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Shootout at Crew Stadium MLS All-Stars score record 13 goals as East rolls 9-4

By Jose Alfredo Flores
USA TODAY

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Major League Soccer's best players used Crew Stadium as target practice at the All-Star Game, setting a record with 13 combined goals in a 9-4 East win.

Mamadou Diallo, the game's Most Valuable Player, had two goals and one assist for the East, tying Preki's record of five points.

The West's Cobi Jones and East's Carlos Valderrama set the record for assists in a game with four each. The East scored six unanswered goals in the second half, as goalkeeper Scott Garlick recorded a shutout and a record seven saves.

The West leads the series three games to one, under the East-West format. The 1998 game was between MLS World and MLS USA teams. The West holds a 21-16 scoring advantage.

Surprises: West goalkeeper Tony Meola and his East counterpart Mike Ammann played some forward in the second half, with Meola getting a shot on goal in the 80th minute.

''I hate to be scored on in the first place, but especially by another goalkeeper,'' said East goalkeeper Scott Garlick, who saved Meola's shot. ''I know I would have been having nightmares if he would have scored that.''

Ammann wore the jersey of MetroStars teammate Daniel Hernandez, who was selected to play but is out for the season (torn anterior cruciate ligament, right knee). Meola wore the jersey of Ante Razov, who scored twice in the first half.

The last time Meola played forward was during spring training with the Kansas City Wizards in 1999, before he tore his ACL and MCL in his right knee and missed the first five months of the season.

East midfielder Marco Etcheverry, who was selected as a starter by the fans, was not expected to play because of a sore knee. D.C. United President and general manager Kevin Payne was quoted Friday that Etcheverry would not play. Etcheverry drove seven hours to Columbus to take part in the festivities and was encouraged by fans chanting his name to play in the game. He came in as a second half substitute and played 28 minutes.

Corner kicks: ABC might have crossed the line for sideline reporting. Literally. During the first half, correspondent Rob Stone tried to interview Meola while Meola's team was taking a corner kick on the other end. Stone then interviewed Meola while Meola was entering the game as a second half substitute as a forward. . . .

Los Angeles, San Jose and Dallas are bidding to host next year's All-Star Game. If Dallas wins the bid, the game would be played in the new medium-sized Southern Methodist University football stadium (capacity 38,000). The match is tentatively scheduled for July 21 or 28. . . .

Preki, with his two assists, became the only player to register a point in each of the five All-Star Games. He holds the All-Star record with 13 points. . . .

MetroStars defender Lothar Mattaeus, who has not played for his club since June 17 because of a back injury, made his MLS return at the All-Star Game, playing 45 minutes in the first half. ''I hope to be back in 10 days to two weeks,'' he said. ''I look forward to rejoining my teammates and perhaps winning a championship.'' . . .

League officials are considering shortening the season to 28 games from 32 to give the players more rest. Many players have an extensive non-league schedule. . . .

Kappa provided the ball for the All-Star Game and was announced as the official game ball for next season, with the fans designing the ball.

In the All-Star Pro Skills Challenge, Chicago goalkeeper Zach Thorton won his straight Power Shot competition. Thornton's Central Division team won the overall competition with 90 points, the Western took second with 81 and Eastern ended up with 76. . . . Robert Warzycha was the only All-Star to hit the wall shot, bending a free kick around a wall into the net.