Philadelphia Union's Carlos Valdés makes Major League Soccer All-Star team

FRESH OFF scoring his first goal of the season, Union captain Carlos Valdes was rewarded with his first MLS All-Star appearance.

Valdes, 27, will be the lone representative for the Union when MLS' best challenge Chelsea on July 25 at PPL Park (8:30 p.m., ESPN2). Selected as one of two picks by MLS commissioner Don Garber, Valdes joins Sebastien Le Toux (2010) and goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon (2011) as all-time Union all-stars. Le Toux and Mondragon are no longer members of the team. Garber also selected San Jose defender Ramiro Corrales with his final pick.

"Carlos is very deserving of this honor," Union interim manager John Hackworth said via text message to the Daily News. "I am happy for him and the entire club is proud that he will be representing us in the All-Star game."

Along with Garber's pair, D.C. United coach Ben Olsen — awarded the responsibility after Peter Nowak was dismissed — completed the rest of the 18-man game-day roster during halftime of Sunday's Seattle-New York match. Along with Valdes and Corrales, Aurellien Collin (Sporting Kansas City), Jay DeMerit (Vancouver) and Heath Pearce (New York) rounded out the defense.

At midfield will be Osvaldo Alonso (Seattle), Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Dwayne DeRosario (D.C. United), Graham Zusi (Sporting KC) and Los Angeles' Landon Donovan and David Beckham.

Thierry Henry (New York), Eddie Johnson (Seattle), Chris Pontius (D.C. United) and Chris Wondolowski (San Jose) make up the forwards, and Dan Kennedy (Chivas USA) and Jimmy Nielsen (Sporting KC) are the goalkeepers.

In Union action, Valdes scored in second-half stoppage time to secure a 2-1 win over visiting Montreal on Saturday. Lionard Pajoy scored on a beautiful buildup by rookie forward Antoine Hoppenot in the 82nd minute to open the scoring. Montreal got one back in the 89th, after an own goal mistake, but Valdes redirected a loose ball off a throw-in and in doing so, the Union (6-9-2, 20 points) won its fifth match in all competitions (third in MLS) since Hackworth took over for Nowak on June 13.

"In the last minute, nobody is expecting us to score and win the game," said Valdes. "I don't think anyone expected a goal in the last minute of the game. I am very proud and happy for that to happen."

The Union hosts Aston Villa at PPL Park on Wednesday (7:30 p.m.), before resuming MLS action against rival Red Bull New York. This match is sure to add a bit of intrigue after the Red Bulls acquired former Union star Sebastien Le Toux via trade from Vancouver on Friday.