For the primary time in three tries, Liga MX’s best gamers beat their counterparts from Major League Soccer on the MLS All-Star recreation, with a variety Mexico’s high league profitable the 2024 occasion 4-1 on Wednesday at Lower dot com Field in Columbus, Ohio.
Monterrey striker Germán Berterame opened the scoring a quarter-hour in, a strike that was canceled out moments later by hometown hero Cucho Hernandez, the Columbus Crew’s Colombian star. Pachuca standout Oussama Idrissi put Liga MX up for good when he scored the game-winner shortly earlier than halftime. The guests padded their lead with two extra objectives seconds aside just a little greater than 20 minutes earlier than full-time.
Wednesday’s contest marked the third time since 2021 that the All-Star recreation pitted the neighboring leagues within the MLS’s midsummer basic. MLS’s best beat Liga MX 2-1 in 2022 and received on penalties following a 1-1 tie the yr earlier than. English Premier League energy Arsenal crushed the MLS All-Stars 5-0 final yr.
Here are just a few fast takeaways from the twenty ninth MLS All-Star recreation.
Play of the sport
Cucho’s objective was as well-worked because it was well timed. Former Barcelona and Spanish nationwide group mainstay Sergio Busquets confirmed off his pedigree with a seeing-eye feed to Diego Rossi on the wing, the load of which allowed the Uruguayan to make a first-time cross to his streaking Crew teammate. With LIGA MX keeper Luis Malagón at his mercy, Hernandez coolly slotted the ball dwelling — a lot to the delight of the yellow-clad dwelling followers:
Turning level
Both coaches made wholesale substitutions as the competition went on. One of MLS boss’ Wilfried Nancy’s practically produced one other equalizer when the rating was 2-1, however the shot by the LA Galaxy’s Riqui Puig could not beat the far publish:
Key stat
MLS now has a report of 11 wins and 10 losses for the reason that All-Stars-versus-guest-team format first debuted all the way in which again in 2002. In addition to its two latest triumphs over Liga MX, MLS has additionally overwhelmed European powers Bayern Munich, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea (twice).
What’s subsequent for Liga MX?
For the second consecutive season, Mexico will shutter its high home league and ship its groups into the U.S. and Canada for the Leagues Cup, the 47-team match that features each Liga MX and MLS membership. In an all-American ultimate within the inaugural occasion final yr, Lionel Messi led Inter Miami previous Nashville SC to hoist the trophy.
Some of the off-field logistics have been improved for the Liga MX reps this summer time, and the Mexican squads will certainly anticipate higher outcomes on the pitch. Because when the enjoying area is even — as it’s in the course of the home-and-home Concacaf Champions Cup collection earlier within the yr — Liga MX has confirmed that it’s nonetheless North America’s standard-bearer, at the very least for now.
What’s subsequent for MLS?
The 2023 Leagues Cup was an prompt hit for MLS, and never simply due to Messi & Co.’s storybook journey to the trophy. With video games virtually each night time in the course of the group stage of the month-long, World Cup-style competitors — a lot of them of the fascinating intra-league selection — the still-novel tourney provides some welcome mid-summer spice throughout what used to be the canine days of the marathon common season. With its stadiums crammed with potential new supporters and its groups in peak kind, MLS has one other speedy alternative to present that it will possibly constantly beat Mexico’s best.
Doug McIntyre is a soccer author for FOX Sports who has lined the United States males’s and girls’s nationwide groups at FIFA World Cups on 5 continents. Follow him at @ByDougMcIntyre.
Get extra from MLS Follow your favorites to get details about video games, information and extra
