Landon Donovan of the LA Galaxy, snubbed by head coach Jurgen Klinsmann for a spot on the USA World Cup team, knocked in the go-ahead goal in the 70th minute, giving the MLS All-Stars a 2-1 victory over defending Bundesliga champion Bayern Munich Wednesday night Providence Field in Portland. Bayern’s roster featured seven players from the German team that won the World Cup in July.
The match marked the 12th time that MLS played international competition in the All-Star game, and they improved their overall record to 8-3-1 after Donovan squibbed in his goal, the sixth of his All-Star career, completing a two-goal rally by MLS in the second half. Donovan won the game’s MVP award.
Robert Lewandowski, a 25-year-old Polish striker who did not play in the World Cup because Poland didn’t qualify, gave Bayern a 1-0 lead in the eighth minute with an athletically absurd volley past helpless goalie Nick Rimando of Real Salt Lake.
Bradley Wright-Phillips of the New York Red Bulls, assisted by Erick Torres and Bobby Boswell, unleashed a bomb in the 51st minute, tying the match 1-1. After Donovan’s goal in the 70th, Bayern Munich brought on four World Cup players, but the Germans came close to scoring only once.
Four members of the Seattle Sounders — Clint Dempsey, Obafemi Martins, DeAndre Yedlin and Osvaldo Alonso — played for MLS. Dempsey, Martins and Yedlin all started and played in the first half, then departed as Portland Timbers coach Caleb Porter substituted a new team for the second half. Alonso played all of the second half.
Dempsey got off two shots, just missing the net in the 30th minute. Martins, who impressed with his energy, had a diving header in the 17th minute that came close. Portland fans went all-out booing Dempsey during introductions and twice during the first half.
Alonso made the controversial play of the match when his sweeping leg-tackle in the 64th minute drew a yellow card and riled the Bayern Munich bench. The Bayern coach, Pep Guardiola, refused to shake hands with Porter after the game.
NEXT: The Sounders host the Houston Dynamo Sunday at 7:30 p.m. at CenturyLink Field. The Sounders, who sit atop the Western Conference standings (12-6-2, 38 points), are coming off consecutive shutout losses, 3-0 to the LA Galaxy and 1-0 to the San Jose Earthquakes.
3 Comments
I can maybe see Bayern’s players refusting to shake hands but IMO Guardiola should have. You’re supposed to be an ambassador for the game. Before the match they were saying they were going to play to win and not just go thru the motions. I guess their definition of that is different than that of the MLS players. If you’re concerned about getting hurt then don’t play.
Nice to see Landon Donovan, who never loses his passion for Saying the Right Things, announced his retirement today because he realized he had lost his passion for the game. Funny thing, this came only hours after the MLS All Star game where he said on the air he was having fun finding passion for the game again.
He can still have that passion but the body is saying otherwise. Larry Bird was the same. Also, soccer isn’t kind to players over 30. Once you get past that age your days are numbered ias a pro.