failed to become the first British side to beat the Major League Soccer All-Stars after going down 3-2 at BMO Field in Toronto.

The MLS All-Stars, driven by impressive first-half goals from Argentinian Christian Gomez and Mexico's Cuauhtemoc Blanco and a second-half penalty from Canada's Dwayne De Rosario, turned on the style in front of a stadium record sell-out crowd of 20,844 to cancel out two goals from England striker Dean Ashton.

The victory continued the All-Stars' winning run against foreign opposition since the introduction of the format in 2003, with Fulham, Chelsea and Celtic among their previous victims.

Golden boots: David Beckham in action for the MLS All-Stars

MLS coach Steve Nicol started with England star David Beckham on the right wing and Blanco up front alongside Kenny Cooper.

West Ham boss Alan Curbishley deployed 19-year-old Joe Widdowson at left-back, handing the teenager the job of marking Beckham, while midfielder Matthew Etherington was recalled after missing Sunday's 3-1 win over Columbus Crew.

The Hammers opened the scoring in the 26th minute when Ashton ran onto a through ball from strike partner Carlton Cole before rifling home right-footed.

The lead lasted less than a minute, however, as MLS hit straight back, Beckham playing the ball to Blanco, who backheeled it into the path of Gomez to slot home right footed past Robert Green.

West Ham had to play second fiddle for the rest of the first half as the MLS midfield of Beckham, Blanco, Gomez and Juan Toja took control.

Gomez missed a perfect chance to double his tally in the 32nd minute when Beckham cut the ball back to him from the right only for Colorado's Argentinian midfielder to miscue horribly high and wide.

Two minutes later, it was Blanco's turn to create, crossing low from the left to Cooper at the far post only for the Dallas striker to send his stooping header wide.

Beckham had his first free-kick opportunity in the 39th minute when Blanco was fouled 25 yards out in front of goal. The England star curled his kick around the wall only to see his goalbound effort headed clear by Hammers captain Lucas Neill.

Nice trophy: MLS All-Stars' Jimmy Conrad lifts the cup after beating West Ham

It was Blanco who gave the All-Stars the lead they deserved a minute before half-time after the Mexican received a short pass from Toja, cut inside from the left and then curled a shot right-footed through a maze of players and around Green at the far post.

It was Blanco's last contribution as Nicol took him out of the action at half-time, replacing him and Cooper with Landon Donovan and former Aston Villa striker Juan Pablo Angel, while West Ham brought on Luis Boa Morte at the expense of Etherington.

The substitution the Toronto fans were baying for, however, was the introduction of club captain and fellow Canadian Jim Brennan.

That came on the hour as Nicol withdrew Toja and Gomez for Canadian duo Brennan, a defender, and midfielder Dwayne De Rosario.

Within three minutes of the switch, Beckham had two chances to extend the All-Stars' lead. First, and unmarked, he received a cross from the left from Jonathan Bornstein, only to drive the ball back across goal and wide of the far post. He then sent a curling 20-yard free-kick into the side-netting.

West Ham drew level against the run of play when Ashton sent in a 67th-minute shot from 20 yards out that appeared to take a deflection off a defender's head but again the All-Stars hit straight back, De Rosario brought down in the box by Neill in the 70th minute.

The Canadian took the penalty himself, smashing the ball home off the crossbar to give the home side a 3-2 lead.

It was very nearly 4-2 a minute later when Angel found the net only for the goal to be disallowed for offside but a tiring West Ham side - only three weeks into their pre-season training - could find no way back.