SANDY — It was bound to happen. Major League Soccer's All-Stars couldn't continue to host the best teams in the world and expect to win every time.
Sure enough, MLS's five-game winning streak finally came to a close at Rio Tinto Stadium as English Premier League club Everton prevailed in the first penalty shootout in All-Game history. The game finished 1-1, but Everton keeper Tim Howard came up with three saves in the shootout as Everton prevailed 4-3.
"You expect nothing less from him, he's an outstanding keeper," said RSL midfielder Kyle Beckerman, who started and played 45 minutes Wednesday. "That's why they love him at Everton and why we love him with the U.S. National Team."
Unlike some of the previous All-Star Games against European teams which were a bit more open, the 2009 game featured a lot of tough defending from both teams. Afterward MLS forward Landon Donovan said he thought it was a very well-played match, one Everton didn't take lightly.
Howard was named the game's MVP for his six regulation saves and three in the shootout, and as he accepted the MVP trophy and midfield he thanked the 20,120 fans for an entertaining evening.
In the previous four All-Star Games the MLS All-Stars had knocked off Fulham, Chelsea, Celtic and West Ham United, and Donovan missed a golden opportunity to make Everton its latest victim when his 75th-minute shot from close-range banged off the left post.
It was the first of three quality scoring opportunities in the final quarter hour for MLS. In the 83rd minute Conor Casey had a shot cleared off the line by Everton's Jose Baxter, and then in stoppage time Everton made a leaping save on a Davy Arnaud strike.
"I think for the most part we were on top of them, we created a lot of chances but Tim came up with some really good chances," said MLS midfielder Brad Davis.
MLS actually came out quite shaky early in the match, perhaps because nine of the starting 11 were making their All-Star debut.
"It took us a little while to get going, first 10, 15 minutes we looked a bit tentative, a bit nervous," said All-Star coach Dominic Kinnear.
Houston midfielder Stuart Holden gifted Everton its first goal in the 12th minute. Upon receiving a throw-in near the top of his own box, Holden tried playing a simple ball across the top of the 18-yard box to teammate Chad Marshall. Everton striker Louis Saha must've been in Holden's blind spot. The Houston midfielder passed the ball directly to Saha who quickly turned and buried the shot past help MLS keeper Kasey Keller.
"Once it comes off your foot and you look up and your stomach just drops... Once it goes in you've got to rebound from that, you got to put it behind you and keep working to try and help the team get back in the game," said Holden.
Holden helped do just that.
The MLS All-Stars pulled even in the 26th minute as Casey did well to win the ball in Everton's box, passing it quickly to Holden. He got a slight touch on the ball which caromed directly to Houston teammate Brad Davis who tapped it in at the far post.
"Good little build-up, I was just trying to get to the back post, the ball came to me and I just finished it," said Davis. "It's fun to score anytime, but when you're scoring some quality like that it's fun."
Casey nearly put the All-Stars in front in the 38th minute but was denied on a diving header by Everton keeper Tim Howard.
All-Star coach Dominic Kinnear made four substitutes at the half, including Will Johnson replacing his RSL teammate Kyle Beckerman. Zach Thornton, Bakary Soumare and Landon Donovan also came on at halftime.
In the 71st minute the All-Stars made three more substitutes with Javier Morales, Davy Arnaud and Jhon Kennedy Hurtado entering the match.
Neither team could get much of an attack going early in the second half, but that started to change in the final 20 minutes as fatigue started to set in. The game became much more end to end in the latter stages of the match with MLS finishing the match with a 21-6 shot advantage.
"As the game wore on we seemed to be the more dangerous team," said Kinnear. "You'd like to win the game, but I think Tim had a lot to do with that in the penalty shootout."
The MLS All-Stars will try and bounce back and get in the win column next year in Houston.
e-mail: jedward@desnews.com