Toronto picks up players in draft

Toronto FC, the MLS’s 13th team, selected its first 10 players — including D.C. United midfielder Rod Dyachenko — in yesterday’s expansion draft.

Each MLS team was allowed to protect 11 players on its current 28-man roster.

Dyachenko, a 2006 third-round draft pick (31st overall), came to United out of UNLV. The big midfielder played in nine games for United, making five starts. He was a key player for the United Reserves, earning two goals and five assists.

“I’ve spoken to him and he’s excited about coming here,” Toronto coach Mo Johnson said. “He’s one of the guys I don’t want to trade. I’m excited to have him on board. Three or four teams looked at trading for him but we don’t want to lose him.”

Along with the 23-year-old Dyachenko, Toronto took Paulo Nagamura (Los Angeles Galaxy), Danny O’Rourke (New York Red Bulls), Jose Cancela (New England Revolution), Adrian Serioux (Houston Dynamo), Nate Jaqua (Chicago Fire), Jason Kreis (Real Salt Lake), Tim Regan (Chivas USA), Ritchie Kotschau (Columbus Crew) and Will Hesmer (Kansas City Wizards).

Serioux, who helped the Houston Dynamo win the MLS Cup last week, was then traded to FC Dallas for three-time MLS All-Star Ronnie O’Brien.

Kreis, the league’s all-time leading goal scorer with 108, was the most notable player drafted. But Johnson hinted that Kries is likely to be traded.

Johnson will name at least five international players to the team next week, including a number of Canadians now playing overseas. The roster also will be beefed up at the MLS SuperDraft on Jan. 12 in Indianapolis, and the team also will have the options of adding up to 10 discovery players.

United protected its starting lineup, leaving a number of key names such as Nick Rimando, Clyde Simms, Matias Donnet and Jamil Walker unprotected.

Toronto will play in the Eastern Conference. With seven teams now in the East and only six in the West, each team will have an off week.

Adieu, Adu — United forward Freddy Adu leaves for a two-week training stint with Manchester United tomorrow, hoping it will lead to a permanent move to the team.

Around the MLS, the “Adu Factor” seems to have worn off. United used to be one of the biggest road draws in the league because of Adu, but this season the team drew an average of 14,193 away from RFK, dropping to ninth in the league. The New England Revolution pulled in the biggest road crowds at 21,700 a game. United drew an average of 15,392 away from RFK Stadium last year and a team record of 23,686 in Adu’s first season in 2004.

At home, it’s a different story. United pulled in an average of 18,215 fans at RFK in 2006, fourth best in the league behind the Galaxy (20,814), Chivas (19,840), and Houston (18,935). The 2006 league average was 15,504.

Dreaming of China — The U.S. women’s national team has won two tournaments in 2006 and is unbeaten in regulation time at 16-0-4, but the whole year comes down to one game on Wednesday at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

The U.S. team will play either Mexico or Trinidad and Tobago [who play tomorrow] in the semifinal of the Gold Cup and the winner of that game will earn a berth to the World Cup in China next year. If the women win that game, they will play Canada in the Gold Cup final on Nov. 26.