SAN JOSE, Calif. — Didier Drogba hardly felt like celebrating his goal given the MLS All-Stars missed multiple late scoring chances that cost them their all-star game Thursday night against Premier League power Arsenal.

Chuba Akpom scored the deciding goal in the 87th minute from close range on a nice cross from the left side by Nacho Monreal, and Arsenal topped the MLS All-Stars, 2-1.

Once Arsenal’s young substitutes got going after entering midway through the second half, the opportunities came.

Moments before halftime, Drogba, who plays for Montreal, scored on his third try following two deflections in one quick sequence for MLS to make it 1-1.

“The goal that I score and we lose, it doesn’t count. … It’s a bit disappointing for me,” Drogba said. “Once again, I hate losing.”

Drogba’s first attempt ricocheted off goalkeeper Petr Cech, then the next off Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain before he converted with a shot to the right upper corner of the net in the second minute of stoppage time of the first half. Giovani dos Santos jumped on Drogba’s back afterward.

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Joel Campbell scored on a penalty kick in the 11th minute for Arsenal following Jelle Van Damme’s yellow card.

Campbell converted the penalty kick with his left-footed shot to the left of a diving goalkeeper Andre Blake of the Philadelphia Union.

There was a scare for the MLS team in the 22nd minute, when Kellyn Acosta of Dallas collided with Francis Coquelin. A trainer came out as Acosta grabbed at his right ankle but he got to his feet and stayed in the game.

Blake stopped a free kick in the sixth minute for the MLS, which regularly pushed into its offensive half.

San Jose forward Chris Wondolowski received a roaring ovation when he entered to play on his home field in the 73rd minute, when Clint Dempsey of Seattle also came into the match.

“This is the most talented MLS team we’ve put together,” said MLS Coach Dominic Kinnear, also the Earthquakes coach. “I would have loved to have won the game and made this experience a little more positive.”


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