Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 SPORTS
Wednesday 1 august 2018
MLS eager to show off Atlanta success story at All-Star Game

By PAUL NEWBERRY Year Cristiano Ronaldo ,
ATLANTA (AP) — The MLS acquired from Real Ma-
All-Star Game is more than drid a few weeks ago in a
the league showing off its record transfer deal for a
best players against Italian player older than 30.
powerhouse Juventus. Still recovering from the
It's a chance to flaunt one World Cup, Ronaldo re-
of its biggest success sto- mained in Italy to train,
ries. along with new teammates
The A-T-L. Gonzalo Higuain, Juan
Atlanta United has shat- Cuadrado, Mario Mandzu-
tered just about every MLS kic and Paulo Dybala.
attendance record since Manager Massimiliano Al-
joining the league in 2017 legri is confident that his
, which made it a natural squad is ready to make an-
choice to host the All-Star other title run in Serie A.
Game at Mercedes-Benz "There isn't much to do," he
Stadium. Another mark said through a translator.
could fall in Wednesday "We have the defenders.
night's match, expected to We have the midfielders.
lure upwards of 70,000 fans It's just a matter of deciding
to this technological mar- who are the two or three
vel of a stadium. in front who are basically
"That's why the game is which has eclipsed 70,000 leading venues for the Since the current All-Star going to put the ball in the
here," said United defender for every regular-season 2026 World Cup that will be Game format was adopt- goal."
Michael Parkhurst, one of match in which the upper largely hosted by the Unit- ed in 2005, pitting a team The MLS team also will be
five players from league- deck has been open . The ed States. The winning bid, of MLS stars against a prom- missing one of its top play-
leading Atlanta picked for target to beat for an All- which also includes Mexico inent club from Europe, the ers — LA Galaxy star Zlatan
the MLS team. "It's to show- Star Game is 70,728, which and Canada, calls for six American-based league Ibrahimovic, who ranks
case the city itself, the sta- was the record turnout for games to be held in Atlan- holds a 7-6 edge. second in the league with
dium, the atmosphere that the 2010 match at Hous- ta — including a semifinal. Of course, this game means 15 goals.
we create here. It's spe- ton's NFL stadium. The stadium has already a lot more to MLS than it The 36-year-old Swede
cial." If the weather forecast developed quite a reputa- does to the opponent. chose to not to make the
Indeed, there's nothing un- holds — there was a strong tion in MLS, with its chant- Juventus, which is riding cross-country trip to At-
usual about drawing such chance of thunderstorms ing, flag-waving fans a streak of seven straight lanta after playing three
a mammoth soccer crowd — the camera lens-resem- showing off their passion titles in Serie A, is merely league matches over a
in Atlanta. bling roof will be closed to while giving United a huge tuning up for a league sea- nine-day span, saying he
In its debut season, United ensure a comfortable set- home-field edge. son than begins in less than was more focused on lead-
shattered the league re- ting for both the players "It's surprising," New York two weeks. The Italian club ing his streaking team to
cord by averaging 48,200 and the big crowd. Red Bulls forward Bradley already played two exhibi- the playoffs. Under league
per game — more than Too bad. Wright-Phillips said before tions in the U.S. as part of rules, he'll also have to skip
doubling all but three other The complex structure only a workout Tuesday at the the International Champi- the Galaxy's next match
teams in MLS. The club is recently began operat- stadium. "I heard a lot of ons Cup — beating Ger- against Colorado on Satur-
projected to go even high- ing properly, allowing it to talk before they came into many's Bayern Munich and day.
er this season, averaging open or close in less than the league about how it Portugal's Benfica — and Commissioner Don Garber
nearly 52,000 through its first 10 minutes . was going to be. I wasn't has one more friendly Sat- told reporters he was "dis-
dozen home matches. Every other aspect of the sure, but playing here and urday against Real Madrid appointed" that Ibrahimov-
The top five individual $1.5 billion stadium has watching them on TV, the before returning to Europe. ic would skip "the most im-
game crowds in MLS history drawn rave reviews, set- support these players have Juventus didn't bring along portant special event that
have all been in Atlanta, ting it up to be one of the is amazing." five-time FIFA Player of the the league has."q

Vikings, Diggs reach deal on 5-year extension

By DAVE CAMPBELL turned a sideline catch into new quarterback in Kirk "I've been a part of some condition of anonymity
AP Pro Football Writer a 61-yard touchdown as Cousins, who was elated locker rooms where by 9 because the details have
EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The time ran out to lift the Vi- by the news that Diggs is o'clock, some of your guys not been released public-
Minnesota Vikings locked kings to victory over New under contract through are sleeping in the back ly. Diggs, who will play the
up another core player with Orleans in last season's 2023. row, not taking notes, not final season of his rookie
a long-term contract Tues- playoffs. Selected in the "What I most like is he loves paying attention. They're deal for the original base
day, signing wide receiver fifth round out of Maryland football and loves to come basically checked out, tex- salary of slightly more than
Stefon Diggs to a five-year in 2015, Diggs has been and work, because as a ting or whatever," Cousins $1.9 million, received a $15
extension and moving the one of the biggest steals of quarterback it can be mis- said. "That's not him. That's million signing bonus.
star of the "Minneapolis Mir- that draft. erable if you're out here not these guys." Since Cousins signed his
acle" pass into the NFL's top He formed a prolific tan- with someone who is here The new deal is valued at fully guaranteed $84 mil-
10 highest-paid players at dem with Adam Thielen last to just get a paycheck and $72 million plus an addi- lion contract in March, the
his position. year, helping Case Kee- leave," Cousins said. "He tional $9 million in possible Vikings have signed line-
Diggs has yet to post a num stabilize the passing wants to work." incentives, according to a backer Eric Kendricks, de-
1,000-yard or 100-catch game after Sam Bradford The Vikings offense was at person with knowledge of fensive end Danielle Hunter
season, but his ability was was injured. the new practice facility on the contract who spoke and now Diggs to multi-
on full display when he Now the Vikings have a Monday night past 9 p.m. to The Associated Press on year deals. q