German Berterame and Maxi Meza of CF Monterrey both scored as the Liga MX All-Stars defeated the MLS All-Stars 4-1 on Wednesday night in the MLS All-Star Game at Columbus, Ohio.
Juan Brunetta of Tigres UANL had a goal and an assist for the Liga MX squad, which earned its first victory in the third time this format was contested.
The game comes two days before the opening matches of the 2024 Leagues Cup, the second annual month-long tournament contested between all 47 clubs from both leagues.
Pachuca’s Oussama Idrissi rounded out the scoring for the victors from Mexico, with his strike just before halftime standing as the eventual match-winner.
Columbus Crew talisman Cucho Hernandez had the lone goal for MLS, which won the first version of this format on penalties in 2021 following a 1-1 draw and the second time 2-1 in regular time the next year.
The MLS squad played without Lionel Messi, who has been sidelined since picking up an ankle injury playing for Argentina in the Copa America final earlier this month.
Idrissi made it 2-1 on one of several well-worked set pieces from the Liga MX team, this one a short corner played to Alvaro Fidalgo, who promptly returned it. Idrissi continued around the left corner of the penalty area, then struck a dipping strike into the bottom right corner.
The MLS squad started the second half aggressively, with Nashville SC’s Hany Mukhtar and the LA Galaxy’s Riqui Puig both striking the woodwork, only to be punished for those near-misses.
Brunetta had the simplest part of a beautiful third for Liga MX in the 68th minute, a tap-in set up by an excellent initial cross and then Gustavo Ferrareis’ header back across goal.
Only moments later, Brunetta found Meza for the final tally of the evening.
Liga MX took its first lead in the 16th minute.
After taking a pass from Javairo Dilrosun, Jonathan Dos Santos served an outswinging cross toward the penalty spot.
Berterame met it and angled an excellent downward header into the bottom left corner.
The MLS reply was nearly instant. Inter Miami’s Sergio Busquets played Diego Rossi into space down the right flank, and Rossi’s low cross set up Hernandez, his Columbus teammate, for a simple finish.
–Field Level Media
