2016 MLS All-Star Game

The 2016 Major League Soccer All-Star Game, the 21st annual Major League Soccer All-Star Game, took place on July 28, 2016 (7:30 p.m. EDT, 4:30 p.m. local time) at Avaya Stadium, the home of the San Jose Earthquakes. The game was televised live on ESPN and Univision in the United States, and on TSN and RDS in Canada.[1] The game featured the MLS All-Star team playing English side Arsenal, with the match being a preseason friendly for Arsenal as part of their tour of California.[2]

2016 AT&T MLS All-Star Game
Event2016 Major League Soccer season
DateJuly 28, 2016 (2016-07-28)
VenuePayPal Park, San Jose, California
Most Valuable PlayerChuba Akpom (Arsenal)
RefereeChris Penso (United States)
Attendance18,000
WeatherClear, 84 °F (29 °C)
2015
2017

Chuba Akpom was named MVP.

Background

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The Major League Soccer (MLS) All-Star Game is an annual exhibition game played by a selection of players from the league's teams. It began in 1996 with the Eastern Conference and Western Conference fielding their own teams, similar to other major North American sports. After numerous format changes, the 2003 edition saw the format change again to matchup Mexican club Guadalajara against the "MLS All-Stars", a team with the best players competing in MLS. After reverting to the original format in 2004, the "MLS All-Stars" had since played various club teams from across the world, including Premier League clubs Manchester United and Chelsea.

MLS announced in May 2015 that Avaya Stadium, the home stadium of the San Jose Earthquakes, would host the 21st edition of the MLS All-Star Game.[3] In February 2016, it was announced that Premier League side Arsenal were set to play the MLS All-Stars on July 28.[4] Telecommunications company AT&T sponsored the game and the match was broadcast live in the United States through ESPN and Univision; it was also available internationally in over 100 countries.[3]

Squads

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MLS All-Stars

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The MLS All Star Fan XI was announced on July 9, 2016, however members of this XI were not guaranteed a slot in the 22 man game day squad.[5]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  JAM Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union)
2 FW  USA Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC)
3 DF  USA Brandon Vincent (Chicago Fire)
4 DF  CRC Kendall Waston (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)
6 MF  USA Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers)
7 FW  ESP David Villa (New York City FC)
8 FW  USA Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
9 FW  CAN Cyle Larin (Orlando City SC)
10 FW  ITA Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto FC)
11 FW  CIV Didier Drogba (Montreal Impact)
12 DF  USA Keegan Rosenberry (Philadelphia Union)
13 MF  USA Jermaine Jonesa (Colorado Rapids)
14 DF  USA Andrew Farrell (New England Revolution)
15 DF  USA Steve Birnbaum (D.C. United)
16 MF  USA Sacha Kljestan (New York Red Bulls)
No. Pos. Nation Player
17 MF  MEX Giovanni Dos Santos (LA Galaxy)
18 DF  USA Matt Beslera (Sporting Kansas City)
19 DF  ENG Liam Ridgewella (Portland Timbers)
20 MF  USA Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC)
21 MF  ITA Andrea Pirlo (New York City FC)
22 MF  BRA Kaká (Orlando City SC)
23 DF  BEL Laurent Ciman (Montreal Impact)
24 GK  PUR Josh Saunders (New York City FC)
25 MF  USA Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake)
28 FW  ARG Ignacio Piatti (Montreal Impact)
29 MF  ARG Mauro Diaz (FC Dallas)
34 GK  USA David Bingham (San Jose Earthquakes)
37 DF  BEL Jelle Van Damme (LA Galaxy)
95 DF  USA Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas)

Notes:

a Injured or otherwise unable to play.

Arsenal

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On July 22 Arsenal announced a 25-man traveling squad for the MLS All-Star game:[6]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
2 DF  FRA Mathieu Debuchy
3 DF  ENG Kieran Gibbs
4 DF  GER Per Mertesacker [a]
5 DF  BRA Gabriel
10 MF  ENG Jack Wilshere
13 GK  COL David Ospina
14 FW  ENG Theo Walcott
15 MF  ENG Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
16 DF  ENG Rob Holding
17 FW  NGA Alex Iwobi
18 DF  ESP Nacho Monreal
19 MF  ESP Santi Cazorla
21 DF  ENG Calum Chambers
No. Pos. Nation Player
24 DF  ESP Héctor Bellerín
26 GK  ARG Emiliano Martínez
28 FW  CRC Joel Campbell
29 MF  SUI Granit Xhaka
31 MF  FRA Jeff Reine-Adélaïde [b]
32 FW  ENG Chuba Akpom
33 GK  CZE Petr Čech
34 MF  FRA Francis Coquelin
35 MF  EGY Mohamed Elneny
37 MF  POL Krystian Bielik [b]
40 MF  USA Gedion Zelalem [b]
68 FW  ENG Chris Willock [b]

Notes:

a Injured or otherwise unable to play.
b Development Squad

Match

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MLS All-Stars United States Canada1–2England Arsenal
Report
MLS All-Stars
Arsenal
GK1Jamaica Andre Blakedownward-facing red arrow 45'
DF12United States Keegan Rosenberrydownward-facing red arrow 45'
DF23Belgium Laurent CimanYellow card 10'downward-facing red arrow 45'
DF37Belgium Jelle Van Dammedownward-facing red arrow 45'
DF95United States Kellyn Acostadownward-facing red arrow 57'
MF21Italy Andrea Pirlodownward-facing red arrow 32'
MF25United States Kyle Beckermandownward-facing red arrow 45'
MF17Mexico Giovani dos Santosdownward-facing red arrow 45'
MF22Brazil Kaká (c)downward-facing red arrow 45'
FW7Spain David Villadownward-facing red arrow 33'
FW11Ivory Coast Didier Drogbadownward-facing red arrow 45'
Substitutes:
GK34United States David Binghamupward-facing green arrow 45'
DF3United States Brandon Vincentupward-facing green arrow 57'
DF4Costa Rica Kendall Wastonupward-facing green arrow 45'
DF14United States Andrew Farrellupward-facing green arrow 45'
DF15United States Steve Birnbaumupward-facing green arrow 45'
MF2United States Clint Dempseyupward-facing green arrow 73'
MF6United States Darlington Nagbeupward-facing green arrow 45'
MF8United States Chris Wondolowskiupward-facing green arrow 73'
MF16United States Sacha Kljestanupward-facing green arrow 32' downward-facing red arrow 73'
MF20United States Wil Trappupward-facing green arrow 45'
MF28Argentina Ignacio Piattiupward-facing green arrow 33' downward-facing red arrow 73'
MF29Argentina Mauro Díazupward-facing green arrow 45'
FW9Canada Cyle Larinupward-facing green arrow 77'
FW10Italy Sebastian Giovincoupward-facing green arrow 45' downward-facing red arrow 77'
Manager:
United States Dominic Kinnear
GK33Czech Republic Petr Čech (c)downward-facing red arrow 67'
DF2France Mathieu Debuchydownward-facing red arrow 45'
DF16England Rob Holding
DF37Poland Krystian Bielikdownward-facing red arrow 45'
DF3England Kieran Gibbsdownward-facing red arrow 45'
MF35Egypt Mohamed Elnenydownward-facing red arrow 67'
MF34France Francis Coquelindownward-facing red arrow 45'
MF10England Jack Wilsheredownward-facing red arrow 45'
MF15England Alex Oxlade-Chamberlaindownward-facing red arrow 67'
MF28Costa Rica Joel Campbelldownward-facing red arrow 68'
FW14England Theo Walcottdownward-facing red arrow 67'
Substitutes:
GK26Argentina Emiliano Martínezupward-facing green arrow 67'
DF18Spain Nacho Monrealupward-facing green arrow 45'
DF21England Calum Chambersupward-facing green arrow 45'
DF24Spain Héctor Bellerínupward-facing green arrow 45'
MF17Nigeria Alex Iwobiupward-facing green arrow 45'
MF29Switzerland Granit Xhakaupward-facing green arrow 45'
MF31France Jeff Reine-Adélaïdeupward-facing green arrow 68'
MF40United States Gedion Zelalemupward-facing green arrow 67'
FW32England Chuba Akpomupward-facing green arrow 67'
FW68England Chris Willockupward-facing green arrow 67'
Manager:
France Arsène Wenger

Most valuable player:
England Chuba Akpom (Arsenal)[7]

Assistant referees:[8]
Frank Anderson
Matthew Nelson
Fourth official:[8]
Juan Guzman
Fifth official:[8]
Chris Strickland

Match rules

  • 90 minutes.
  • Unlimited substitutions.
  • No extra time.
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores still level.

References

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