07/29/26 10:11:00
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07/29 22:09 CDT Son Heung-min scores 2 as MLS All-Stars post 4-3 win over LIGA
MX All-Stars
Son Heung-min scores 2 as MLS All-Stars post 4-3 win over LIGA MX All-Stars
By STEVE REED
AP Sports Writer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) --- It was a night worthy of a picture or two for Son
Heung-min.
Son scored two goals in a three-minute span in the first half off assists from
Carles Gil to propel the MLS All-Stars past the LIGA MX All-Stars 4-3 in
Wednesday night's Major League Soccer All-Star Game.
The Los Angeles Football Club forward celebrated both goals with his signature
"camera" celebration --- mimicking holding an old-fashioned camera, framing the
shot with his fingers and then pretending to snap a picture.
Son was named the game's MVP.
Chicago Fire's Philip Zinckernagel and FC Cincinnati's Evander da Silva
Ferreira also scored for the MLS All-Stars in front of 35,197 at Bank of
America Stadium.
Luis Gabriel Rey sent a running header off a free kick past Matt Freese, the
United States men's national team goalkeeper, 10 minutes into the game to give
Liga MX a 1-0 lead.
Then Son took over.
The LAFC forward fielded a pass from Gil on the left side of the pitch, settled
the ball and slid a well-placed shot past a diving Carlos Acevedo to even the
score at the 20-minute mark.
Son gave MLS the lead for good just moments later when Gil hustled to stop the
ball from going out of play and fired a pass back in front of the goal. Son
buried the shot in the back of the net.
"He's an unbelievable player," said Hany Mukhtar, a midfielder for Nashville
FC, said of Son. "He's a world class player for a reason. He shows it every
week, and we all know how good he is. We see it in training, and I'm not
surprised at what he did."
Zinckernagel made it 3-1 MLS in the 42nd minute when he scored off a rebound.
Liga MX got to within 3-2 early in the second half on a goal by Salomon Rondon,
before Ferreira's goal in the 58th minute gave MLS some cushion. Jose Pardela
added a late goal in extra time for LIGA MX to make it 4-3.
Messi sits out after Argentina's deep run in World Cup
MLS' biggest star, Lionel Messi of Inter Miami, did not play.
Messi was not at the game after Argentina made a deep run in the World Cup
before falling to Spain in the finals. Messi has 12 goals and eight assists for
Inter Miami at the All-Star break.
He and teammate Rodrigo De Paul received an excused absence from Major League
Soccer.
Charlotte hopes ASG is a precursor to 2031 World Cup
Charlotte is hoping that hosting the MLS All-Star Game serves as a precursor to
being selected as a host city for the 2031 Women's FIFA World Cup.
The city has strongly supported its Charlotte FC team, and the stadium also
drew rave reviews from the USMNT team after its friendly against Senegal, which
was well attended.
Bank of America Stadium is undergoing a $1.3 billion renovation project that
should be completed by 2030.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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