The 2009 MLS All-Stars take on English club Everton tonight in the 2009 MLS All-Star Game at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah (9:30pm, ESPN2).
The MLS All-Stars will look to improve to 6-0 against international competiton in the MLS vs. foreign club format, with Everton being the fifth English club to take up the challenge.
The MLS All-Stars are missing several stars, including league MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Shalrie Joseph and Dwayne DeRosario while Landon Donovan is still a question mark to play.
If you will be watching tonight's match, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action.
Excuses, excuses…What a crappy PK by Younberg
“Guess Everton is a better side than everyone seemed to give them credit for after being choosen.”
You mean like a team that finished fifth in the Premiership last year? 🙂
I find the random post-game criticisms a bit odd. We selected a pretty solid team, didn’t play badly at all and actually looked pretty dangerous for a lot of the second half, and took a very good team to penalties (albeit in their preseason).
Yes, Holden had a big mistake, but if you watch much of him he’s generally very poised on the ball and rarely makes those sort of errors…I’d rather he do it in this match than anywhere else. I think he’s got a very good shot to make the WC roster, largely because he’s one of the few players we have that can play anywhere in the midfield, and I bet we’ll see him in Europe sooner than later.
Man, that was a great game. I was disappointed with the outcome, but it was lots of fun to watch. Landon was unlucky to have that shot go off the post. I think Everton said they expected a competitive game, but didn’t really believe it until they got on the pitch. I think had MLS had not been missing some key players like DiRosario and Joseph, we might have really cleaned Everton’s clock.
Tim Howard is an absolute beast and I love him. It was great to see it come to PKs and a kind of showdown between the old school and the new school USA keepers. I only wish ESPN would promote these kinds of games more to draw in some curious sports fans.
Casey is what he is. He’s an Emile Heskey/John Carew type.
Big, eats up space, and can muscle his way past defenders with ease. He isn’t pretty or graceful or fast and never will be.
But guys like that DO have a place, and CAN produce in the right situation.
What you saw from him last night is what a guy like that can bring. Take the ball of the chest, turn away from the defender (because you AREN’T getting around somebody that big) and take a crack. Put the headers on frame, etc.
People gave him hell during the Confed Cup, because he wasn’t Landon Donovan or Charlie Davies.
That’s because he’s not Landon Donovan or Charlie Davies.
He’s an ogre, a bull. And if a guy like that manhandles your center backs early and gets in thier head, you’re in for a LONG night.
Wow, people are getting really bend out of shape about this lose. Guess Everton is a better side than everyone seemed to give them credit for after being choosen.
I thought it was an exciting game personally. The Allstars looked sharp at the end. I was suprised by how dangerous Conner Casey looked. Seriously if that guy could get into decent shape and get his pace up he would be a great player. Looked good on the ball when he could catch up to it. Strong enough to battle with Yobo and Lescott.
I thought Donovan and Ljunberg had pretty good chemistry.
The shoot out at the end was classic and as someone else said above I have never heard Harkes so excited. He was giddy when Keller and Howard were making saves. Clearly very proud of the American keepers.
Maybe would have been more fun with a little more flair (not going to happen with everton) but I like the format. It is competitive and clear both sides wanted to win.
Wow, apparently I am the only one who doesn’t take this game seriously.
This is getting old! First a C team for the Gold Cup, and now the worst all star team in MLS history! No wonder they lost. Then to make matters worse, when they finally use Donovan he misses a chance my grandmother could have put away with ease, and she is no longer living! I guess we don’t need to take the All Star game seriously either. I wonder if it will be worth our while to use a good team in W.C. qualifying?