Editorial: Looking Back On the 2006 MLS All-Star Game (VIDEO)
This is the MLS Multiplex on the FanSided Network of sports news sites, offering your all things Major League Soccer, NASL and USL Pro. But we’re mostly about Major League Soccer, because, well, that’s our job. Speaking of that, we now continue our series of reflections of the past 19 MLS All-Star Games with a look back at the 2006 MLS All-Star Game, which took place on Aug. 5, 2006 at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill. Abiuodun “Abbey” Okulaja was the man in the middle for this encouter, which drew a crowd of 21,210.
More from MLS News
- Javier Milei Elected in Argentina: Potential Impacts on MLS and Signings of Argentine Players
- Orlando City and New York City FC in the Battle for Matías Arezo; Grêmio Enters Negotiations! Who Will Come Out on Top?
- The Chicago Fire does not deserve your support anymore
- Heading to America: Alexis Sanchez Aims for New Horizons in American or Mexican Soccer
- Ethan Horvath: The Bridge Between Two Worlds in Soccer
This was an exciting contest in store for the fans, The MLS All-Stars were taking on Chelsea, a powerhouse side from the Premier League, and a typical big-money machine in terms of signing the biggest names and delivering convincing results at home and abroad in important competitions, UEFA Champions League notwithstanding.
Live Feed
FanSided
And there were names on this Chelsea team. Petr Cech. John Terry. Carlo Cudicini (who would have a poor stint with the LA Galaxy). Shaun Wright-Phillips (whose brother, Bradley, would go on to fame as a designated player with the New York Red Bulls and be featured as an MLS All-Star himself). Didier Drogba. Andriy Shevchenko.
Arjen Robben. Joe Cole. John Obi Mikel. Salomon Kalou. Michael Essien. Michael Ballack. Wayne Bridge. And Frank Lampard, who would become a designated player this coming season with New York City FC.
The MLS All-Stars were no slouches either. But they were heading into this game as tremendous underdogs. The MLS were led by Bobby Boswell, Jimmy Conrad, Brian Ching, Jaime Moreno, Freddy Adu, Ricardo Clark, Alecko Eskandarian and Dwayne De Rosario.
More from MLS Multiplex
- Javier Milei Elected in Argentina: Potential Impacts on MLS and Signings of Argentine Players
- Orlando City and New York City FC in the Battle for Matías Arezo; Grêmio Enters Negotiations! Who Will Come Out on Top?
- USA, Honduras, Panama, and Canada Close in on a Spot in the 2024 Copa America
- De Gea Turns Down Al-Nassr’s Lucrative Offer: Speculation Points to Possible Reunion with Messi at Inter Miami
- Messi’s Magnetic Impact in the United States
There were a number of players who would have played but had either club commitments or were injured, including Ante Razov, Shalrie Joseph, Clint Dempsey, Eddie Pope, Pablo Mastroeni…and Landon Donovan. You could only wonder how the scoreline would have been if the MLS All-Stars were playing full strength.
So it had to be surprising, to say the least, that Chelsea would go on to lose the game 1-0 on a strike from De Rosario in the 70th minute of play. For his efforts, Mr. Canadian Soccer was named the Man of the Match for delivering a statement to all the bookends of European Club Soccer, saying, “Who’s next?”
Speaking of next, and MLS NEXT, up next on the Plex are reflections of the 2007 MLS All-Star Game, and the ongoing series of friendlies between the best in the league and one of the top sides…in Scotland. Don’t miss it.