Son Heung-min at the double as MLS All-Stars defeat Liga MX counterparts

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/los-angeles-fc/txUJt9AR/"]Los Angeles FC[/a]'s South Korean star [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/son-heung-min/Mgg9oPeM/"]Son[/a] struck in the 20th and 23rd minutes to flip the script after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rey-luis-gabriel/bko0JS7S/"]Luis Gabriel Rey[/a] put the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/liga-mx-all-stars/8v74vG3f/"]Liga MX All-Stars[/a] ahead.[/p][p][b]"I'm very happy, and I just want to say thank you to everyone,"[/b] Son said after he was named All-Star MVP.[/p][p]The 34-year-old former [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/tottenham/UDg08Ohm/"]Tottenham[/a] star had shouldered the blame for South Korea's failure to make it to the knockout rounds of the World Cup.[/p][p]But he's been in red-hot form since MLS resumed in the wake of its World Cup break with three goals in three matches for LAFC.[/p][p]Son pulled the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mls-all-stars/Mqp3HsDl/"]MLS side[/a] level in the 20th, collecting a pass from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gil-carles/W8ixgd70/"]Carles Gil[/a] on the left and firing a low shot past goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/acevedo-carlos/td0rWewo/"]Carlos Acevedo[/a].[/p][p]He put the MLS All-Stars ahead for good just minutes later with a spectacular volley off another assist from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-england-revolution/tr3oe8I8/"]New England Revolution[/a] playmaker Gil.[/p][embed guid="7720e2a1-4748-4a8f-b7f9-4865134882af" url="https://x.com/MLS/status/2082628504667963815" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chicago-fire/UwAwNo2E/"]Chicago Fire[/a] midfielder [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zinckernagel-philip/0xaUkKR6/"]Philip Zinckernagel[/a]'s 42nd-minute strike sent the MLS side into half-time ahead 3-1.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rondon-salomon/OOKVw2zH/"]Salomon Rondon[/a] scored in the 55th minute to keep the Liga MX side within striking distance, but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fc-cincinnati/8btog05R/"]FC Cincinnati[/a] playmaker [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/evander/xpg04UIc/"]Evander[/a] restored the two-goal advantage in the 55th minute, shortly before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/vancouver-whitecaps/K2dlua5N/"]Vancouver[/a]'s German star Thomas Mueller took the field.[/p][p]The MLS side needed the cushion, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/paradela-jose/QahTkkx1/"]Jose Paradela[/a] adding some late drama with a stoppage-time goal for Liga MX.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/liga-mx-all-stars-8v74vG3f/mls-all-stars-Mqp3HsDl/?mid=d0OLOOJ5"]The second straight victory for the MLS All-Stars[/a] in the mid-season exhibition extended their record over Liga MX teams to 4-1.[/p][p]Superstar [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/messi-lionel/vgOOdZbd/"]Lionel Messi[/a] and his [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/inter-miami/0AheRyBg/"]Inter Miami[/a] teammate were excused from the mid-season exhibition, 10 days after Argentina fell to Spain in the World Cup final.[/p][embed guid="ac1f1420-b7b5-41ca-9ac9-ba8a0202469e" url="https://x.com/MLS/status/2082627766738919933" social-type="twitter" /][p]Miami posted a video on social media on Wednesday showing Messi back in training with his club teammates.[/p][p]But it remains unclear when the 39-year-old will return to competition.[/p][p]MLS's biggest draw, Messi has never appeared in the All-Star Game.[/p][p]The 2023 All-Star squad had already been announced when he arrived in the league that year and in 2024 he was sidelined by an ankle injury.[/p][p]Last year Messi and teammate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alba-jordi/42SIX9sl/"]Jordi Alba[/a] were suspended one game for failing to participate.[/p]