If the courtship between North America’s top two soccer leagues leads to any serious proposals in the years to come, this week might be remembered as the one in which the romance became serious.
Major League Soccer, with 27 teams in the U.S. and Canada, and Liga MX, with 18 teams in Mexico, have competed in numerous competitions over the years — most of which ended with Mexico winning. But this week’s interleague activities at Banc of California Stadium, which kicked off with Tuesday’s skills challenge and concluded Wednesday with the first MLS-Liga MX All-Star game, is both the largest and most intimate collaboration between the two. The MLS All-Stars won on penalty kicks after the match ended in a 1-1 draw.
Helicopters fly over the stadium during pregame festivities as the MLS All-Star game at Banc of California Stadium.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
A fiery pregame show featured a phalanx of drummers and flames at the MLS All-Star game at Banc of California Stadium.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Advertisement
Jonathan Rodriguez of Liga MX celebrates after scoring a first-half goal against the MLS All-Stars at Banc of California Stadium.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
MLS goalie Andre Blake knocks the ball from Liga MX forward Santiago Giminez during first-half action at the MLS All-Star game at Banc of California Stadium.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
MLS forward Diego Rossi flips the ball over Liga MX goalie Guillermo Ochoa toward the goal, but another defender kicks the attempt away in the first half of the MLS All-Star game at Banc of California Stadium.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Liga MX midfielder Pedro Aquino, right, and MLS forward Raul Ruidiaz compete for the ball in the first half of the MLS All-Star game at Banc of California Stadium.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Fans do the wave at the MLS All-Star game at Banc of California Stadium.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Jesus Murillo, behind Miles Robinson (12), scores on a header past Liga MX goalie Alfredo Talavera, left, during second-half action at the MLS All-Star game at Banc of California Stadium.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Advertisement
MLS goalie Matt Turner celebrates after turning away a penalty kick to help defeat Liga MX in the MLS All-Star game at Banc of California Stadium.
Robert Gauthier has been with the Los Angeles Times since 1994. He was the photographer for a project detailing the failings of an L.A. public hospital that won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for public service. Before The Times, Gauthier worked at the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Escondido Times-Advocate and the Bernardo News in San Diego County, his hometown.
