Eastern Conference Dominates from Start to Finish in 6-1 MLS NEXT All-Star Win

Matthews, NC – The Eastern Conference All Stars were victorious 6-1 over the Western Conference All Stars in Monday night’s MLS NEXT All-Star game

The match kicked off at 7:30 p.m. ET at Mecklenburg County Sportsplex to a crowd of 5,000.

Eastern Conference All Stars starting lineup: 4-2-3-1 | Levi Williams, Jacob Bradley, Marcellus Singleton II, Myles Johnson, Dylan Lawlor, Logan Azar, Caleb Trombino, Christopher Morales, Liam Stribling, Oscar Avilez, Jamil Danjaji

Eastern Conference All Stars substitutes:| David Ilevbare, Seyi Fakiyesi, Amadou Han, Daniel Brown, Jeremiah Alexander-Munoz, Connor Dale, Dominick Lester, William Karras, Abdoulaye Diop, Sammy Gallego, Niko Brodar

Western Conference All Stars starting lineup: 4-2-3-1| Kellen Tamblyn, Brogan Fitzsimons, Clayton Glynn, Greyson Codjoe, Jaiden Paz, Max Harwood, Matthew Arana, Alessio Benedetti, Blake Wilson, Daniel Carmona, Drew Dowling

Western Conference All Stars substitutes:| Ezra Van Cleave, Benjamin Flowers, Luca Antongirolami, Abraham Prado, Benjamin Failla, Easton Wilson, Kellen Poll, Rocky Rommel, Basil Kuprishov, Christopher Batiz, Manav Badwal

The match kicked off with the Western Conference All Stars kicking off from the center circle and swiftly advancing the ball into the East’s defensive third.

Entering the 5th minute, the East took the lead.

Christopher Morales found Oscar Avilez atop of the penalty area one the left side of the box where he took a player on and then slotted it into the next past Kellen Tamblyn to make it 1-0 to the East.

Less than two minutes later, the East added to their lead.

Midfielder Logan Azar won possession in midfield before threading a perfectly weighted through ball to Jamil Danjaji, who calmly finished past Kellen Tamblyn to double the Eastern Conference’s advantage at 2-0.

Christopher Morales had the next opportunity for the East in the ninth minute, but his right-footed effort drifted just wide of the bottom-right corner.

The Eastern Conference struck again in the 11th minute, extending its lead to 3-0.

Christopher Morales slipped a perfectly weighted through ball into the path of Liam Stribling, who collected it near midfield before surging down the right flank, cutting into the penalty area, and calmly slotting his finish into the bottom-left corner to extend the Eastern Conference’s lead to 3-0.

Jamil Danjaji nearly added a fourth in the 17th minute, but his effort was deflected behind for a corner kick.

Stribling threatened again just two minutes later, driving toward goal before seeing his shot blocked and cleared. A pass to an open teammate may have been the better option.

The Western Conference registered its first shot on target in the 20th minute when Daniel Carmona forced a save from goalkeeper Levi Williams. Logan Azar was quick to react, clearing the rebound to preserve the East’s three-goal advantage.

The East continued to apply pressure in the 26th minute, creating multiple opportunities from back-to-back corner kicks. The second delivery was ultimately claimed by goalkeeper Kellen Tamblyn, ending the threat.

The Eastern Conference found the back of the net once again in the 30th minute, stretching its lead even further.

Following a beautifully weighted back-post cross from Oscar Avilez, Marcellus Singleton rose above his defender and powered a header past Kellen Tamblyn to extend the Eastern Conference’s lead to 4-0.

The East threatened again in the 34th minute when a dangerous ball was played across the face of goal. Jamil Danjaji wisely let it run, but with no teammate arriving at the back post, the Western Conference was able to clear the danger back into midfield.

The Eastern Conference struck once more in the 38th minute, adding a fifth goal to cap off a dominant first-half performance.

Following sustained pressure from the Eastern Conference, Liam Stribling clipped a cross into the penalty area where Christopher Morales chested the ball down before laying it off for Oscar Avilez, who calmly finished to extend the East’s advantage to 5-0.

The Western Conference’s next opportunity came in the 42nd minute when a free kick was delivered into the penalty area, but goalkeeper Levi Williams confidently came off his line to claim the ball.

Less than a minute later, Daniel Carmona came close to pulling one back for the West, but his low effort flashed just wide of the bottom-right corner.

After the initial 45+3 minutes, the whistle sounded with the Eastern Conference firmly in control, taking a commanding 5-0 lead into the break.

Prior to the start of the second half, both teams made changes. Eastern Conference All Star head coach Javier Carillo & Western Conference All Star head coach Jason Shackell replaced their entire lineups.

Eastern Conference All Stars second half lineup: 4-4-2| Connor Dale, David Ilevbare, Seyi Fakiyesi, Amadou Han, Daniel Brown, Jeremiah Alexander-Munoz, Dominick Lester, William Karras, Abdoulaye Diop, Sammy Gallego, Niko Brodar

Western Conference All Stars second half lineup: 4-2-3-1| Benjamin Failla, Ezra Van Cleave, Benjamin Flowers, Luca Antongirolami, Abraham Prado, Easton Wilson, Kellen Poll, Rocky Rommel, Basil Kuprishov, Christopher Batiz, Manav Badwal

The second half kicked off with the Eastern Conference starting from the center circle and choosing to advance the ball immediately into the West’s defensive third.

In the 51st minute, Eastern Conference midfielder Abdoulaye Diop was issued a yellow card for thwarting a promising attack by fouling Kellen Poll.

The Eastern Conference had the first chance of the second half when an effort into the area was trapped down and laid off for a shot by Abdoulaye Diop  wide of the net.

In the 57th minute, Western Conference midfielder Easton Wilson for fouling Sammy Gallego.

Less than two minutes later, the East had yet another chance when a left footed effort by William Karras was met with a diving save by goalkeeper Benjamin Failla.

The East had a massive chance to add to their lead in the 63rd minute when a through-ball was played to find Amadou Han for a breakaway, however, his chipped attempt while one versus one with the goalkeeper went wide of the net.

Two minutes later, the West threatened in the 65th minute when a corner kick effort led to a shot that was met with a kick save by goalkeeper Connor Dale.

Benji Flowers had a chance for the West when his right-footed shot from outside the box in the 73rd minute was blocked and cleared.

Entering the 77th minute, the East added to their lead.

Following a corner kick into the box by Sammy Gallego, the ball was punched away by goalkeeper Benjamin Faila and fell for Daniel Brown who elected for a long distant strike to make it 6-0 to the East.

Entering the 82nd minute, the Western Conference pulled one back.

Following an over-the-top through-ball, the ball fell for Easton Wilson who drove down the right flank for a right footed finish past goalkeeper Connor Dale to make it 6-1 to the Eastern Conference.

Easton Wilson had yet another chance in the 87th minute when his effort towards goal forced a save by goalkeeper Connor Dale.

After the 90+3 minutes, the match concluded with the Eastern Conference holding on for the 6-1 victory over the Western Conference

With the result, the Eastern Conference improves to 4W-1L All-Time versus the Western Conference.

For more MLS or MLS NEXT action, you can find everything via MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app.

Follow me on Twitter

Follow me on BlueSky

Follow PROST on Bluesky

Follow PROST on Twitter