GA_googleAddSlot("ca-pub-1197233282945943", "Star_Sports_Skyscraper");

Sports

Published: Thursday July 30, 2009 MYT 1:13:00 PM

Everton beats MLS All-Stars on penalties

SANDY, Utah (AP): Premier League club Everton wrapped up its North American preseason tour by becoming the first international side to beat the Major League Soccer All-Stars team with a 4-3 win on penalties Wednesday.

Jack Rodwell opened the sixth round of penalty kicks, after the teams were level at 1-1 at fulltime.

Seattle Sounders midfielder Freddie Ljunberg, needing to score to keep the game alive, tried to beat Everton's American keeper Tim Howard with a soft chip shot to the middle. Howard lunged in time for the winning stop.

Everton took a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute when Houston's Stuart Holden tried a soft crossing pass that went right to Louis Saha 15 meters outside the net. Saha easily knocked it past Seattle goalkeeper Kasey Keller, the veteran American who joined MLS this year after a long career in Europe.

MLS equalized in the 26th minute when Brad Davis tapped a shot just inside the left post. Casey initiated the goal from the other side with a pass in front to Holden, who couldn't control it for the shot but accidentally tipped it to Davis.

The goal seemed to loosen up both sides. A few minutes later, Cuauhtemoc Blanco was alone in front but kicked it hard over the crossbar. Saha came back for Everton and dribbled through the defense for a strike into Keller's chest. Blanco then curved a free kick over the blockers and into Howard's arms in the 34th minute.

Both teams squandered opportunities in the second half and extra time.

  • E-mail this story
  • Print this story

Sports Poll