Herriman • In the middle of a rout over the Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia Union earlier this month, Everton Luiz proved he’s much more than a defensive-minded midfielder. He dispossessed a Union player at midfield and ran to about the 18-yard box before dropping a perfectly weighted pass for Damir Kreilach for the finish.
The sequence was different than what Luiz had shown for much of the season. He’s showcased his physical play time and time again, consistently breaking up plays in the midfield with tackles and clever use of his body strength. At times, that’s gotten him into trouble with the referees, like when he received a yellow card in his first-ever Major League Soccer appearance.