MLS: All-Star Game

MLS All-Star Team midfielder Sacha Kljestan (16) runs on the field during the MLS All-Star game between the MLS All-Star Team and Arsenal at Avaya Stadium in San Jose, Calif. on July 28, 2016. (Ed Szczepanski | USA TODAY Sports)

Arsenal outplayed and defeated the MLS All-Stars 2-1 in Thursday night's All-Star Game, but one MLS star rose to the occasion and was the best player on the field: New York Red Bulls midfielder Sacha Kljestan.

Kljestan created the only goal for the MLS All-Stars, as seen in the video below, and he was his team's most creative and dangerous player. Kljestan finished with a 96.4 percent passing accuracy -- the highest of any player on the MLS All-Stars' roster.

Kljestan dished the ball off to L.A. Galaxy forward Giovani dos Santos, and Montreal Impact forward Didier Drogba eventually knocked in the goal.

"That was a little bit of the Red Bulls high press that won us the ball back," Kljestan told reporters after Thursday's game.

Kljestan said that he enjoyed the opportunity to play with the MLS's most talented players.

"Every time I was on the ball, I felt like I had options to play." Kljestan told reporters after the game. "Pretty fun experience for me, I was joking around with some of the other guys like, 'how fun would it be if we got to play together every week?'"

Arsenal was dominating the MLS All-Stars in the first 30 minutes of the game, but the match's momentum seemed to turn when Kljestan entered the game in the 32nd minute. The All-Stars' attack looked more aggressive, and Kljestan was creating dangerous chances for his teammates.

Red Bulls coach Jesse Marsch thought Kljestan deserved to be the MVP of the All-Star Game instead of Arsenal striker Chuba Akpom.

"He was the best player on the field," Marsch told reporters after Friday's training session. "In that kind of game, he didn't just try to show, he tried to do all of the things to help his team. When he stepped off the field, Arsenal got a hold of the game again."

Kljestan played in his first MLS All-Star Game on Thursday night. Kljestan was selected to play in the 2008 MLS All-Star Game, but he decided to play for the U.S. Olympic Team in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Kljestan was back with the team on Friday, and he will play in the Red Bulls' game against the Chicago Fire on July 31.

Daniel Falkenheim may be reached at DFalkenheim@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Thefalkon. Find NJ.com on Facebook.