MLS All-Star 2008

Infobox Major League Soccer Event
title = MLS All-Star 2008


home = MLS All-Stars
home_hlf1 = 2
home_hlf2 = 1
home_total= 3
visitor = West Ham United F.C.
visitor_hlf1= 1
visitor_hlf2= 1
visitor_total= 2
goals=MLS: Christian Gomez (27)
Cuauhtémoc Blanco (45)
Dwayne De Rosario (70); West Ham: Dean Ashton (26), (67)
date=July 24, 2008
stadium=BMO Field
city=Toronto, Ontario
MVP= Cuauhtémoc Blanco
halftime= Estelle
weather= Partly cloudy and 72°F
attendance= 20,844
network=ESPN, ESPNHD, Telefutura
announcers=JP Dellacamera
John Harkes
Rob Stone
Julie Foudy
Allen Hopkins
announcers2=Jorge Perez-Navarro
Diego Balado
network3=CBC Television
announcers3=Nigel Reed
Jason de Vos
Mitch Peacock
prev_year=2007
next_year=2009The 2008 Pepsi Major League Soccer All-Star Game was the 13^th consecutive MLS All-Star Game. The MLS All-Stars faced West Ham United of the English Premier League. [cite web | url=http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/345212 | title=West Ham to face MLS all-stars |date=March 13, 2008 | publisher=Toronto Star | accessdate=2008-03-13] The game was played on Thursday, July 24, 2008, with the MLS winning 3-2. New England Revolution coach Steve Nicol coached the All-Stars. [cite web | url=http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20080628&content_id=168985&vkey=pr_mls&fext=.jsp | title=New England's Nicol to coach All Stars |date=June 28, 2008 |publisher=Major League Soccer | accessdate=2008-06-29] The motto for the 2008 MLS All-Star Game is "Major League Soccer Takes on the World". Chicago's Cuauhtémoc Blanco was named MVP.cite web |url=http://web.mlsnet.com/mls/events/all_star/2008/article.jsp?ymd=20080724&content_id=175476&vkey=allstar2008&fext=.jsp |title=Blanco leads MLS past West Ham |date=July 24, 2008 |publisher=mlsnet.com |accessdate=2008-07-26]

Toronto FC named Host

MLS Commissioner Don Garber awarded the 2008 All-Star Game to Toronto, Ontario in 2007 on the eve of MLS All-Star 2007. The game was played in the new soccer-specific stadium, BMO Field and was the first MLS All-Star Game held in Canada. BMO Field is home to the MLS' thirtheenth franchise, Toronto FC. [ [http://bmofield.com BMO Field] ]

West Ham United F.C.

On April 4, 2008 the Major League Soccer website announced that English Premier League team West Ham United would be the fifth international opponent for the marquee event.Founded in 1895, the East London club was originally called Thames Ironworks FC but switched to West Ham United five years later and has been playing at the Boleyn Ground since 1904. West Ham has forged a reputation of cultivating some of the world's top players, giving rise to its frequent reference as The Academy of Football. [cite web | url=http://web.mlsnet.com/mls/events/all_star/2008/article.jsp?ymd=20080403&content_id=147419&vkey=allstar2008&fext=.jsp | title=MLS All-Stars to face West Ham United |date=April 3, 2008 | publisher=Major League Soccer | accessdate=2008-07-03]

MLS All-Stars

Voting

Major League Soccer released an official ballot to decide the players called to represent the league in the All-Star game. A four-tier voting system will determine the First XI players selected for the 2008 game. The online fan balloting program will comprise 25 percent of the total vote, with coaches and general managers (25%), players (25%), and media (25%) combining for the remaining 75% percent of the vote. The total vote will honor the MLS First XI, regardless of whether or not those players start on July 24. Major League Soccer will have final decision on all balloting matters.cite web | year=2008 | url=http://www.mlsnet.com/mls/events/all_star/2008/ballot/register.jsp | title=2008 MLSNET.COM All-Star Ballot | publisher=Major League Soccer | accessdate=2008-05-27]

2008 All-Star Game Rosters

Major League Soccer

Major League Soccer and Toronto FC, hosts of the 2008 Pepsi MLS All-Star Game, unveiled the MLS All-Star First XI in a press conference aired live exclusively on MLSnet.com from BMO Field on Thursday, July 10 at 11 a.m. ET. [cite web | url=http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20080703&content_id=170118&vkey=pr_mls&fext=.jsp | title=MLS All-Star First XI to be announced July 10 |date=July 3, 2008 | publisher=Major League Soccer | accessdate=2008-07-03] In addition to the First XI, Commissioner Don Garber picked two more players for the All-Star team, and coach Steve Nicol received five picks on July 15, 2008. [cite web | url=http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20080715&content_id=172831&vkey=pr_mls&fext=.jsp | title=MLS Announces All-Star Roster |date=July 15, 2008 | publisher=Major League Soccer | accessdate=2008-07-15]

After the U.S. U-23 Olympic Team roster was announced, three additional picks were awarded to Steve Nicol on Thursday, July 17 to replace Michael Parkhurst, Sacha Kljestan, and Robbie Rogers. The additions included 2006 MLS Rookie of the Year Jonathan Bornstein, veteran Steve Ralston, and Colombian Juan Toja, who scored a goal in last year's All-Star Game.cite web | url=http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20080717&content_id=173407&vkey=pr_mls&fext=.jsp | title=Three added to All-Star roster |date=July 17, 2008 | publisher=Major League Soccer | accessdate=2008-07-19]

As of July 19, 2008. Players in bold denotes First XI status. [cite web | url=http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20080710&content_id=171689&vkey=pr_mls&fext=.jsp | title=MLS All-Star First XI announced |date=July 10, 2008 |publisher=Major League Soccer | accessdate=2008-07-10] Fs player | no=5 | nat=ARG | pos=MF | name= Christian Gomez~Fs player | no=7 | nat=USA | pos=MF | name= Steve Ralston~ Fs player | no=8 | nat=COL | pos=MF | name= Juan Toja~ Fs player | no=9 | nat=COL | pos=FW | name= Juan Pablo Angel~Fs player | no=11 | nat=CAN | pos=DF | name= Jim Brennan~Fs player | no=13 | nat=USA | pos=DF | name= Jonathan Bornstein~ Fs player | no=14 | nat=CAN | pos=MF | name= Dwayne De Rosario†Fs player | no=17 | nat=USA | pos=FW | name= Edson Buddle†Fs player | no=18 | nat=CAN | pos=GK | name= Pat Onstad~Fs player | no=25 | nat=USA | pos=MF | name= Pablo Mastroeni~Fs player | no=-- | nat=ARG | pos=FW | name= Guillermo Barros Schelotto♦Fs player | no=-- | nat=USA | pos=GK | name= Jon Busch♦Fs player | no=-- | nat=USA | pos=FW | name= Brian Ching♦Fs player | no=-- | nat=USA | pos=MF | name= Maurice Edu♦Fs player | no=-- | nat=BRA | pos=FW | name= Luciano Emilio♦Fs player | no=-- | nat=USA | pos=MF | name= Sacha Kljestan♦Fs player | no=-- | nat=USA | pos=DF | name= Michael Parkhurst♦Fs player | no=-- | nat=USA | pos=MF | name= Robbie Rogers♦Fs player | no=-- | nat=CRI | pos=DF | name= Gonzalo Segares♦Fs player | no=-- | nat=MLI | pos=MF | name= Bakary Soumare♦

~ - Players selected by coach

† - "Commissioner's Picks"

♦ - Inactive

*MLS All-Star Head Coach - Steve Nicol

West Ham United F.C.

As of May 13, 2008. [cite web | url=http://www.whufc.com/page/FirstTeamProfiles/0,,12562,00.html | title=West Ham United Player Profiles |year=2008 | publisher=WHUFC.com | accessdate=2008-01-12]

Match details

footballbox
date=2008-07-24
time=19:25 EDT
team1= MLS All-Stars flagicon|USA/flagicon|CAN
score=3 – 2
report= [http://web.mlsnet.com/mls/events/all_star/2008/article.jsp?ymd=20080724&content_id=175476&vkey=allstar2008&fext=.jsp (Recap)]
team2=flagicon|ENG West Ham United
goals1= Gomez goal|27
Blanco goal|45
De Rosario goal|70|pen.
goals2= Ashton goal|26, goal|67
stadium=BMO Field, Toronto
attendance=20,844
referee=Mauricio Navarro (Canada)

tatistics

Notes

*The 2008 MLS All-Star Game was the first to be played in Canada.
*For the first time Pepsi was the official sponsor of the All-Star Game. Previously, Sierra Mist, a Pepsi brand, was the advertised sponsor.
*This was the fifth time that the league’s best players faced international competition in the MLS All-Star Game.
*For the second consecutive year New England Revolution coach Steve Nicol was the head coach for the MLS side.

References