CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
Scored opening goal in 2012 MLS Cup final
Started four playoff games in 2012 & 2011
Recorded two assists in 2012 playoffs
OUTLOOK: Speedy, experienced, forward acquired from Chicago early in 2011 season.
2012 MLS: Set career-high with four regular season goals in 2012 ... Set career-high with 17 starts, eclipsing old high of 10 (2007) ... Played 1,512 minutes in regular season, more than previous four season combined ... Recorded assist on Will Bruin's goal in 1-1 tie vs. Montreal on 10/6 ... Headed goal vs. New York on 8/3 from a Macoumba Kandji cross, fourth of the year ... Headed goal at Toronto off a corner kick, third of the year ... MLS Player of the Week for Week 20; notched two goals and an assist ... Secondary assist on Mac Kandji's opening goal vs. Montreal on 7/21, first of the year and first since 10/27/10 (with CHI) ... Netted a brace (first two goals of season) vs. Kansas City on 7/18 in first start since hamstring injury; pulled Will Bruin's pass across the goal into the far post in the 25th minute, nudged Brad Davis' cross past the line in the 79th minute for the game-winning goal ... Drew a penalty vs. D.C. on 7/15 in the 89th minute, Brian Ching converted ... Missed five games due to hamstring injury ... Started in 2-1 win vs. Dallas on 6/16, left in the 44th minute with a left leg injury ... Made his 100th MLS appearance in start at New England on 5/19 ... Started last seven games at right midfielder after starting season as substitute forward ... Offseason surgery to repair meniscus in left knee ... Played 13 minutes vs. Chivas USA on 3/11 and 23 minutes vs. San Jose on 3/17... Playoffs: Scored opening goal in MLS Cup final, holding off a defender before firing shot inside near post toward upper corner for 1-0 lead in 44th minute ... Knee injury forced his exit from the Cup final in 44th minute ... Started four games despite battling hamstring injury ... Recorded two assists to match career-high for single postseason (2007) ... Assisted on Will Bruin's second goal in 2-1 win at Chicago in Knockout Round on 10/31 ... Assisted on Bruin's goal in 2-0 home win over Sporting KC in first leg of Eastern Conference semifinals ... 12-13 Champions League: Did not feature ... Open Cup: Did not feature ... Reserves: Started four reserve games, playing 69 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Colorado on 3/13 and the full 90 in matches against Sporting Kansas City, FC Dallas and Chicago. Other: Scored magnficent goal in 2-1 loss to Valencia CF in BBVA Compass Dynamo Charities Cup on 5/31, dribbling past several defenders from right flank before firing left-footed shot into upper corner from 25 yards.
2011 MLS: Recovered from preseason concussion to make nine appearances, including four starts, in second half of the season and score one goal ... Made Dynamo debut with 10-minute stint as a substitute on 8/17, helping Houston rally for 1-1 tie at NE ... Came on in stoppage time and helped start play that led to Alex Dixon's game-winning goal in 3-2 win vs. RSL on 8/20 ... Played 23 minutes as a sub in 1-0 loss at VAN on 8/27 ... Came on as a sub and fired in game-tying goal in 86th minute of 2-2 tie at CLB on 9/14 ... Made first Dynamo start in 2-1 win vs. SJ on 9/17 ... Also started in 1-0 win at FCD on 9/24, playoff-clinching 2-0 win at POR on 10/14, and 3-1 win vs. LA on 10/23 ... Playoffs: Started all four playoff games as partner for Brian Ching, helping Dynamo reach MLS Cup final ... Started and scored first career playoff goal to break 1-1 tie in 2-1 win at PHI on 10/30, running onto a Brian Ching pass before finishing with right foot ... Started his first MLS Cup final and played 66 minutes at LA on 11/20 ... Reserves: Played in three reserve games after returning from injury, notching a goal and an assist ... Made first reserve appearance in 1-0 win vs. RSL on 8/21, playing 90 minutes ... Also started in 3-0 loss at COL on 9/1 ... Contributed goal and an assist in 3-0 win vs. CHI, his former club, on 10/1.
2010 MLS: Made dramatic mid-season return from injury for Chicago, scoring as a substitute in his first two games back in August ... Finished season with three goals, tying a career high, in 14 games, including four starts ... Made a memorable 2010 debut on 8/18 vs. NE, entering the match as a substitute and scoring the game winner in 2-1 win … Also scored as a sub against the Dynamo on 8/21 in a 4-3 Houston win … Came on as a substitute to score the third goal in 4-1 win at CHV on 10/23.
2009 MLS: Played only 90 minutes for Chicago due to injury ... Playoffs: Did not appear due to injury.
2008 MLS: Scored two goals for Chicago in nine games before suffering season-ending injury in July ... Tied the game for Fire against the Dynamo in 2-1 Houston win on 5/17 ... Also scored in 2-2 tie at CLB on 7/5 ... Playoffs: Did not appear due to injury ... U.S. Open Cup: Started 3-2 win in qualifying match vs. CLB on 6/10 ... Scored second goal in 4-1 win vs. Cleveland City Stars in third round on 7/1 ... Came on as substitute in quarterfinal loss at DC on 7/8 but was injured ... Reserves: Notched a goal and an assist in four games, including three starts.
2007 MLS: Set career highs with three goals, two assists, 27 games, and 10 starts in his second season with the Fire ... Scored in 2-1 loss vs. FCD on 5/17 ... Had goal and assist in 3-0 win at TFC on 7/29 ... Scored late insurance goal in 2-0 win vs. KC on 8/25 ... Had game-winning assist on John Thorrington's dramatic stoppage-time goal to send Chicago to MLS Cup playoffs on 10/21 vs. LA ... Playoffs: Appeared in all three games, making two starts ... Notched two assists in second leg of Eastern Conference semifinals, a 2-2 tie at DC on 11/1 that sent Chicago to the conference final ... Played 88 minutes in 1-0 loss at NE on 11/8 in conference championship game ... U.S. Open Cup: Played all 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at Carolina on 7/15 ... Reserves: Scored two goals and led team with three assists in nine matches, including eight starts.
2006 MLS: Notched one goal and one assist in 22 games as a rookie after being selected by Chicago with the No. 10 pick of the 2006 MLS SuperDraft ... Made his professional debut as a substitute on 4/1 at FCD ... Scored his first professional goal in stoppage time of a 3-3 tie vs. NE on 6/11 ... Notched his first assist two weeks later in 2-1 win vs. RSL ... Playoffs: Appeared in both legs of the Eastern Conference semifinal series loss to NE as a substitute ... Open Cup: Helped Chicago to fourth Open Cup title with three goals and one assist in three games ... Scored opening goal in 2-0 win vs. KC on 8/14 in fourth round ... Keyed 2-1 win vs. NE on 8/23 in quarterfinals, setting up Andy Herron for a goal and earning a penalty kick that Herron converted ... Connected on two insurance goals in 3-0 semifinal win vs. DC on 9/6 ... Was an unused substitute as Chicago beat LA 3-1 in final on 9/27 ... Reserves: Led Chicago with five goals and added one assist in nine matches.
COLLEGE: Was a three-year starter at University of California-Berkeley and helped Bears reach NCAA tournament all four seasons ... Finished career with 22 goals and 15 assists in 78 games … Three-time Pac 10 All-Academic first team selection … 2005: Started all 21 games he played in, tallying 13 goals and four assists … Named Pac-10 Player of the Year … Second Team NSCAA All-American and first team all-Far West region… First Team All-Pac-10 … Led Pac-10 in seven offensive categories, including goals and points (30) … 2004: Started 17 of 18 games and finished second on team with five goals and four assists … First Team All-Pac-10 … 2003: Redshirted due to injury … 2002: In first season as a full-time starter, scored two goals and added seven assists in 21 games … Second Team All-Pac-10 … 2001: Appeared in 18 contests during his freshman season, notching two goals as a sub … Scored in his collegiate debut, helping Cal to a win over Loyola-Maryland in the Bears’ season opener.
AMATEUR: Attended The Branson School in Ross, Calif. … Was Branson’s offensive MVP, leading scorer, and first team All-Bay County League selection in each of his final three years (1999-2001) … Led Branson to a pair of Bay County League titles.
PERSONAL: Mother, Dr. Claudia J. Carr, is an associate professor of environmental science at the University of California-Berkeley ... Off-the-field projects include a mentoring and media literacy program in Oakland, Calif., and an after-school sports for kids program in his hometown of Berkeley, Calif. … Has trained in Kenya and in Rio de Janeiro at Zico Futebol Academy … Majored in journalism at Cal … Barcelona’s Thierry Henry and Inter Milan’s Samuel Eto’o are his favorite players to watch … Interests include traveling, learning other languages (familiar with Spanish, Portuguese), and playing basketball.
