CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Son Heung-Min scored two goals in a three-minute span in the first half off assists from Carles Gil to propel MLS past Liga MX 4-3 in Wednesday night’s Major League Soccer All-Star Game.
The LAFC forward marked both goals with his signature “camera” celebration — mimicking holding an old-fashioned camera, framing the shot with his fingers and then pretending to snap a picture.
“I had great players, amazing players around me and that made my job easier,” said the South Korea star. “Scoring two goals makes the night really special.”
Chicago Fire’s Philip Zinckernagel and FC Cincinnati’s Evander da Silva Ferreira also scored for the MLS All-Stars in front of 35,197 at Bank of America Stadium.
Luis Gabriel Rey sent a running header off a free kick past Matt Freese, the United States men’s national team goalkeeper, 10 minutes into the game to give the Liga MX stars a 1-0 lead.
Then Son took over. He fielded a pass from Gil on the left side of the pitch, settled the ball and slid a well-placed shot past a diving Carlos Acevedo to even the score at the 20-minute mark.
Son, who was named the game’s MVP, gave MLS the lead for good just moments later when Gil hustled to stop the ball from going out of play and fired a pass back in front of the goal. Son buried the shot into the back of the net.
Zinckernagel made it 3-1 MLS in the 42nd minute when he scored off a rebound.
Liga MX got to within 3-2 early in the second half on a goal by Salomón Rondón before Ferreira’s goal in the 58th minute gave MLS some cushion. José Paradela added a late goal in extra time for Liga MX to make it 4-3.
“He’s an unbelievable player,” said Hany Mukhtar, a midfielder for Nashville FC, said of Son. “He’s a world-class player for a reason. He shows it every week, and we all know how good he is. We see it in training, and I’m not surprised at what he did.”
Messi sits out after Argentina’s deep run in World Cup MLS’ biggest star, Lionel Messi of Inter Miami, did not play.
Messi was not at the game after Argentina made a deep run in the World Cup before falling to Spain in the finals. Messi has 12 goals and eight assists for Inter Miami at the All-Star break.
He and teammate Rodrigo De Paul received an excused absence from Major League Soccer.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
