CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Taylor Twellman and Carlos Ruiz, the league's top two goal-scorers, lead the contingent of first-time players in the MLS All-Star Starting 11 announced Wednesday.

The best of Major League Soccer will square off against the United States National Team in the 2002 MLS All-Star Game on August 3 at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C.

Following the success of the national team last month at the World Cup in Korea/Japan, where it reached the quarterfinals, MLS players on the U.S. team will participate in the gala match rather than the traditional East vs. West Conference matchup.

Twellman, the 22-year-old in his first season in the league, is the MLS scoring leader with 28 points. The New England Revolution forward was the second pick overall in the 2002 draft, joining the club from 1860 Munich of Germany.

Ruiz, the Guatemalan forward, was named MLS Player of the Week in two of his first three weeks with the Los Angeles Galaxy. Nicknamed "El Pescadito," which translates as "The Little Fish," is tied with Twellman atop the MLS goal-scoring list with 13.

Defenders Carlos Bocanegra of the Chicago Fire and Ryan Suarez of the Dallas Burn, and midfielder Richard Mulrooney of the San Jose Earthquakes also will make their first respective All-Star appearances.

A pair of MetroStars complete the starting defensive unit. Tim Howard, the 2001 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, will play in his second All-Star Game and defender Mike Petke will compete in his third midseason event.

Mulrooney is joined by four other midfielders in MLS All-Star Team's 3-5-2 formation. New England's Steve Ralston, the league's assist leader with 12, was selected for the third time and Chicago's Dema Kovalenko was tapped for the second time.

Two veteran midfielders from the Colorado Rapids round out the starting 11. Carlos Valderrama, the MLS all-time assist leader, made the All-Star team for the sixth time in seven seasons. Mark Chung, who has tallied six goals and seven assists so far this season, was named for the fourth time.

The 18-man U.S. national squad, which was announced on Tuesday, includes top strikers Landon Donovan and Brian McBride, who tallied two goals apiece for the Americans in South Korea, and Chicago Fire tandem DaMarcus Beasley and Josh Wolff.

The list selected by U.S. coach Bruce Arena also contains five former MLS players.