Union select 10 players in expansion draft

Major League Soccer held its 2009 Expansion Draft Wednesday for the League's 16th team, Philadelphia Union, with the team selecting 10 players from among nearly 200 left unprotected by all Major League Soccer clubs.

Highlighting Union head coach Peter Nowak's 10 selections are MLS veterans Alejandro Moreno and Shavar Thomas, both of whom started 17 games for their respective clubs in 2009. Moreno, a Venezuelan international, just completed his eighth year in MLS, has scored 43 regular season goals in his career, and scored in MLS Cup 2008 for the Columbus Crew. Thomas has seven seasons under his belt as a centerback, represents Jamaica internationally, and was part of Chivas USA's stingy defense in 2009 that allowed just 31 goals in 30 games. Philadelphia also selected Sebastien Le Toux, the first player signed by Seattle Sounders FC who had led the USL Sounders in scoring and who played in 28 MLS regular season games in 2009. The complete list of 10 selections is below.

Five teams did not have a player selected - FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, Kansas City Wizards, Real Salt Lake and Toronto FC. Each of the League's 15 teams was allowed to protect 11 players, leaving all others unprotected and available for selection by the Union.

The 2008 expansion draft proved fruitful for Seattle Sounders FC, who selected Nate Jaqua, Brad Evans and James Riley last year. Sounders FC were the first expansion team to make the playoffs since 1998.

Philadelphia Union, Major League Soccer's 16th team, will begin play in the Eastern Conference in the 2010 season. They will play their home opener at Lincoln Financial Field on April 10, 2010 and open their home stadium, Union Field, during the 2010 season. Below is a complete list of player selected in this year's draft.

Philadelphia Union 2009 Expansion Draft Selections

(listed in alphabetical order)