A duo of FC Cincinnati Academy standouts made a strong impression on Monday night to open the MLS All-Star Week festivities in Charlotte, North Carolina, with Connor Dale and Dom Lester each contributing to a 6-1 victory for the East in the MLS NEXT All-Star Game at the Mecklenburg County Sportsplex.
Dale and Lester, both 16 and who have already made professional debuts with the MLS NEXT Pro side FC Cincinnati 2 earlier this year, came on in the second half to help secure one of the more lopsided victories in the event's history.
The MLS NEXT All-Star game brings together the top academy talent from across the MLS NEXT system at all age groups, and has served as a preview of the future of the game in America in recent years. FC Cincinnati have had a history of having multiple players selected for the match, as this is now the fourth year in a row that two players have been chosen for the event. In previous years, players like Andrei Chirila, Stefan Chirila, Ademar Chavez, and Stiven Jimenez have all been selected to the match, with each of them going on to earn first-team contracts after appearing in the game.
Dale, a goalkeeper, came on and made six key saves in the second half, including two in one-on-one situations. Lester played at right back and locked down that side of the field on defense, dispossessing wingers through the night and spring play the other way with poise.
“It felt great being able to represent my club, my parents, and myself. It's been an amazing experience and one I’ll remember for a long time. I'm so glad I got the opportunity,” Dale said after the match. “It's an amazing experience, and just having Dom here with me, just as a friend and a person to lean on, that made it even more special.”
Lester was challenged on his wing when going up against one of the highest-profile players in the event, FC Dallas homegrown signing Benji Flowers, who also signed an agreement with Chelsea FC earlier that week, but impressed the gathered crowd by keeping the West offense locked down and limiting all opportunities.
“I feel like I did a good job tonight, I was proud of what I put on the field,” Lester added. “Knowing that they had some big names out there, I felt like for me, I just had to go out there and show there was only one job to do, and I did that job.”
The MLS NEXT All-Star game is a rare opportunity for youth players to compete against a collection of the best in the nation and measure themselves against their peers. While it is an exhibition and an unusual combination of players who have never played together, let alone trained together for a long period of time, the experience gained over the All-Star week’s festivities can be memorable and impactful for each individual when they return to their home cities.
“I feel like I respond very well in these environments, it elevates my game a lot,” Lester continued. “I feel like when I go back to Cincy, I have a lot of stuff to take away from this and tell the boys, and just to get ready for next season and just come out and play hard and just do everything we can to continue our success.”
MLS All-Star festivities continued after the NEXT All-Star Game with the All-Star Skills Challenge and the MLS All-Star Game. FC Cincinnati return to action after the All-Star festivities when they host the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday, August 1 at TQL Stadium.
