MLS All-Stars To Face Chelsea

Chelsea FC's American tour officially added another stop today with their official announcement as the Major League Soccer All Star Game opponent. The weeks old rumor from The Brotherly Game is confirmed truth. MLS will continue a move started last year by having the MLS host team's coach take All Star duties.

In this case that means Peter Nowak, he of driving off Sebastien Le Toux fame, will be the coach. It is also means that unlike other US sports where the All Star coaches are either in middle of great seasons or just had great seasons, in MLS the All Star coach has yet to win a game in the season he is announced. It is also quite likely that there will be a major campaign for Le Toux to make the ASG and there should probably be one for Danny Califf as well.

Chelsea is a semi-finalist in the UEFA Champions League and will be facing the Seattle Sounders on their North American tour. Chelsea is looking to avenge their loss to MLS in a previous MLS ASG. No really, they are. Per the press release from MLS;

"We are excited to have the chance of a re-match against the MLS All-Stars and are in no doubt it will provide a competitive fixture as we build towards the 2012/13 season, having lost narrowly in the match six years ago, with Peter Nowak the All-Stars coach that day too," Chelsea Chief Executive Ron Gourlay said. "Barclays Premier League clubs regularly take part in this fixture and it will be broadcast live on television around the world. The match also sees Chelsea returning to Philadelphia where we played AC Milan in 2004. There was a large crowd that evening, clearly demonstrating the enthusiasm for the sport in the city and we are looking forward to returning to the States for the sixth time in nine years."