Son brace fuels MLS All-Stars win over Liga MX

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 the MLS All-Stars past the Liga MX All-Stars 4-3 in Wednesday night's Major League Soccer All-Star Game. The LAFC forward celebrated 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. 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 Liga MX 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 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 in 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. Jose Pardela added a late goal in extra time for LIGA MX to make it 4-3. 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.