MLS notes

Chivas sends Sequeira to Salt Lake for Dunseth; RSL also acquires Walsh.

Brian Dunseth is a nine-year MLS veteran and was captain of the 2000 U.S> Olympic team. -- Chivas USA photo --

(Thursday, November 17, 2005) -- Major League Soccer's two 2005 expansion teams, who would up with the two worst records in the league during their inaugural season, began their rebuilding today with a trade between the clubs.

Salt Lake acquired Costa Rican international defender Douglas Sequeira and youth international midfielder Christian Jiminez from Chivas USA for nine-year MLS veteran defender Brian Dunseth.

In a separate transaction, Salt Lake acquired the rights to midfielder from the Kansas City Wizards in exchange for a 2007 third-round supplemental draft pick.

Sequeira, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound central defender, who can also play the as a defensive midfielder, started all 23 games he played for Chivas, recording two goals and one assist.

Sequeira played an important part for Costa Rica, which qualified for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, finishing third behind the United States and Mexico in the CONCACAF region of North America, Central America and the Caribbean.

Prior to Chivas, Sequeira spent five seasons with Costa Rican club Deportivo Saprissa, which captured the league title in 2004.

"We're basically looking for more leadership and senior experience with such a young team," RSL coach Ellinger said in a team press release. "It might not be a popular decision for some, but it's kind of where we're headed."

Sequeira, 28, played for top-flight European sides Feyenoord of the Netherlands (1997-1999) and Karlsruhe of Germany (1999-2000). He also played for Costa Rica as an under-17 (1995), under-20 (1997) and during the qualification process for the 2000 Sumer Olympics. Jimenez, 19, was the 14th overall pick in the 2005 entry draft, and played 11 games, starting 8, for the Chivas reserve team, registering one goal and two assists. He left University of South Florida after his freshman season in 2004 after scoring three goals and adding four assists in 17 matches.

Jimenez's parents are from Guadalajara, Mexico, the hometown of Chivas.

Chivas will be the fifth MLS club for Dunseth, who started all 24 games in which he played for Salt Lake. The Southern California native notched RSL's first game-winning goal in a 1-0 triumph over the Colorado Rapids April 16 and tallied the decisive tally in the 3-0 decision over FC Dallas on July 23.

"It's fair to say Brian was a warrior this season. He was definitely a guy we could count on as much as anybody in our back four," RSK general manager Steve Pastorino in a club press release. "This is a little bittersweet, but to get a player of Sequeira's ability and experience was an opportunity we couldn't pass up."

Dunseth had five goals and six assists in his 170 regular season games and also played in 11 playoff matches. He played for New England Revolution (1997-2001), Miami Fusion (2001), Columbus Crew (2002-2003) and Dallas Burn (2003), before going to Bodens BK of the third-division Swedish Superettan in 2004.

"I am thrilled to have this opportunity with Chivas USA, a team I came to know well last season," said Dunseth, 28, who can play central or flank defense. "I look forward to returning to my native Southern California, to joining a soccer club with such a great tradition, and to making important contribution to Chivas USA's success in 2006."

Dunseth was the captain of the 2000 U.S. Olympic team that finished fourth in Sydney, Australia, and was named the top American for the under-20 men at the 1997 at the World Youth Championship in Malaysia.

Walsh, 25, a Brazilian native, spent the past two seasons with the Kansas City Wizards, where he played 16 games with 11 starts. Prior to the Wizards, Walsh spent the 2003 season with the Columbus Crew which drafted him in the first round, seventh overall, in that year's draft.

In other Real Salt Lake news, defender Brian Kamler, a veteran of 10 MLS seasons with five teams, made his retirement official and will join the RSL staff as the team's first director of soccer development. His responsibilities will include advance scouting opposing MLS teams in advance of League, developing relationships with domestic and international clubs and federations to identify talent; and providing educational and instructional opportunities in the local soccer community.

Kamler was a member of D.C. United 1996 and 1996 MLS Cup championship teams.

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