TORONTO (AP) Just making it to the Major League Soccer All-Star game was a "nightmare" for Dwayne DeRosario. Once he arrived, it turned into a night he'll never forget.
The Houston midfielder scored a tiebreaking penalty, Chicago midfielder Cuauhtemoc Blanco had one goal and helped set up another, and the MLS All-Stars posted a 3-2 victory over English Premier League team West Ham United on Thursday night.
"A game like this in my hometown, I can't ask for anything more, especially to have an opportunity to have an impact in the game," said DeRosario, who grew up in suburban Toronto. "For me, it's a dream come true."
It's the second time in three years that DeRosario has scored the winning goal in the MLS All-Star game; his second-half strike helped the MLS beat English club Chelsea 1-0 in 2006.
DeRosario and Houston teammate and fellow Canadian Pat Onstad didn't arrive in Toronto until early Thursday morning. The Dynamo had to play a makeup game in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night, and rain forced a 3-hour delay and a finish after midnight. The pair caught an early morning flight to Toronto, but were delayed another 90 minutes at the airport.
"It was terrible," DeRosario said. "I was very disappointed. It's supposed to be a week the players enjoy, especially with it being in my hometown, to really soak up the atmosphere. I really missed that."