Juventus tops MLS All-Stars on penalties

ATLANTA – Josef Martinez thrilled another record crowd in Atlanta by scoring in the Major League Soccer All-Star Game, but Italian powerhouse Juventus prevailed on penalty kicks after the match ended in a 1-1 draw Wednesday night.

Juventus scored on all five of its penalties before 72,317, winning when Mattia De Sciglio drilled one into the upper left corner past Columbus goalkeeper Zack Steffen. The MLS scored on its first three penalties, but Bradley Wright-Phillips of New York Red Bulls left the door open in the fourth round when he slammed his shot off the post.

It was the second straight year that the All-Star Game ended in a 1-1 draw and was decided by penalties. In 2017, Real Madrid prevailed over the MLS squad 4-2 at Chicago’s Soldier Field

This game was a showcase for Atlanta United and $1.5 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium , where record crowds have flocked since the club joined MLS in 2017. The team is averaging nearly 52,000 per game this season and already has drawn five largest single-game league crowds in MLS history – each more than 70,000. Add another mark to the ever-growing list. It was the largest turnout in the history of the MLS All-Star Game, surpassing the crowd of 70,728 for the 2010 match in Houston.

Juventus, which is playing four games on its American tour, didn’t bring along its prized acquisition of the offseason – five-time FIFA Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo. He remained at home to rest and train.