The 2017 MLS All-Star Game fell short of expectations even for an All-Star Game

The 2017 MLS All-Star Game had high expectations with Real Madrid coming to Chicago to face the league’s best, but it fell flat on it’s face.

In their defense, both teams were without superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and Josef Martinez, but even with the likes of Gareth Bale, Marcelo, and Miguel Almiron on display, the game was fairly dull for much of the 90 minutes.

Two second half goals from Borja Mayoral and Dom Dwyer saw the game finish 1-1 and head to penalties, where Real Madrid would emerge as 4-2 winners thanks to missed penalties from Dom Dwyer and Giovani Dos Santos.

The game from start to finish lacked quality, mainly due to Real Madrid still in their preseason mode and because of the MLS team’s lack of experience with each other. For a game with plenty of hype, it failed to excite even the most positive of fans.

Atlanta’s stars have mixed luck

The biggest takeaway from the game may be Greg Garza’s injury just three minutes into the game. The defender reportedly suffered a separated shoulder. Garza had helped Atlanta United climb into the Eastern Conference playoff race but now could miss an extended period of time because of the injury.

Atlanta’s captain Michael Parkhurst, alongside teammate Almiron, performed well when they made their cameos. The defender seemed to give Karim Benzema fits while Almiron did what he does best, caused plenty of problems for opposing midfielders and defenders.

Although there wasn’t much to talk about regarding the game, the highlight of the MLS All-Star game undoubtedly went to Kate Abdo, who translated her interview with the game’s MVP Borja Mayoral, from English to Spanish on the spot.