Late goal pushes Arsenal past MLS all-stars
The MLS all-stars lost 2-1 to Arsenal on Thursday in San Jose, although everyone won in the sense that the game didn’t go to penalties.
No sense dragging the gimmick game on longer than needed.
Chuba Akpom, 20, scored the winner for the Gunners in the 87th minute, tapping in a pass from Nacho Monreal as the all-stars’ back line was caught napping at Avaya Stadium.
Joel Campbell, on an early penalty, had opened the scoring for last season’s English Premier League runners-up.
Didier Drogba, the Montreal Impact striker, equalized just before halftime on his third crack at the ball in front of his former Chelsea teammate, keeper Petr Cech.
There was some appeal to the opening 45 minutes as the Major League Soccer side resembled a legends squad: Drogba joined by
Kaka, David Villa and Andrea Pirlo.
Pirlo and Villa were subbed after 30 minutes and showered and left for the airport as New York City plays Saturday at noon.
The interest for Whitecaps fans was their lone representative, centreback Kendall Waston, who started the second half.
Waston made a key late block on Alex Iwobi’s attempt, but looked bad on the winning goal as Akpom glided between the Caps star and left-back Brandon Vincent for a simple finish.
No one’s going to read anything into this game, though. And on the plus side, nobody got hurt — and Waston didn’t do anything that requires a video review.
League play resumes for the Caps (8-8-6) on Sunday afternoon in Frisco, Texas, against FC Dallas, the Western Conference leaders at 12-6-5.
Dallas is unbeaten at Toyota Park at 8-0-3, although they’ll be without influential winger Fabian Castillo, who is in the midst of a transfer to Turkish side Trabzonspor for a reported US$4 million.
Caps coach Carl Robinson said Waston’s all-star appearance wouldn’t affect his chances of starting in Dallas.
Coming off a scoreless tie in Houston, there’s no reason to change a back four that featured Waston and Tim Parker in partnership, and rookie Cole Seiler making his MLS debut at rightback.
Meanwhile, the Caps also play Tuesday in Trinidad & Tobago. It’s their CONCACAF Champions League opener against Central FC.