernandez (Seattle): Fernandez featured in Seattle's first two matches of the season (though he didn't play the full 90 in either), yet he spent the entirety of their 1-1 draw with Houston in Week 2 stapled to the pine. That's a figure of speech, of course. I doubt the benches are made of pine, and I even more highly doubt that Fernandez was stapled to anything.
Fredy Montero (Seattle): As for the Sounders' other DP, the face of the franchise went the full 90, launching an impressive seven shots (three on target) and figuring (as expected) into many of Seattle's offensive efforts. Through three matches, though, Seattle only has one goal, so it'll be interesting to see whether coach Sigi Schmid changes the way in which his dueling DPs are deployed in the weeks ahead.
Omar Bravo (KC): After a sparkling debut, in which he scored twice and won MLS Player of the Week honours, Bravo's second week in the league came to a rather ignominious end in his side's 3-2 loss to Chicago. He was sent off for what the kids call a "professional foul" (though KC fans likely call it "a steaming pile of referee-invented bullshit") in the 32nd minute. Diego Chavez converted the ensuing penalty while Bravo headed for an early shower.
Alvaro Saborio (Salt Lake): Saborio, like Donovan, missed the RSL/Galaxy tilt by virtue of being off on international duty. I'm sure he doesn't feel too bad, however, as not only did his MLS mates do just fine without him, but he got to take part in the grand opening of Costa Rica's new national stadium -- which, for some reason, was financed by the Chinese government. It's surely not coincidence that Saturday's friendly was against China, who drew 2-2 with the Ticos.
Eric Hassli (Vancouver): After his first MLS game, plenty of commentators used words like "strong" and "tough" and "rugged" to describe the Whitecaps' striker. But whereas he racked up two goals in the Whitecaps' Week 1 victory, he racked up a pair of yellow cards in their Week 2 loss (1-0 to Philadelphia), and was sent off in the 57th minute. His first infringement involved a needless, off-the-ball trip, while his second was a crunching late challenge. I doubt this will do any harm to his folk hero status in Van City, though.
Andres Mendoza (Columbus): Mendoza was set up as the lone man up from for the Crew, and was more actively involved in Columbus's offence in Week 2 than he was in Week 1. By the end of a full-90 performance, he'd managed two shots but hadn't bulged the ol' onion bag, as Columbus managed only a goalless draw with a very short-handed Red Bulls side.
Fabian Castillo (Dallas): The 18-year-old (!!!) Colombian striker (contrary to the incorrect information I originally posted) saw the pitch for the first time in MLS, coming on as a sub in the 57th minute. He managed one shot at goal and, according to a reader of this site (whose comment you can ready by scrolling down slightly) he's pretty darn fast. At 18, I'd hope so.