Orlando City’s Dom Dwyer
scores the MLS All-Stars’ lone goal, but Real Madrid prevails on penalty kicks.
CHICAGO — Three minutes before the game ended in a Major League Soccer defeat, Orlando City’s logo flashed across the video boards next to the name Dom Dwyer.
A week after joining the Lions via trade, Dwyer scored an equalizer in the 87th minute for the MLS all-stars during their matchup against European powerhouse Real Madrid. Regulation time ended in a 1-1 draw, forcing a penalty shootout Wednesday night. Then Dwyer missed the first penalty kick. The L.A. Galaxy’s Giovani dos Santos missed the second and Real Madrid went on to win 4-2 in penalty kicks. Marcelo converted the fourth and final attempt.
MLS wanted to put on a show and display its top talent to fans around the world against Europe’s best team. In that sense, the 2017 all-star game was a success.
Four days of events led up to the game, which was broadcast in more than 170 countries. The announced crowd of 61,428, which included a hefty amount of Real Madrid fans, cheered, applauded and shrieked in unison when Borja Mayoral, who was named MVP, scored in the 59th minute to give Real Madrid a 1-0 lead over the MLS all-stars.
The match began with some rain and a load of fireworks that left a smoky haze on
the field the first few minutes of the match.
Orlando City captain Kaká started on the left side of a three-player midfield that included Bastian Schweinsteiger and Michael Bradley on the right.
Longwood native Graham Zusi started at right back in the 4-3-3 formation.
All-Star coach Veljko Paunovic was forced to make a substitution eight minutes into the game when left back Greg Garza came off with a shoulder injury. DaMarcus Beasley subbed on in his place.
David Villa had two close calls in the first half, but Real Madrid’s chances far outnumbered the all-stars. The UEFA Champions League winners took 19 shots compared to MLS’ five.
MLS changed its entire lineup at the half, subbing on Dwyer for Villa and Winter Park native Dax McCarty for Schweinsteiger. Atlanta’s Miguel Almiron took Kaká’s place.
Almost every player on the roster for Real Madrid also got on the pitch for some time. The Spanish powerhouse played without star Cristiano Ronaldo, but they had no trouble controlling the match and finishing their preseason with a win.
Miami buzz
Miami isn’t a Major League Soccer city yet, but it’s a lot closer than it was two days ago.
“We’re not announcing MLS Miami today, but I am confident we will be able to do that sometime by the end of the summer,” MLS commissioner Don Garber said Wednesday after a meeting with league owners. “We’re at the finish line. We’re one foot closer, but we’re not over it yet.”
David Beckham met with the league’s board members for the first time earlier that day, along with partner Todd Boehly, part-owner of the L.A. Dodgers who will be the majority owner of a potential Miami expansion team.
Beckham and Boehly gave a presentation on their plan and vision for an expansion team in that meeting after years of uncertainty and Beckham’s ownership group hitting road blocks in its quest to build a soccerspecific stadium.
“Their plan was very well-received by our owners,” Garber said. “There was a vote earlier this afternoon that authorized me, along with a committee of owners ... to work with them to finalize the details of their expansion plan in order for us to officially close on this Miami team.
“There are still a couple details we need to finalize. We needed to get through today because I had some concerns we wouldn’t get past today.”
Garber said Beckham’s enthusiasm in the presentation is what gave the board confidence to vote on moving forward with the expansion process.
Some of the details that will be worked on over the next 30 days include working to get final approval from the community where Miami Beckham United owns land to build the stadium, Garber said, and “crossing t’s and dotting i’s” to finalize terms of the expansion deal.
There are still some hurdles to clear, including a legal challenge surrounding a $9 million land purchase of a county plot that Beckham’s group wants to use for its 25,000-seat planned stadium.