2016 MLS All-Star Game

2016 AT&T MLS All-Star Game
Event2016 Major League Soccer season
MLS All-Stars Arsenal
United States Canada England
1 2
DateJuly 28, 2016 (2016-07-28)
VenuePayPal Park, San Jose, California
Most Valuable PlayerChuba Akpom (Arsenal)
RefereeChris Penso (United States)
Attendance18,000
WeatherClear, 84 °F (29 °C)
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The 2016 Major League Soccer All-Star Game, the 21st annual Major League Soccer All-Star Game, took place on July 28, 2016 (7:30 p.m. EDT, 4:30 p.m. local time) at Avaya Stadium, the home of the San Jose Earthquakes. The game was televised live on ESPN and Univision in the United States, and on TSN and RDS in Canada.[1] The game featured the MLS All-Star team playing English side Arsenal, with the match being a preseason friendly for Arsenal as part of their tour of California.[2]

Chuba Akpom was named MVP.

Background

The Major League Soccer (MLS) All-Star Game is an annual exhibition game played by a selection of players from the league's teams. It began in 1996 with the Eastern Conference and Western Conference fielding their own teams, similar to other major North American sports. After numerous format changes, the 2003 edition saw the format change again to matchup Mexican club Guadalajara against the "MLS All-Stars", a team with the best players competing in MLS. After reverting back to the original format in 2004, the "MLS All-Stars" had since played various club teams from across the world, including Premier League clubs Manchester United and Chelsea.

MLS announced in May 2015 that Avaya Stadium, the home stadium of the San Jose Earthquakes, would host the 21st edition of the MLS All-Star Game.[3] In February 2016, it was announced that Premier League side Arsenal were set to play the MLS All-Stars on July 28.[4] Telecommunications company AT&T sponsored the game and the match was broadcast live in the United States through ESPN and Univision; it was also available internationally in over 100 countries.[3]

Squads

MLS All-Stars

The MLS All Star Fan XI was announced on July 9, 2016, however members of this XI were not guaranteed a slot in the 22 man game day squad.[5]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Notes:

a Injured or otherwise unable to play.

Arsenal

On July 22 Arsenal announced a 25-man traveling squad for the MLS All-Star game:[6]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Notes:

a Injured or otherwise unable to play.
b Development Squad

Match

2016 MLS All-Star Game
MLS All-Stars United States Canada1–2England Arsenal
 Report
Attendance: 18,000
MLS All-Stars
Arsenal
GK 1 Jamaica Andre Blake downward-facing red arrow 45'
DF 12 United States Keegan Rosenberry downward-facing red arrow 45'
DF 23 Belgium Laurent Ciman Yellow card 10' downward-facing red arrow 45'
DF 37 Belgium Jelle Van Damme downward-facing red arrow 45'
DF 95 United States Kellyn Acosta downward-facing red arrow 57'
MF 21 Italy Andrea Pirlo downward-facing red arrow 32'
MF 25 United States Kyle Beckerman downward-facing red arrow 45'
MF 17 Mexico Giovani dos Santos downward-facing red arrow 45'
MF 22 Brazil Kaká (c) downward-facing red arrow 45'
FW 7 Spain David Villa downward-facing red arrow 33'
FW 11 Ivory Coast Didier Drogba downward-facing red arrow 45'
Substitutes:
GK 34 United States David Bingham upward-facing green arrow 45'
DF 3 United States Brandon Vincent upward-facing green arrow 57'
DF 4 Costa Rica Kendall Waston upward-facing green arrow 45'
DF 14 United States Andrew Farrell upward-facing green arrow 45'
DF 15 United States Steve Birnbaum upward-facing green arrow 45'
MF 2 United States Clint Dempsey upward-facing green arrow 73'
MF 6 United States Darlington Nagbe upward-facing green arrow 45'
MF 8 United States Chris Wondolowski upward-facing green arrow 73'
MF 16 United States Sacha Kljestan upward-facing green arrow 32' downward-facing red arrow 73'
MF 20 United States Wil Trapp upward-facing green arrow 45'
MF 28 Argentina Ignacio Piatti upward-facing green arrow 33' downward-facing red arrow 73'
MF 29 Argentina Mauro Díaz upward-facing green arrow 45'
FW 9 Canada Cyle Larin upward-facing green arrow 77'
FW 10 Italy Sebastian Giovinco upward-facing green arrow 45' downward-facing red arrow 77'
Manager:
United States Dominic Kinnear
GK 33 Czech Republic Petr Čech (c) downward-facing red arrow 67'
DF 2 France Mathieu Debuchy downward-facing red arrow 45'
DF 16 England Rob Holding
DF 37 Poland Krystian Bielik downward-facing red arrow 45'
DF 3 England Kieran Gibbs downward-facing red arrow 45'
MF 35 Egypt Mohamed Elneny downward-facing red arrow 67'
MF 34 France Francis Coquelin downward-facing red arrow 45'
MF 10 England Jack Wilshere downward-facing red arrow 45'
MF 15 England Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain downward-facing red arrow 67'
MF 28 Costa Rica Joel Campbell downward-facing red arrow 68'
FW 14 England Theo Walcott downward-facing red arrow 67'
Substitutes:
GK 26 Argentina Emiliano Martínez upward-facing green arrow 67'
DF 18 Spain Nacho Monreal upward-facing green arrow 45'
DF 21 England Calum Chambers upward-facing green arrow 45'
DF 24 Spain Héctor Bellerín upward-facing green arrow 45'
MF 17 Nigeria Alex Iwobi upward-facing green arrow 45'
MF 29 Switzerland Granit Xhaka upward-facing green arrow 45'
MF 31 France Jeff Reine-Adélaïde upward-facing green arrow 68'
MF 40 United States Gedion Zelalem upward-facing green arrow 67'
FW 32 England Chuba Akpom upward-facing green arrow 67'
FW 68 England Chris Willock upward-facing green arrow 67'
Manager:
France Arsène Wenger

Most valuable player:
England Chuba Akpom (Arsenal)[7]

Assistant referees:[8]
Frank Anderson
Matthew Nelson
Fourth official:[8]
Juan Guzman
Fifth official:[8]
Chris Strickland

Match rules

  • 90 minutes.
  • Unlimited substitutions.
  • No extra time.
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores still level.

References

  1. ^ "San Jose's Avaya Stadium to host 2016 AT&T MLS All-Star Game" (Press release). Major League Soccer. May 28, 2015.
  2. ^ "English Premier League giants Arsenal to play in 2016 AT&T MLS All-Star Game in San Jose". mlssoccer.com. February 11, 2016.
  3. ^ a b "San Jose's Avaya Stadium to host 2016 AT&T MLS All-Star Game". MLSsoccer.com. May 29, 2015. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
  4. ^ "Arsenal to play MLS All-Star team during pre-season tour". BBC Sport. February 11, 2016. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  5. ^ [1] [dead link‍]
  6. ^ [2] [dead link‍]
  7. ^ "All-Star: Arsenal's Chuba Akpom named MVP of 2016 AT&T MLS All-Star Game". MLSsoccer.com. July 28, 2016.
  8. ^ a b c "All-Star: Chris Penso named head referee for 2016 AT&T MLS All-Star Game vs. Arsenal". Mlssoccer.com. July 5, 2016.