Arsenal defeats MLS All-Stars with late Akpom goal

The MLS All-Stars succumbed to defeat at the hands of Arsenal at Avaya Stadium on Thursday, Chuba Akpom scoring a late tap-in to give the Gunners a 2-1 win in this exhibition match.

Didier Drogba scored the MLS All-Stars' only goal at the stroke of halftime to cancel out Joel Campbell's 10th-minute penalty before Akpom scored in the 87th minute off a Nacho Monreal pass.

The first half featured much more by way of big-name talent for the MLS All-Stars, as Kaka, Drogba, David Villa, Giovani Dos Santos, and Andrea Pirlo all took to the field as starters.

They impressed at times, and faltered at others, but only mustered one half of play as head coach Dominic Kinnear made wholesale changes in the second 45 minutes, with Toronto FC star Sebastian Giovinco highlighting a revamped side that also featured Darlington Nagbe and Mauro Diaz.

Arsene Wenger made a few changes of his own, with Granit Xhaka coming into midfield and threatening from distance. Giovinco, too, looked lively, but was replaced with 15 minutes remaining for Cyle Larin.

In the end, Arsenal pulled off what Tottenham could not one year prior and gave North London the advantage over Major League Soccer's best in the 2016 affair.