All the action as it happened as West Ham United meet the best in Major
League Soccer
24.07.2008
MLS All-Star Game
BMO Field
Kick-off: 7.24pm (00.24am London time)
Referee: Mauricio Navarro
Full time: MLS All-Stars 3-2 West Ham
90min - De Rosario blasts a low free-kick that Green pushes around the post.
Good save.
90min - Tony Stokes is on for Cole. The No12 has been tireless tonight. Four
minutes of added time will be played.
90min - Outstanding play by Reid and Parker to burst out of defence finishes
with Boa Morte fizzing one just wide. Good play by West Ham United.
88min - Edson Buddle and Steve Ralston are on.
87min - Boa Morte heads for goal but Reis saves. The No13 was unlucky and
has taken a knock in the face.
86min - Parker is fouled just on the edge of the area. A chance for West Ham
United to equalise and perhaps share the trophy.
84min - Widdowson has done very well, especially in attacking positions. The
left-back is trying to get forward and the visitors have not given up on
this game. The MLS, remember, have won their four previous games against
overseas opposition.
82min - Boa Morte is down after a late challenge just as he had set
Stanislas free. The referee failed to play the advantage although captain
Conrad was booked.
80min - Kyel Reid is on now for Ashton, meaning the No9 cannot get his
hat-trick.
76min - Faubert is off and young midfielder Junior Stanislas is into the
fray.
73min - Cole seems to have picked up a knock. After a pause, Beckham plays
the ball in again but this time the defence clear.
71min - Angel thought he had scored a fourth for the MLS after Donovan's
great burst forward but the referee's assistant had flagged for offside.
Beckham then has the visitors back-pedalling with a dangerous cross that
Faubert just about gets away.
70min - GOAL! - De Rosario steps up to smash the ball in past Green,
although it hit the crossbar and bounced down on the line before going in.
69min - Neill is penalised for a foul on De Rosario. The No2 was close to
touching the ball but just missed out and the Canadian tumbled over.
67min - GOAL! - Ashton gets his second with a strike from distance that
takes a huge deflection on its way in. The No9 won't complain and neither
will the travelling fans in the stadium.
65min - Jack Collison is on for Mullins.
63min - Chance for Beckham with another free-kick. Mullins committed the
foul on the edge of the area. Flashbulbs are going off everywhere. Yet again
the England midfielder goes close but Green was never too worried.
60min - Chance for Cole. He gets it out of his feet superbly but the shot is
wide. This place is jumping now and, with the floodlights on, the match has
taken on the feel of a cup contest in England. Boa Morte again feeds Cole
and again the shot is saved.
59min - Brennan is coming on, as is fellow Canadian Dwayne De Rosario. TFC
chants fill the air. As they do, a ball across the penalty area finds its
way to Beckham and he fizzes one just wide of Green's right-hand post.
58min - A great break by Boa Morte sees him then feed Faubert to the right
of goal. The Frenchman shoots and Reis cannot hold the effort. Corner to
West Ham United - but it comes to nothing. However, the ball is soon fed
back into the area and Ashton's point-blank volley is pushed away by Reis.
57min - Donovan works an opening and fires low. The MLS All-Stars are still
a threat.
55min - West Ham United are working hard to get back into the contest but
the All-Stars retain the upper hand. Hejduk is the next in the book.
53min - Boa Morte, in his second All-Star Game, takes the set-piece but his
low shot is deflected safely into Reis's hands.
52min - Faubert races away from the MLS defence and is tugged back
illegally. Free-kick on the edge of the area. Bornstein is booked.
51min - All-Stars manager Nicol cannot fail to hear the 'We want Brennan'
chants with the former Norwich City man in demand in front of his home
crowd. He has come out to warm up much to their delight.
48min - Neill heads clear Beckham's corner. Cole then miscues another
clearance from Beckham. The All-Stars are keeping possession well.
47min - Angel is immediately in the game and looks like he will be a threat
to the visiting defence.
46min - The second half is under way. West Ham United were out much earlier
than the MLS All-Stars except for Beckham and a few others. Beckham spent
the time waiting in discussion with goalkeeping coach Ludek Miklosko. Juan
Pablo Angel is on for Cooper while Landon Donovan has entered for the
outstanding Blanco. Luis Boa Morte is on for Etherington.
Half-time: MLS All-Stars 2-1 West Ham United
45min - We are playing one minute of added time. The All-Stars get a late
chance to apply more pressure with a Beckham free-kick out on the left.
Parker did not retreat and is booked when Beckham's effort hits him. Second
chance for the No23 and this time Neill clears. Widdowson then does well to
clear Beckham's third ball into the box in quick succession. A good
reception greets the half-time whistle.
45min - A chance for Ashton and Faubert to respond but neither can control
Ashton's cross before Joseph heads back to Reis.
44min - GOAL! - Blanco shows why Mexico loves him so much with a sweet bit
of skill to deceive Parker before curling the ball beyond the outstretched
palm of Green. One assist, one goal. Not bad.
44min - Ferdinand just stops Toja and Jonathan Bornstein finishing off a
sweet passing move. The All-Stars are finishing strongly.
42min - The largely Toronto FC-dominated crowd are in good voice. There is
also a drummer or two helping to raise the noise levels.
39min - Parker fouls Blanco just outside the area. Beckham might just take
this. He does but Davenport is able to block the low effort.
37min - Juan Toja and Neill duel for the ball out on the wing. The ball is
eventually worked to Beckham and he crosses from the right, only for
Davenport to head away.
36min - Faubert intercepts from Gomez and is promptly fouled. Cole tries to
get away but is slowed by Joseph.
34min - Blanco picks out Cooper superbly on the edge of the six-yard box.
The former Manchester United youth player, who has been capped twice by the
US and averages nearly a goal every two games for FC Dallas, cannot connect
cleanly and Green watches the ball run wide.
32min - Parker's misplaced pass allows Beckham a shooting opportunity. The
ball is deflected wide for a corner. The No23 will take it of course. Neill
clears it straight back to Beckham. He picks out Gomez on the edge of the
area but the No5 skies the ball into the air.
30min - Parker is a little concerned with his right foot but seems OK to
continue.
27min - GOAL! - An instant response from Gomez. He raced clear of the United
defence to score with a similarly neat finish. Blanco's delightful back-heel
created the opening to split the defence.
26min - GOAL! - Ashton scores with a lovely finish into the corner of the
net. It was a lovely taken goal but it owed much to Cole's brilliant flick
on. The two have combined well.
24min - Cole races into the box but cannot make it count and neither can
Faubert when the ball comes his way.
22min - Beckham has begun to spray some passes around - he is drifting
inside and finding plenty of room although Scott Parker and Mullins are
looking lively. It is turning into an intriguing contest. Craig Forrest, the
former Hammers goalkeeper, has just made a visit to the press box.
20min - Ashton has a go from distance. It never troubled Reis though.
18min - Cooper does brilliantly from Christian Gomez's superb pass. His shot
on the turn just whistles over Green's crossbar.
17min - The 'We want Brennan' chants start again. Steve Nicol will be public
enemy No1 if the hometown favourite does not feature today off the bench.
The No11 has a huge smile on his face on the bench.
15min - Cole is upended by Joseph. When play resumes, it eventually comes to
Etherington in the centre. He tries his luck from range but his shot is off
target.
13min - The longest period of possession for the MLS comes to nothing.
Widdowson fires the ball forward for Cole to collect and again the No12's
touch is spot on. He has looked bright in his first start this pre-season.
Etherington is then penalised for a push.
11min - Kenny Cooper fizzes in a low shot to Robert Green that causes the
goalkeeper no trouble. Neither No1 has been tested yet.
10min - Pablo Mastroeni clears from Cole just as he was about to shoot.
Julien Faubert comes to take the corner and is immediately covered in
streamers with the home fans shouting 'who are ya?' as he plays it in. The
French international then gets another chance at a corner after the first is
cleared.
9min - Corner to the All-Stars after Beckham's long raking pass put United
on the backfoot. He strides forward to take the corner. It comes to nothing
and Etherington has the chance to break. The All-Stars regroup, however.
8min - Ashton is penalised for a foul on Frankie Hejduk. Again it was good
work by Cole in the build-up. Hayden Mullins takes down Shalrie Joseph in
midfield.
6min - Beckham gets his first meaningful cross in from the right. Ferdinand
gets it away.
5min - Great work by Carlton Cole gets him deep into the penalty area.
Matthew Etherington, on his first game this pre-season, did well to create
the opening from the left wing.
4min - Dean Ashton nearly gets on to a long clearance from Calum Davenport.
Matt Reis gets there in time though.
2min - With the crowd already singing for Toronto FC substitute Jim Brennan.
Julien Faubert and Scott Parker have already weighed in with some heavy
challenges. They are up for it.
1min - Kenny Cooper and Cuauhtemoc Blanco get us unde rway and instantly the
MLS are on the attack. Anton Ferdinand tidies up though and gets Robert
Green an early touch.
KICK-OFF
West Ham United: Green, Neill (c), Davenport, Ferdinand, Widdowson, Faubert,
Mullins, Parker, Etherington, Cole, Ashton
Subs: Walker, Spence, Collison, Stanislas, Reid, Stokes, Boa Morte
MLS All-Stars: Reis, Bornstein, Hejduk, Conrad (c), Mastroeni, Beckham,
Gomez, Joseph, Toja, Blanco, Cooper
Subs: Onstad, Brennan, Ralston, De Rosario, Buddle, Angel, Donovan
7.21pm - The team line up for the official pre-match photo. Joe Widdowson
looks remarkably composed even though the 19-year-old from Forest Gate is
about to find himself up against David Beckham.
7.19pm - The crowd were disappointed not to hear Oh Canada before. They get
their wish now.
7.18pm - Lucas Neill and Jimmy Conrad lead out the teams.
7.16pm - We have just had the US and British national anthems and the teams
are being announced now.
7.11pm - A man has just parachuted in with a giant Canadian flag. He
naturally gets a warm reception. Here comes another. This time it is a woman
who has the game ball.
7.09pm - We are well into the pre-match build-up. The teams are back in the
dressing rooms and getting ready to take to the field for the presentations.
6.42pm - They are swiftly joined by the entire West Ham United squad of 18,
including a new-look Tony Stokes with his blond hair shaved off.
6.37pm - David Beckham and the rest of the MLS All-Stars are out on the
field in their black shirts, blue shorts and black socks.
6.35pm - Craig Bellamy and Mark Noble will not be involved this evening.
Only the MLS goalkeepers are out warming up at the moment, with Matt Reis
and Pat Onstad being put through their paces. Here come Ludek Miklosko,
Jimmy Walker and Robert Green.
6.33pm - The stands are starting to fill up. Most of the stadium is open to
the elements so it is a good job the rain has stopped. Blue skies are
stretching across Lake Ontario into the distance and with the teams
announced, expectation is rising.
6pm - Estelle is performing in her pre-match show. She will also be taking
to the stage at half-time to sing her smash-hit American Boy.
5.55pm - We will have the teams as soon as they are confirmed by Alan
Curbishley and All-Star coach Steve Nicol.
5.48pm - The players have come out to take a look at the BMO Field. Anton
Ferdinand was the first to show, followed closely by Jack Collison. The
national anthems are getting an early run-through while the fans mill around
outside taking advantage of the many activities and games laid on for them
in the car parks.
5.40pm - Welcome to the BMO Field for the MLS All-Star Game. After a grey
day in Toronto, the sun has started to force its way through the clouds at
this atmospheric stadium right in the heart of the Canadian city. The CN
Tower looms large in the distance - at 1,815ft it is an imposing structure
that provides a stunning backdrop.
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United fall short in Toronto - WHUFC
The MLS All-Stars were in fine form against a hard-working West Ham United
on Thursday night
25.07.2008
MLS All-Stars 3-2 West Ham United
West Ham United were edged out in a five-goal thriller against the MLS
All-Stars that saw Dean Ashton score twice only for MVP Cuauhtemoc Blanco to
steal the show.
At a packed BMO Field in Toronto on Thursday night, Ashton had fired the
opener midway through the first half but a sublime back-heel from Blanco set
up Christian Gomez almost immediately. The veteran Mexican playmaker then
struck a sublime goal just before half-time when he tricked his way into the
penalty area. Blanco's work was done and although Ashton levelled matters in
the 67th minute with a deflected long-range shot, Dwayne De Rosario won it
with a penalty soon afterwards.
The match was a welcome step up for Alan Curbishley's men after the 4-2 and
3-1 wins against Hampton and Richmond Borough and Columbus Crew respectively
in the first two matches of pre-season. As well as Ashton's strikes, the
positives were plenty. Carlton Cole impressed on his first start of the
summer while Matthew Etherington and Luis Boa Morte got a welcome 45 minutes
apiece on the left flank. The night will also be remembered by Joe
Widdowson, with the 19-year-old defender marking David Beckham.
The home crowd was largely made up of Toronto FC supporters, who with their
constant chants and incessant singing made for an atmosphere that was
reminiscent of cup games in England. Although the MLS All-Stars are deep
into their season, United kept going until the end - not least the
strong-running Scott Parker. The team will travel back to England on Friday
night, after a community session at the BMO Field, and then have some
welcome rest before a busy schedule resumes next week. First up is a trip to
Peterborough United on Tuesday before heading to Cambridge United the
following evening.
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Hammers lose out in Toronto - KUMB
Filed: Friday, 25th July 2008
By: A Different Staff Writer
United have lost 3-2 this morning to the MLS All-Star XI.
Hammers were lead out by Tomas Gallagher who is well-known to many kumb.com
members, and rested Mark Noble and Craig Bellamy from the squad that won 3-1
in Columbus at the weekend and Matthew Etherington got his first run-out of
the pre-season.
After a slow start Dean Ashton put United one up on 26 minutes but the lead
was short-lived as Gomez, set up by a smart back heel from Blanco equalised
straight from the restart.
Blanco himself put the "All-Stars" 2-1 up just before the interval with a
curler from the left hand side of the box that gave Green no chance.
Luis Boa-Morte replaced Etherington after the break and the match continued
much as the first half had ended with the visitors struggling to keep
possession against a team with the benefit of half a season under their
belts and david beckham spurned a glorious chance to put the MLS side out of
sight by pulling his shot from the edge of the box well wide.
However, both Cole and Ashton had chances to level and Ashton netted the
equaliser on 66 minutes with a shot that took deflections off two defenders
on its way past the 'keeper.
Hammers' joy was, once more, only temporary as skipper Neill ave away an
unncessary spot kick b upending De Rosario on 69 minutes. The Canadian
international picked himself up off the astroturf to power the penalty in
off the crossbar.
Former Villa striker Juan Pablo Angel then hit a venomous drive past Green
but the effort was ruled out by the linesman's flag.
MLS dominated possession for the remainder of the match as United tired but
the visitors still had two late chances to equalise with a brave header from
Boa-Morte being saved and a last-minute drive from the left from the same
player going well wide at the death and the MLS side hed on through four
minutes of stoppage time to take the trophy.
Next up for Hammers is a trip to the slightly different venue of London Road
Peterborough on Tuesday evening, by which time we hope to have got our sleep
patterns back in synch with GMT.
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A glass-house dweller writes... - KUMB
Filed: Thursday, 24th July 2008
By: Staff Writer
The Crew Supporters Union have released a statement criticising West Ham
United supporters for the trouble that briefly marred last Sunday's game
between Columbus and West Ham.
John Clem, President of the Crew fans group also criticised stadium secuity
for allowing fans of West Ham United - who he somewhat ignorantly describes
as 'a club known more for hooliganism than soccer' - to access the end of
the ground used by home fans.
However he failed to mention the presence and actions of the 'Hudson Street
Hooligans' (HSH) - a group of Columbus Crew fans formed in tribute to Lexi
Alexander's 'Green Street', a film (panned by the critics for its lack of
realism) featuring a fictional firm of West Ham United supporters starring
the diminutive and somewhat less than fearsome Elijah Woods.
Clem's full statement reads as follows:
"As many of you are aware, a small scuffle occurred Sunday evening between a
group of West Ham fans and Crew supporters in the Nordecke. The Crew
supporters were attempting to get the West Ham fans, who were throwing beer
and trying to instigate fights, out of the top of the section where families
are seated with no assistance from the security representatives located
around the section.
" This incident has now been sensationalized by the media as a "brawl". We,
the leaders of the Crew Supporter's Union, feel that the blame should fall
squarely on Contemporary Services Corporation (CSC, a security company) for
lack of training the personnel hired to work MLS games and the Crew Front
Office for cutting down on the number of security guards around the section
when a club known more for hooliganism than soccer is expected to be present
at a game.
"The bottom line is that the West Ham fans should have never made it into
the supporter's section, let alone ten rows deep. Before the next home match
on August 16 against our sister club, FC Dallas, we will try to work with
the Crew Front Office to get CSC to explain their violent and unnecessary
harassment of Crew supporters in the first half and hopefully to find a
better security solution than what is currently being provided."
However as video evidence (shown previously on KUMB.com) has already proved,
contrary to Clem's claims the majority of problems on the day were caused by
Crew fans intent on goading visiting supporters into retaliatory action.
For the most Hammers fans refused to react, although one American United
supporter was arrested after throwing a punch at a Crew fan who he claimed
had earlier assaulted a 15-year-old United fan.
It's either the HSH or a Star Trek convention, we're still undecided
(source: www.hudsonstreethooligans.net)
The HSH Myspace page states that 'our name was derived from the Green Street
Hooligans', adding that they were formed by 'a group of brothers and friends
hoping to make a difference in the local fanbase of the Columbus Crew'.
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All-Stars soar past Hammers - SSN
Ashton brace not enough for Curbishley's West Ham
By James Dall Last updated: 25th July 2008
West Ham United fell to a 3-2 defeat against a Major League Soccer All-Stars
side featuring David Beckham at BMO Field in Toronto. Dean Ashton fired a
brace for The Hammers, but goals from Christian Gomez, Cuauhtemoc Blanco and
Dwayne De Rosario handed the MLS All-Stars victory. Alan Curbishley's West
Ham broke the deadlock in the 26th minute when Ashton latched on to Carlton
Cole's flicked header to slot home right-footed. But MLS, coached by Steve
Nicol, responded almost instantly as Blanco's back-hell created space for
Gomez, who smashed a low effort past goalkeeper Robert Green. A minute
before the break, Mexican forward Blanco handed MLS the lead, expertly
dropping his shoulder before curling in to the top corner. The Hammers drew
level in the 67th minute as Ashton's long-range shot caught a wicked
deflection to wrong-foot shot-stopper Matt Reis. However, MLS restored their
advantage when Lucas Neill felled Dwayne De Rosario in the box to allow the
Canadian to dispatch with aplomb from the penalty spot and maintain the
All-Stars' winning run against foreign opposition since the introduction of
the format in 2003.
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Dyer and Upson back in training for West Ham while new £5m signing Behrami
aims to shine - Daily Mail
By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 4:25 PM on 24th July 2008
West Ham will return from their pre-season tour of North America this
weekend to find long-term injury absentees Kieron Dyer and Matthew Upson
back in training - and a new team-mate in Switzerland's Euro 2008 star Valon
Behrami. Alan Curbishley has been allowed to spend again, paying £5million
to Lazio for 23-year-old Behrami, who can also play in midfield. After
striker Bobby Zamora and defender John Pantsil were sold for a combined
£6.3million to Fulham last week, many believed it was the start of an Upton
Park clear-out to balance the books after a major spend in the transfer
market last term.
But Hammers chief executive Scott Duxberry insisted: 'Valon will be a great
asset as we look ahead to a successful season. 'We had to beat off
competition from a lot of other clubs to get him and that shows the
commitment to strengthening the squad we still have here. 'There will be no
major exodus and our fans can be assured we are working as hard as ever to
bring top competition to every area of the team.' Kosovo-born Behrami, who
has 15 caps for Switzerland, played in all three of his country's games at
Euro 2008. He said: 'It is my dream come true to play for West Ham in the
Premier League but I had to make sure the move was right for everybody
involved after they showed an interest in me. Once that was clear, I made my
mind up very quickly.'
Behrami, who has also played for Genoa and Verona, will meet his new
team-mates this weekend, after tonight's clash in Toronto with an MLS
All-Stars side which should include David Beckham. The newcomer and all
Hammers fans will be delighted to hear Duxbury confirming the club intend to
strengthen their existing playing staff. Last summer saw Dyer arrive for
£6million, Craig Bellamy join for £7.5million, and Scott Parker and Julien
Faubert arrive for a further combined £11million. All four soon founds
themselves on the injury list, with Dyer playing just three times before
suffering a double fracture of a leg. He is back on the training pitch and
should have a major role to play in the new campaign. After their mid-table
finish last season, hopes are high at Upton Park that Curbishley can steer
his team to an improved showing. Captain Lucas Neill, who turned down
Liverpool last season to join West Ham from Blackburn, is relishing
tonight's match. Neill said: 'It is a privilege to be playing in this match
and it will be great to test ourselves against the best in America. 'But we
are confident, especially with having guys like Craig (Bellamy), Scotty
(Parker) and Julien (Faubert) back after their injuries and looking really
fit again.'
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The Italian Batallion - Cmon Yu Irons
All good things come to those that wait, as the old saying goes. And after
years of enduring heartache, we finally have everything in place…and
Gianluca Nani.
We all seemed perplexed somewhat as to why everything was so quiet when he
arrived, and wondered when the ball would get rolling. But as I said before,
it's just a matter of patience that is required, and then we will start
seeing much change.
Signing Behrami is just the beginning of more talent coming to our club in
the future; much of which will be down to Nani himself. This guy doesn't
mess around and is careful and articulate in what he does and who he wants.
So in my opinion we have a man who will be a key factor in the progress and
strengthening of our squad, who will be a major part of pushing us forward.
Someone who will push our claret n blue batallion forward.
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Blanco leads MLS over West HamStory Highlights - cnn.com
35-year-old Mexican star Blanco scores goal, assist in exhibition
TORONTO, Canada (AP) -- Chicago midfielder Cuauhtemoc Blanco scored one goal
and helped set up another, and Houston midfielder Dwayne DeRosario snapped a
tie with a penalty kick to give the MLS All-Stars a 3-2 victory over English
Premier League team West Ham United 3-2 on Thursday night. Cuauhtemoc
Blanco, right, and teammate David Beckham celebrate teammate Christian
Gomez's goal. The All-Stars are unbeaten in five years against foreign
opponents. Blanco was chosen as the game's most valuable player. Forward
Dean Ashton scored both goals for West Ham. Los Angeles midfielder David
Beckham played the entire game and earned an assist in his first MLS
All-Star appearance. Beckham came close to scoring in the 40th minute, but
his low free kick was headed away by West Ham defender Calum Davenport. The
England international had two more opportunities early in the second half,
running onto a loose ball inside the 18-yard box but shooting high and just
wide. He misses wide again on a free kick minutes later. West Ham opened the
scoring in the 26th minute when Carlton Cole's header sent Ashton in alone
on goal. Ashton, who made his international debut for England last month,
coolly fired a low shot past New England goalkeeper Matt Reis and into the
bottom corner. The lead was short-lived, as Beckham and Blanco teamed up to
help the MLS All-Stars tie it one minute later. Blanco's clever back-heel on
Beckham's pass from midfield sent Colorado midfielder Christian Gomez into
the 18-yard box, and he scored with a low shot under West Ham goalkeeper
Robert Green.
Blanco put the All-Stars in front 2-1 with a brilliant goal just before
halftime. Dallas midfielder Juan Toja slid a short pass to Blanco, who
eluded Scott Parker and curled a shot into a far corner, beyond Green's
outstretched arms. Ashton tied it at 2-all in the 68th minute when his long
shot deflected off Kansas City defender Jimmy Conrad and past Reis. Again,
the MLS wasted little time in replying. Referee Mauricio Navarro pointed to
the penalty spot after Lucas Neill brought down DeRosario inside the penalty
box. With the record crowd of 20,844 roaring for the Toronto native,
DeRosario blasted his shot off the underside of the crossbar. The ball then
took a fortunate bounce into the back of the net. West Ham's Luis Boa Morte
almost tied it in the final minute of regular time, but shot wide. DeRosario
nearly added a second soon after, but Green dove to palm away his deflected
free kick. The MLS All-Stars beat Mexico's Guadalajara 3-1 in 2003 and,
after returning to an East-West format in 2004, defeated English team Fulham
4-1 in 2005. They blanked England's Chelsea 1-0 in 2006 before beating
Scotland's Celtic 2-0 last year.
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MLS Stars Top West Ham United - WashingtonPost.com
Friday, July 25, 2008; Page E02
Chicago midfielder Cuauhtémoc Blanco scored one goal and helped set up
another, and Houston midfielder Dwayne DeRosario snapped a tie with a
penalty kick to give the MLS All-Stars a 3-2 victory over English Premier
League team West Ham United last night in Toronto. The MLS all-stars are
unbeaten in five years against foreign opponents. Blanco was chosen as the
game's most valuable player. "The MLS players showed we have good players in
our league, not only good players but great players," New England Coach
Steve Nicol said. Forward Dean Ashton scored both goals for West Ham, which
beat MLS's Columbus Crew, 3-1, in an exhibition match on Sunday that was
marred by a scuffle involving fans of both teams. Los Angeles midfielder
David Beckham played the entire game and earned an assist in his first MLS
all-star appearance. Beckham came close to scoring in the 40th minute, but
his low free kick was headed away by West Ham defender Calum Davenport. The
England international had two more opportunities early in the second half,
running on to a loose ball inside the 18-yard box but shooting high and just
wide. He missed wide again on a free kick minutes later. West Ham opened the
scoring in the 26th minute when Carlton Cole's header sent Ashton in alone
on goal. Ashton, who made his international debut for England last month,
coolly fired a low shot past New England goalkeeper Matt Reis and into the
bottom corner. The lead was short-lived, as Beckham and Blanco teamed up to
help the MLS all-stars tie it one minute later. Blanco's clever back-heel on
Beckham's pass from midfield sent Colorado midfielder Christian Gómez into
the 18-yard box, and he scored with a low shot under West Ham goalkeeper
Robert Green.
Blanco put the MLS all-stars in front 2-1 with a brilliant goal just before
halftime. Dallas midfielder Juan Toja slid a short pass to Blanco, who
eluded Scott Parker and curled a shot into a far corner, beyond Green's
outstretched arms. Ashton tied it at 2-2 in the 68th minute when his long
shot deflected off Kansas City defender Jimmy Conrad and past Reis. Again,
the MLS wasted little time in replying. Referee Mauricio Navarro pointed to
the penalty spot after Lucas Neill brought down DeRosario inside the penalty
box. With the record crowd of 20,844 roaring for the Toronto native,
DeRosario blasted his shot off the underside of the crossbar. The ball then
took a fortunate bounce into the back of the net. "A game like this in my
home town, I can't ask for anything more, especially to have an opportunity
to have an impact in the game," DeRosario said. "For me, it's a dream come
true.
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Beckham inspires MLS all-stars to win over West Ham - Guardian
By Steve Keating
TORONTO, July 24 (Reuters) - David Beckham treated the fans to what they
came to see, flashing his trademark smile and curling free kicks to lead the
Major League Soccer all-stars to a 3-2 win over West Ham United on Thursday.
Beckham and his team mates had insisted the game against the Premier League
side was much more than a friendly for MLS as it continues its bid to be
recognised as a quality league. But the result seemed secondary in a
carnival atmosphere at BMO Field in front of a stadium record crowd of
20,844. "Every player out there was committed to winning the game, we took
it seriously," Beckham told reporters. "We wanted to win and we did that."
Canadian soccer fans had waited nearly a year to catch a glimpse of the
sport's most famous player, who was supposed to have launched his MLS career
with the Los Angeles Galaxy in Toronto last August but missed out due to a
sprained ankle. The England midfielder played a full 90 minutes against West
Ham and nearly scored on several occasions, including a right-foot strike
from just inside the penalty area that clipped the crossbar. Mexican
international Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Christian Gomez and Dwayne De Rosario from
the penalty spot scored for MLS. Striker Dean Ashton claimed both West Ham
goals. It was the fifth time the MLS all-stars had beaten foreign opponents.
They overcame Mexico's Guadalajara in 2003, Fulham in 2005, Chelsea in 2006
and Celtic last year. "The reason for the game was for the MLS to show off
their riches and their talent and they've done that," West Ham manager Alan
Curbishley said. "They showed they can compete. "The MLS, and not just
because of David Beckham, is gaining momentum week in and week out in
Europe."
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Beckham and Blanco prominent as MLS All-Stars beat West Ham 3-2 -
sportsillustrated.com
TORONTO (AP) -Eager to earn more respect for the status of their league, the
MLS All-Stars beat England's West Ham United 3-2 on Thursday to record a
fifth straight win over foreign opposition. Newly capped England striker
Dean Ashton scored both goals for the Premier League side, but goals by
Christian Gomez, Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Dwayne DeRosario gave the MLS team
the win. "The MLS players showed we have good players in our league, not
only good players but great players,'' All-Stars coach and former Liverpool
fullback Steve Nicol said. Los Angeles midfielder David Beckham played the
entire game in his first All-Star appearance. He came close to scoring in
the 40th minute, but his low free kick was headed away. The England
international had two more opportunities early in the second half, running
onto a loose ball inside the 18-yard box but shooting high and just wide. He
missed wide again on a free kick minutes later. "I'd read about the last
five years not losing so I was kind of nervous and hoping that we would
win,'' Beckham said. "As soon as we started I knew we were capable of
winning it because of the quality we've got in the team.''
West Ham opened the scoring in the 26th minute when Carlton Cole's header
sent Ashton in alone on goal, and he cooly fired a low shot past New England
goalkeeper Matt Reis. The lead was short-lived, as Beckham and Blanco
combined to tee up the equalizer one minute later. Blanco's clever back-heel
on Beckham's pass from midfield sent Colorado midfielder Christian Gomez
into the 18-yard box, and he scored with a low shot under West Ham keeper
Robert Green. Blanco put the All-Stars in front 2-1 with a brilliant goal
just before halftime. Dallas midfielder Juan Toja slid a short pass to
Mexico international Blanco, who eluded Scott Parker and curled a shot into
a far corner, beyond Green's outstretched arms. Nicol called it "a fantastic
goal.''
"As long as he doesn't do that against the Galaxy, that's good,'' Beckham
joked. "We as players know he's quality and we tried to play to his
strengths. We were able to connect, not just me and him but all the players
all over the field.''
Ashton tied it 2-2 in the 68th minute when his long shot deflected off
Kansas City defender Jimmy Conrad and past Reis. Again, the MLS wasted
little time in replying. Referee Mauricio Navarro awarded a penalty after
Australian defender Lucas Neill brought down DeRosario inside the area.
Canada midfielder DeRosario blasted his shot off the underside of the
crossbar, and the ball then bounced into the goal. "For a split second I was
a little concerned, but thankfully it went in the back of the net,''
DeRosario said. West Ham's Luis Boa Morte almost equalized in the final
minute of regular time, but shot wide, while DeRosario nearly added an
insurance goal soon after, but Green dived to palm away a free kick. The MLS
All-Stars beat Mexico's Guadalajara 3-1 in 2003 and, after returning to an
East-West format in 2004, defeated English team Fulham 4-1 in 2005. After
beating Chelsea 1-0 in 2006, they downed Scotland's Celtic 2-0 last year.
"The MLS is gaining momentum week in and week out,'' West Ham manager Alan
Curbishley said. "In Europe, we see lots of the games, we keep in touch with
it. You're probably going to find more European players attracted to the
league.''
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Hammers suffer defeat to All-Stars - SundaySun.com
Jul 25 2008
West Ham failed to become the first English side to beat the Major League
Soccer All-Stars after going down 3-2 at BMO Field in Toronto.
The MLS All-Stars, driven by impressive first-half goals from Argentinian
Christian Gomez and Mexico's Cuauhtemoc Blanco and a second-half penalty
from Canada's Dwayne De Rosario, turned on the style in front of a stadium
record sell-out crowd of 20,844 to cancel out two goals from England striker
Dean Ashton.
The victory continued the All-Stars' winning run against foreign opposition
since the introduction of the format in 2003, with Fulham, Chelsea and
Celtic among their previous victims.
MLS coach Steve Nicol started with England star David Beckham on the right
wing and Blanco up front alongside Kenny Cooper.
West Ham boss Alan Curbishley deployed 19-year-old Joe Widdowson at
left-back, handing the teenager the job of marking Beckham, while midfielder
Matthew Etherington was recalled after missing Sunday's 3-1 win over
Columbus Crew.
The Hammers opened the scoring in the 26th minute when Ashton ran onto a
through ball from strike partner Carlton Cole before rifling home
right-footed.
The lead lasted less than a minute, however, as MLS hit straight back,
Beckham playing the ball to Blanco, who backheeled it into the path of Gomez
to slot home right footed past Robert Green.
It was Blanco who gave the All-Stars the lead they deserved a minute before
half-time after the Mexican received a short pass from Toja, cut inside from
the left and then curled a shot right-footed through a maze of players and
around Green at the far post.
West Ham drew level against the run of play when Ashton sent in a
67th-minute shot from 20 yards out that appeared to take a deflection off a
defender's head but again the All-Stars hit straight back, De Rosario
brought down in the box by Neill in the 70th minute.
The Canadian took the penalty himself, smashing the ball home off the
crossbar to give the home side a 3-2 lead.
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Curbishley wants to keep Collins at West Ham
tribalfooball.com - July 24, 2008
Alan Curbishley has assured James Collins he has a future at West Ham. The
Daily Mail says the Hammers have refused West Bromwich Albion permission to
take defender Collins on loan this season. The Premier League new boys had
hoped to sign the Wales international on a short-term deal, with the option
to make the switch to the Hawthorns permanent. However, West Ham manager
Curbishley has assured Collins he features in his first-team plans this
season.
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Chesterfield trials for West Ham's Jeffrey
tribalfooball.com - July 24, 2008
West Ham youngster Jack Jeffrey is trialling with Chesterfield. "Jack
Jeffrey is available on loan and it adds to the competition within the
squad," said Chesterfield boss Lee Richardson. "It is good to take a look at
him."
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Behrami: Di Canio convinced me about West Ham
tribalfootball.com - July 24, 2008
Valon Behrami has revealed how his former Lazio teammate Paolo di Canio
convinced him about signing for West Ham. "I talked to Paolo many times,"
Behrami told the club's official website. "He talked a lot about West Ham
but also about football in this country and in particular The Premier
League.
"So that is why it is a dream come true for me and I am very happy to be
here." West Ham flattered to deceive last term in finishing 10th, but
Behrami is convinced they can step up next season. "West Ham have brilliant
prospects for the future and that was one of the very important things for
me in making the decision to come here and play," said Behrami. "I am an
ambitious person who has goals and I want to play for a team who wants to
win things and I can see that ambition is here at the club."
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