On a night Minnesota United's Emanuel Reynoso and Dayne St. Clair had the MLS All-Star stage to shine, a goalkeeper from their reserve MNUFC2 team walked off to cheers.
Former University of North Carolina goalkeeper Alec Smir won a "Goalie Wars" contest that has become something of a long-lost cult favorite online and was brought back for Tuesday's skills challenge. It involved four MLS Next Pro keepers.
Smir beat New York City FC's Alex Rando in his second of two 90-second rounds in which keepers 20 yards apart challenge each other one-on-one by either trying to kick or fling a ball past their opponent.
Smir was surprised a couple of weeks ago when first-team Loons keepers St. Clair, Eric Dick, Fred Emmings and MNUFC2 keeper coach Jonathan Barber surprised him with the news he'd be competing. The moment was recorded and posted online.
"I would never have thought that would be an opportunity for me," Smir said. "So being out there in Allianz with the fans, that experience, that event was amazing."
He just did what he was told.
"I talked to Alec when we told him in that meeting room and I said, 'If you're going to do it, you've got to win it,' " St. Clair said.
Said Smir, "It was cool motivation."
MLS All-Stars won the Skills Challenge 3-2 when Nashville SC Hany Mukhtar's shot from 40 yards struck the crossbar in the fifth and final event, the crossbar challenge.
Mukhtar was instantly mobbed by his teammates.
"That was fun," Mukhtar said after surviving the friendly mob. "I'm happy to be here and be part of it. It was amazing I hit the crossbar and we won."
