By FRANCO PANIZO
The result may not have been one to remember for most, but Hertha Berlin's 2-2 draw with SC Paderborn 07 will be a game John Anthony Brooks will never forget.
Brooks, a U.S. U-20 men's national team centerback, made his professional debut for Hertha Berlin in their season-opening tie with SC Paderborn 07 on Friday. The 19-year-old German-American started and went the distance in the 2. Bundesliga opener for Hertha and he showed composure on the ball in a game that Hertha needed to come back twice in. Hertha teammate and fellow American, Alfredo Morales, did not dress.
The lone goal this weekend came courtesy of Herculez Gomez, who netted for the second time in the early parts of the Mexican Apertura campaign in Santos Laguna's 2-2 draw with Puebla. Gomez powered home a diving header to put Santos up, 2-0, early on in the match, but DaMarcus Beasley and Puebla fought back to grab a 2-2 draw.
Charlie Davies did not find the back of the net but he did come off the bench to make a 45-minute appearance for Randers FC, his longest cameo at the club level since his time with D.C. United ended last October. Unfortunately for Davies and Randers, they lost, 2-1, to FC Midtjylland.
Here's how the Americans Abroad performed this weekend:
GERMANY
2. Bundesliga
- Alfredo Morales did not dress in Hertha Berlin's 2-2 draw vs. SC Paderborn 07 on Friday.
- John Anthony Brooks started and played 90 minutes for Hertha Berlin.
- Andrew Wooten and Kaiserslautern play FC Union Berlin on Monday.
BELGIUM
- Sacha Kljestan came off the bench and played 9 minutes in RSC Anderlecht's 1-0 win vs. Koninklijke Beerschot AC on Saturday.
RUSSIA
- Eugene Starikov did not dress in Zenit St. Petersburg's 3-1 win vs. CSKA Moscow on Saturday.
AUSTRIA
- Terrence Boyd started and played 90 minutes in Rapid Vienna's 3-0 loss vs. Austria Vienna on Sunday.
DENMARK
- Michael Parkhurst started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in FC Nordsjaelland's 1-1 draw vs. Aalborg BK on Saturday.
- Clarence Goodson started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Brondby IF's 3-1 loss vs. AGF Aarhus on Sunday.
- Conor O'Brien and SonderjyskE play AC Horsens on Monday.
- Charlie Davies came off the bench and played 45 minutes in Randers' 2-1 loss vs. FC Midtjylland on Sunday.
SWEDEN
- Brian Span and Djurgardens IF play GIF Sundsvall on Monday.
NORWAY
- Josh Gatt did not dress in Molde FK's 2-1 win vs. Sogndal on Saturday. He is recovering from a muscle injury.
- Steve Clark started and played 90 minutes in Honefoss BK's 1-1 draw vs. Stromsgodset on Sunday.
- Mix Diskerud and Stabaek IF play Brann on Monday.
- Sean Cunningham and Stabaek IF play Brann on Monday.
MEXICO
- Jose Torres did not dress in Pachuca's 1-0 win vs. Queretaro on Saturday. He was serving a one-game suspension for the ejection he received last week.
- Herculez Gomez started, played 71 minutes and scored a GOAL in Santos Laguna's 2-2 draw vs. Puebla on Friday.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LkNqNU1epk?feature=player_embedded]
- DaMarcus Beasley started and played 90 minutes in Puebla's 2-2 draw vs. Santos Laguna on Friday.
- Sonny Guadarrama and Atlante play Club America on Sunday evening.
- Jonathan Bornstein dressed but did not play in Tigres UANL's 0-0 draw vs. Atlas on Saturday.
- Michael Orozco Fiscal started and played 90 minutes in San Luis' 3-3 draw vs. Morelia on Friday.
- Edgar Castillo started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Club Tijuana's 1-0 win vs. Pumas UNAM on Friday.
- Joe Corona started and played 69 minutes for Club Tijuana.
- Greg Garza did not dress for Club Tijuana.
- Ventura Alvarado and Club America play Atlante on Sunday evening.
——-
What do you think of these performances? Impressed by Brooks making his professional debut? Surprised that this is Davies' longest outing since last year?
Share your thoughts below.