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Fabian Johnson nets double to help Moenchengladbach grab draw

Fabian Johnson Borussia Moenchengladbach 59

What a week for Fabian Johnson. What a month.

After scoring his second UEFA Champions League goal of the season and delivering an assist on Wednesday, Johnson bagged a brace to help Borussia Moenchengladbach pick up a 3-3 draw in a wild match vs. Hoffenheim. Johnson’s goals came at the start and end of the road game, with his first serving as a fifth-minute opener and his second as an equalizer three minutes before the final whistle.

Both of his tallies came via tidy finishes as well. The 27-year-old Johnson initially got on the scoreboard by slotting home a shot off the post after making a well-timed diagonal run to get on the end of a pass played in behind the defense. Johnson then capped his impressive day, and week, with a great individual effort, disposing of two defenders with a fake right-footed shot before using his left to fire home.

Johnson, who played in his customary left midfield spot for Moenchengladbach on Saturday, has been on a torrid run of form since the start of November. Johnson has netted four times across all competitions for his club in the past four weeks, including on a strike on Nov. 3 that made him the first U.S. Men’s National Team Player to tally in the UEFA Champions League in more than two years.

He also scored once for the U.S. in a 6-1 World Cup Qualifying rout over St Vincent and the Grenadines on Nov. 13.

Here are the match highlights, including both of Johnson’s goals:

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What do you think of Johnson’s two-goal performance for Moenchengladbach? Which strike impressed you more? Is this the best soccer of his career? Do you see him playing this well for the USMNT in 2016?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Love watching Johnson play. He has to play always at winger for now on with USMNT instead of being shuttled back and forth between winger and defense. Put our best players in their best positions.

    And if Johannson can come back soon from injury and hopefully regain his form/confidence, we could eventually have a strong new nucleus for 2018.

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  2. He’s always been a very impressive player but this goes to show you that production at the highest levels is so dependent on being given chances in the right spot, in the right system, with the right players.

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  3. Great goals. That second one was fantastic. He looks so capable in front of goal. Jurgen has to reconsider his position in the US squad. There has to be a way to get Johnson, Bradley, Dempsey, Nagbe , Zardes and combinations of others in the attack at the same time.

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  4. I think it’s fair to say he is our best player on the national team and I do not think it’s even close. The guy is a beast. It would be awesome if he was put back into defense where all his talents can flourish!!! Freaking klins

    Reply
    • You do realize that Fabians played most of his career as a fullback, right? He’s even listed by Monchengladbach as a defender. Technically, he’s split his time rather equally between LB, RB, and LW throughout his career (combine the fullback slots, and its just about doubled). This is the first time in his career, where he’s been given a long go at winger.

      Secondly, be careful when evaluating his talents in a vaccum. These goals aren’t exactly Ronaldo-esque, scored through shear individual brilliance and determination. As TimG pointed out below, Fabian is benefiting from a fantastic system and teammates, who compliment each other; these goals are very much a team effort with excellent build up (props to Fabian for being apart of that of course.)

      Thirdly, if we do move Fabian up, because lets be honest, scoring goals has been a problem for us, who moves into BOTH fullback slots. Ream? Shea? Yedlin? Orozco? All of these offer good qualities on one side of the ball or the other, but neither has been as impressive, both defensively and offensively, as Fabian.

      And lastly, Iheartscotch as well.

      Reply

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