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Messi, Argentina win second straight Copa America final
USA TODAY Sports’ Safid Deen recaps the Copa America final where Argentina defeated Colombia for their second-straight title in this tournament.
Some of the biggest stars in Major League Soccer and LIGA MX will compete again Wednesday night in the MLS All-Star Game.
MLS players hope to win their third consecutive All-Star Game against their counterparts from the Mexican league, after victories following penalty kicks in 2021, and a 2-1 win in 2022.
In addition to highlighting the MLS season, the All-Star Game also serves as the perfect precursor to the Leagues Cup, which pits MLS and LIGA MX teams against each other in a tournament beginning Friday with the final set for Aug. 25.
Here is everything you need to know about Wednesday’s MLS All-Star Game, and you can follow along here for live updates from USA TODAY Sports.
Welp. LIGA MX has taken a three-goal lead against MLS behind a goal from Monterrey’s Maximiliano Meza in the 69th minute.
Tigres UANL standout Juan Brunetta has scored in the 68th minute to give LIGA MX a 3-1 lead.
Riqui Puig and Luca Orellano miss shots on goal for MLS: LIGA MX 2, MLS 1
Two shots on goal to no avail by the MLS All-Stars. Check out the sequence here.
Just before halftime, Oussama Idrissi has put the LIGA MX All-Stars ahead of MLS just before halftime.
Idrissi executed a long dribble just outside the penalty box and unleashed a right strike in the 41st minute.
Nothing like a rule and replay review making its mark in an All-Star Game.
Although a kick from a MLS player hit a LIGA MX player’s leg then his arm, which should have been a handball, the penalty was reversed after VAR.
How about this response by the MLS All-Stars?
Columbus Crew’s Cucho Hernández scored a strike in the 17th minute, thanks to an assist from his club teammate Diego Rossi to tie this match. The score came roughly a minute after Germán Berterame’s score.
Monterrey’s Germán Berterame scored a header in the 16th minute to help LIGA MX take a 1-0 lead over the MLS All-Stars.
Berterame’s goal was a beauty, assisted by América’s Jonathan dos Santos.
First 10 minutes update: MLS 0, LIGA MX 0
We’ve seen several shots from MLS in the opening minutes, but Luciano Acosta, Thiago Martins and Juan Hernández were unable to score.
Germán Berterame also missed a header for LIGA MX.
MLS All-Star Game begins with amazing pregame scenes
The MLS pregame celebration was 10/10. Just check out the scenes from Columbus, Ohio.
Here are the starting lineups for both teams
Riqui Puig won’t get to play with former Barcelona stars Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba
L.A. Galaxy star Riqui Puig indicated he would play in the second half of the MLS All-Star Game, and won’t get to play with former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba because they’re starters.
MLS All-Star coach speaks before the game
“The idea is to have a good night,” Columbus Crew coach Wilfred Nancy said before the game.
The MLS All-Star Game is slated to begin at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, July 24.
The MLS All-Star Game will stream on the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
The game will be held at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio, the home of MLS’s Columbus Crew. It was the host stadium for last season’s MLS Cup, which the Crew won against Los Angeles FC.
Lionel Messi — who was voted onto the MLS All-Star team by fans, players and media — will not play in the game. Messi has been dealing with a right ankle injury he suffered during Argentina’s Copa America final win against Colombia.
Inter Miami’s Luis Suarez will miss the All-Star Game due to knee discomfort.
Real Salt Lake’s Cristian “Chicho” Arango is suspended and will miss the All-Star Game.
Cincinnati’s Miles Robinson is with the U.S. men’s national team for the Paris Olympics.
Goalkeepers (3): Roman Bürki (St. Louis City SC), Hugo Lloris (Los Angeles FC), Maarten Paes (FC Dallas)
Defenders (9): Jordi Alba (Inter Miami CF), Moïse Bombito (Colorado Rapids), Rudy Camacho (Columbus Crew), Justen Glad (Real Salt Lake), Aaron Herrera (D.C. United), Thiago Martins (New York City FC), Steven Moreira (Columbus Crew), Luca Orellano (FC Cincinnati), Keegan Rosenberry (Colorado Rapids)
Midfielders (10): Luciano Acosta (FC Cincinnati), Sergio Busquets (Inter Miami CF), Mathieu Choinière (CF Montreal), Evander (Portland Timbers), Ryan Gauld (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Hector Herrera (Houston Dynamo FC), Robin Lod (Minnesota United FC), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake), Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC), Darlington Nagbe (Columbus Crew), Riqui Puig (LA Galaxy)
Forwards (8): Christian Benteke (D.C. United), Federico Bernardeschi (Toronto FC), Denis Bouanga (Los Angeles FC), Juan “Cucho” Hernandez (Columbus Crew), Petar Musa (FC Dallas), Gabriel Pec (LA Galaxy), Diego Rossi (Columbus Crew)
Goalkeepers (3): Ángel Malagón (Club America), Kevin Mier (Cruz Azul), Fernando Tapia (Tigres UANL)
Defenders (9): Jesús Angulo (Tigres UANL), Brian García (Toluca), Bryan González (CF Pachuca), Alan Mozo (Guadalajara), Jesús Orozco (Guadalajara), Alexis Peña (Club Necaxa), Gonzalo Piovi (Cruz Azul), Guido Pizarro (Tigres UANL), Juan Manuel Sanabria (Atlético San Luis)
Midfielders (15): Roberto Alvarado (Guadalajara), Alán Bautista (CF Pachuca), Germán Berterame (CF Monterrey), Juan Brunetta (Tigres UANL), Sergio Canales (CF Monterrey), Nelson Deossa (CF Pachuca), Javairô Dilrosun (Club América), Jonathan Dos Santos (Club América), Rodrigo Dourado (Atlético San Luis), Álvaro Fidalgo (Club América), Andrés Guardado (Club León), César Huerta (Pumas UNAM), Oussama Idrissi (CF Pachuca), Maximiliano Meza (CF Monterrey), Carlos Rodríguez (Cruz Azul)
Forwards (3): Andre-Pierre Gignac (Tigres UANL), Guillermo Martínez (Pumas UNAM), Salomón Rondón (CF Pachuca).
