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The second highest scoring team this round scored 16 fewer points than the leading team, as Vamos United outpaced everyone with 104 points. Captain David Villa (NYC, $12.2) scored a goal and 16 points, leading the team. Close on his heels were Diego Valeri (POR, $11.2) with two goals and 15 points, and Sacha Kljestan (NYR, $12.2) with two goals of his own and 14 points. !BL4CKnRED-2014Champ retook the overall lead by a narrow margin of two points.
Positional Leaders
Goalkeepers
The top four goalkeepers all earned clean sheets. Brian Rowe (LA, $5.1) led the position with 9 points. Tim Howard (COL, $6.2) earned 8 points, followed by the pair of Bobby Shuttleworth (NE, $5.4) and Nick Rimando (RSL, $6.3) with 7 points. Bill Hamid ($6.2) scored 3 points for DCU.
Defenders
Six players tied with 9 points. Jared Watts (COL, $6.0), Dave Romney (LA, $5.2), Daniel Steres (LA, $5.5), and Justen Glad (RSL, $4.9) each earned clean sheets, while Jermaine Taylor (POR, $6.5) tallied an assist, and Chad Marshall (SEA, $8.7) scored a goal. For United, Steve Birnbaum ($7.6) and Sean Franklin ($8.2) scored 3 points, while Bobby Boswell ($8.2) and Taylor Kemp ($7.9) scored 2.
Midfielders
Diego Valeri's 15 points led all midfielders and all scorers, and Sacha Kljestan's 14 points were good for second. Fabian Castillo (DAL, $11.2) posted two assists on the way to 11 points. Lloyd Sam ($9.2) led the D.C. midfield with 6 points, followed by Marcelo Sarvas ($7.3) with 4, Nick DeLeon ($6.3) and Jared Jeffrey ($5.4) with 2, and Patrick Nyarko ($7.3) with 1.
Forwards
Cyle Larin (ORL, $9.5) and Lucas Melano (POR, $8.9) each led the forwards with 9 points, with Larin scoring a goal and Melano tallying two assists. Three more forwards tied for third with 8 points -- Maximiliano Urruti (DAL, $8.6), CJ Sapong (PHI, $8.3), and David Villa -- with Urruti and Sapong each scoring goals. Four DCU forwards scored points -- Fabian Espindola ($10.0) with 6, Luciano Acosta ($8.5) and Alvaro Saborio ($7.8) with 3 each, and Alhaji Kamara ($8.4) with 1.
Looking Ahead
Everyone plays once this round, and games start on Friday night. I like Nick Rimando in goal at home against San Jose, and Joevin Jones (SEA, $7.0) in the back at Kansas City. Ignacio Piatti (MTL, $11.1) is back from his suspension, so use him in the midfield at home against Philadelphia, and keep rolling with Ola Kamara (CLB, $8.7) at forward, at home against Orlando.