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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| MLS All-Stars v Arsenal – live! | MLS All-Stars v Arsenal – live! |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 2.03am BST | |
| 02:03 | |
| Twitter — last bastion of humanity in a cruel, cruel world: | |
| Stephen Hamilton is back, and this time I’m less certain that he’s not being sarcastic: | |
| 2.01am BST | |
| 02:01 | |
| More email: | |
| Kieran Baker (42 mins) seems to realize we may have got off on the wrong foot and has another go: | |
| “Thanks for the shout out, I’m reading the game on the train from New York to Washington. It’s the best thing on the internet right now. Did you do Eng Lit at Uni and then realize there aren’t any jobs and stumbled into journalism? Great use of the word eddying by the way. Train just stopped at Baltimore and an eddy of chill air swirled into the carriage.” | |
| I didn’t stumble. I eddied. | |
| 1.57am BST | |
| 01:57 | |
| 1.53am BST | |
| 01:53 | |
| Half-time: MLS All-Stars 1-1 Arsenal | |
| Anyone trying to get an early jump on the Longest bar line in North America (LOBLINA) missed that...the All-stars didn’t have many chances and Arsenal would have been decent value for a 1-0 lead, but they were punished for switching off, and Drogba gets to leave the field cheerfully teasing his former team mate Cech, after scoring past him. | |
| OK time to rest and prepare for a raft of substitutions. | |
| 1.51am BST | |
| 01:51 | |
| GOAL! MLS All-Stars 1-1 Arsenal (DROGBA!) | |
| Out of nothing, Kljestan slides a beautiful pass to dos Santos on the edge of the box, who in turn slips the ball to Drogba. He needs a couple of hacks at it, but eventually toe pokes the ball past Cech from close range for an equalizer. Great vision by Kljestan. | |
| Updated | |
| at 1.54am BST | |
| 1.48am BST | |
| 01:48 | |
| 45 mins+1: Arsenal try to work one last attack, but it rather fizzles out, like a small faulty firework, arcing off course in the Northern California sky. | |
| Where are you going? There are two minutes of stoppage time. | |
| 1.46am BST | |
| 01:46 | |
| 44 mins: Drifting towards half-time now, like a small plume of firework smoke eddying across the Northern California sky. | |
| 1.45am BST | |
| 01:45 | |
| 42 mins: Slight delay for some treatment to Bielik and time for Kieran Baker to endear himself with this email: | |
| “Without much to look at I’ve been studying the pre game ‘long’ picture -didn’t realize Cech was that HUGE. Dn’t recognize the little guy looking in the wrong direction either? The guy with the ‘tash looks like something out of Starsky and Hutch too. Are you freelance because no one else will stay up late at the Grauniad?” | |
| I am freelance as a lifestyle option, Kieran (he said with as much dignity as he could muster). And ‘tash man is Kljestan. | |
| Drogba’s free kick is deflected over off the wall, then Van Damme heads powerfully over from the resulting corner. | |
| 1.42am BST | |
| 01:42 | |
| 40 mins: Oxlade-Chamberlain makes a little burst down the left but runs into traffic in the corner. Now Aresnal go down the right with no more joy, and the All-Stars can break. Piatti drifts into a dangerous spot but his touch to Kljestan is poor. But now Drogba wins a dangerous free kick on the edge of the box after he’s dragged down by Bielik. | |
| 1.40am BST | |
| 01:40 | |
| 38 mins: The All-Stars making the odd chance without getting many clear shots on goal other than dos Santos’s early chance on Pirlo’s ball over the top. A little spell of possession for them in the Arsenal half at the moment. The intelligent movement of Kljestan and Piatti will give the Arsenal midfield a couple of adjustments to make. | |
| 1.38am BST | |
| 01:38 | |
| 36 mins: Arsenal building up again in the All-Star half, with neat one-twos/give-and-go’s (delete where culturally appropriate). They slowly up the tempo in search of a shooting angle, but eventually Campbell fouls Piatti as he tries to retrieve a loose ball. | |
| Pirlo and Villa are already shaking hands and leaving for the airport by the way., so they just missed Kljestan almost getting on the end of a fiercely driven ball across the box. | |
| 1.36am BST | |
| 01:36 | |
| 34 mins: Piatti immediately tries to find Drgoba, but doesn’t. Such is life. | |
| 1.35am BST | |
| 01:35 | |
| 32 mins: Villa greets a long ball out wide with a first time low ball across the six yard box. It evades Cech, but there’s nobody there to turn it in. And that will be the last contribution of Villa and Pirlo as the two NYCFC players are withdrawn. Their Eastern Conference leading team is facing the Western leaders Colorado Rapids on Saturday afternoon in New York. | |
| Sacha Kljestan and Ignacio Piatti on for them by the way. | |
| 1.32am BST | |
| 01:32 | |
| 30 mins: Coquelin makes another hard tackle that looked a little naughty, but no card. | |
| Meanwhile the All-Stars are scrambling a little in defense until Van Damme boots it inelegantly clear. | |
| Kaka and Drogba again try to combine but Kaka’s deft flick behind the defense wasn’t read by the Montreal striker and the ball drifts out for a goal kick. Still 1-0 to Arsenal. | |
| 1.30am BST | |
| 01:30 | |
| 28 mins: Acosta has to get across sharply to deflect Campbell’s shot, after the Arsenal player had made a support run to meet Walcott’s cutback. Acosta’s done well so far. | |
| All-Stars come forward and both Kaka and Drogba look to be trying to tee themselves up for something spectacular in the Arsenal box but Bielik does well to crowd Drogba out. No nerves from the young man. | |
| 1.28am BST | 1.28am BST |
| 01:28 | 01:28 |
| 26 mins: Arsenal a little less direct for the moment, but their patient build up pays off, as Elneny is given way too much space in the same spot Oxlade-Chamberlain blasted from a few minutes ago. He hits a similarly fierce shot, that Blake has to tip over acrobatically. | 26 mins: Arsenal a little less direct for the moment, but their patient build up pays off, as Elneny is given way too much space in the same spot Oxlade-Chamberlain blasted from a few minutes ago. He hits a similarly fierce shot, that Blake has to tip over acrobatically. |
| 1.26am BST | 1.26am BST |
| 01:26 | 01:26 |
| 24 mins: All-Stars get a free kick for a handball just inside Arsenal’s half. They spread play wide but Villa’s cross in is rather limp and bounces safely to Cech. Game appears to be entering a brief lull after the stoppage for the Acosta tackle. | 24 mins: All-Stars get a free kick for a handball just inside Arsenal’s half. They spread play wide but Villa’s cross in is rather limp and bounces safely to Cech. Game appears to be entering a brief lull after the stoppage for the Acosta tackle. |
| 1.24am BST | 1.24am BST |
| 01:24 | 01:24 |
| 22 mins: Villa and dos Santos combine with the latter overlapping on the left into the box. The ball goes out as dos Santos tries to fire across goal. He wants a corner. Referee says no. | 22 mins: Villa and dos Santos combine with the latter overlapping on the left into the box. The ball goes out as dos Santos tries to fire across goal. He wants a corner. Referee says no. |
| Hmmm. Look away now Dallas fans. Kelyn Acosta just got caught with a studs up challenge from Coquelin going in to a 50-50. He’s down for a moment but limping to his feet now. | Hmmm. Look away now Dallas fans. Kelyn Acosta just got caught with a studs up challenge from Coquelin going in to a 50-50. He’s down for a moment but limping to his feet now. |
| 1.22am BST | 1.22am BST |
| 01:22 | 01:22 |
| 20 mins: Villa has plenty of appetite for this game, though he’s all conspicuous effort rather than effectiveness right now. He tries an overhead kick that flies high and wide. This game is very open right now. 1-0 to Arsenal. | 20 mins: Villa has plenty of appetite for this game, though he’s all conspicuous effort rather than effectiveness right now. He tries an overhead kick that flies high and wide. This game is very open right now. 1-0 to Arsenal. |
| 1.20am BST | 1.20am BST |
| 01:20 | 01:20 |
| 18 mins: Stern words via email from Marcus James: | 18 mins: Stern words via email from Marcus James: |
| “Joel Campbell’s penalty run-up had a distinct nod to Simone Zaza. Please football gods, don’t let this thing catch on” | “Joel Campbell’s penalty run-up had a distinct nod to Simone Zaza. Please football gods, don’t let this thing catch on” |
| I worried a little about the celebration too Marcus. I blame the summer beach parties. | I worried a little about the celebration too Marcus. I blame the summer beach parties. |
| Oxlade-Chamberlain finds himself in space some 30 yards out, and 1970’s a shot fiercely past the post, possibly while muttering “’ave it...” | Oxlade-Chamberlain finds himself in space some 30 yards out, and 1970’s a shot fiercely past the post, possibly while muttering “’ave it...” |
| 1.18am BST | 1.18am BST |
| 01:18 | 01:18 |
| 16 mins: All-Stars living dangerously as Arsenal break and Acosta has to time his recovery tackle perfectly as Walcott shapes to shoot on the edge of the box. He makes the tackle, just. And now Villa shows some quick feet at the byline at the other end, only to be crowded out and for Arsenal to burst up to the other end of the field as the game opens up. Another couple of shimmies from Walcott as he goes past two players to make room for the shot, but having done the hard work (fill in your Theo Walcott final product cliches here...). | 16 mins: All-Stars living dangerously as Arsenal break and Acosta has to time his recovery tackle perfectly as Walcott shapes to shoot on the edge of the box. He makes the tackle, just. And now Villa shows some quick feet at the byline at the other end, only to be crowded out and for Arsenal to burst up to the other end of the field as the game opens up. Another couple of shimmies from Walcott as he goes past two players to make room for the shot, but having done the hard work (fill in your Theo Walcott final product cliches here...). |
| 1.15am BST | 1.15am BST |
| 01:15 | 01:15 |
| 14 mins: The All-Stars have a decent record in these games, having beaten Spurs last year and Bayern Munich the year before that (after falling behind, natch), but already their defense is being stretched here. Arsenal have another corner now. They can’t make anything of it, but they have the All-Stars pinned back and relying on Pirlo hoisting balls over the top for now. | 14 mins: The All-Stars have a decent record in these games, having beaten Spurs last year and Bayern Munich the year before that (after falling behind, natch), but already their defense is being stretched here. Arsenal have another corner now. They can’t make anything of it, but they have the All-Stars pinned back and relying on Pirlo hoisting balls over the top for now. |
| 1.13am BST | 1.13am BST |
| 01:13 | 01:13 |
| GOAL! MLS All-Stars 0-1 Arsenal (CAMPBELL!) | GOAL! MLS All-Stars 0-1 Arsenal (CAMPBELL!) |
| Blake goes the right way, but he can’t reach Campbell’s firm kick to his left and Arsenal lead! | Blake goes the right way, but he can’t reach Campbell’s firm kick to his left and Arsenal lead! |
| 1.12am BST | 1.12am BST |
| 01:12 | 01:12 |
| Penalty to Arsenal | Penalty to Arsenal |
| Miscommunication between Blake and Ciman leads to the latter fouling Campbell. Keeper at fault there (of course, after I just praised him). And now Campbell will take the kick... | Miscommunication between Blake and Ciman leads to the latter fouling Campbell. Keeper at fault there (of course, after I just praised him). And now Campbell will take the kick... |
| 1.11am BST | 1.11am BST |
| 01:11 | 01:11 |
| 10 mins: That’s a great chance for the All-Stars. Lobbed ball over the top from Pirlo finds dos Santos haring clear. He traps the ball perfectly first time and then fires a shot low across Cech that the Arsenal keeper can only parry, but there was nobody following in. Decent chance for the hosts, and now they have another one with a free kick wide left, but this time Pirlo wastes it...hang on... | 10 mins: That’s a great chance for the All-Stars. Lobbed ball over the top from Pirlo finds dos Santos haring clear. He traps the ball perfectly first time and then fires a shot low across Cech that the Arsenal keeper can only parry, but there was nobody following in. Decent chance for the hosts, and now they have another one with a free kick wide left, but this time Pirlo wastes it...hang on... |
| 1.09am BST | 1.09am BST |
| 01:09 | 01:09 |
| 8 mins: Blake has been my outside shot for league MVP so far. He was drafted number one a couple of yers back by Philadelphia and has nailed down the number one slot at the club since then, as well as graduating to the Jamaica team. Ask me about the mechanisms of the draft another time — for now I’m watching Villa try to wriggle into space on the left of the box for a shot. He does so, but it’s charged down and clear and Arsenal come away. First sniff at goal for the All-Stars. | 8 mins: Blake has been my outside shot for league MVP so far. He was drafted number one a couple of yers back by Philadelphia and has nailed down the number one slot at the club since then, as well as graduating to the Jamaica team. Ask me about the mechanisms of the draft another time — for now I’m watching Villa try to wriggle into space on the left of the box for a shot. He does so, but it’s charged down and clear and Arsenal come away. First sniff at goal for the All-Stars. |
| 1.08am BST | 1.08am BST |
| 01:08 | 01:08 |
| 6 mins: Beckerman hoofs a speculative ball from Coquelin clear, but Arsenal push the ball back forward and earn their first corner after decent work by Campbell. Drogba heads it clear but Arsenal pressuring again immediately and now they have a dangerous free kick near the left of the D...Walcott drives it low and Blake has to drop quickly to his left to make the save. Not a hard shot, but well read by the young keeper. | 6 mins: Beckerman hoofs a speculative ball from Coquelin clear, but Arsenal push the ball back forward and earn their first corner after decent work by Campbell. Drogba heads it clear but Arsenal pressuring again immediately and now they have a dangerous free kick near the left of the D...Walcott drives it low and Blake has to drop quickly to his left to make the save. Not a hard shot, but well read by the young keeper. |
| 1.05am BST | 1.05am BST |
| 01:05 | 01:05 |
| 4 mins: Wilshere goes in firmly on a tackle, then Debuchy tries to get going down the right but overruns it and that will be a goal kick to the All-Stars. | 4 mins: Wilshere goes in firmly on a tackle, then Debuchy tries to get going down the right but overruns it and that will be a goal kick to the All-Stars. |
| 1.05am BST | 1.05am BST |
| 01:05 | 01:05 |
| 2 mins: Sloppy touch from Pirlo allows Oxlade-Chamberlain to nip in and push the ball to Walcott on the edge of the box. His shot has Blake diving but it’s well wide. | 2 mins: Sloppy touch from Pirlo allows Oxlade-Chamberlain to nip in and push the ball to Walcott on the edge of the box. His shot has Blake diving but it’s well wide. |
| 1.03am BST | 1.03am BST |
| 01:03 | 01:03 |
| Kick off! | Kick off! |
| We’re underway. Arsenal get us under way and immediately pass the ball around the back to get everyone a touch. Teams feel each other out a little in opening exchanges, with the All-Stars picking up a couple of throws in the Arsenal half, without initiating anything dangerous from them. | We’re underway. Arsenal get us under way and immediately pass the ball around the back to get everyone a touch. Teams feel each other out a little in opening exchanges, with the All-Stars picking up a couple of throws in the Arsenal half, without initiating anything dangerous from them. |