By FRANCO PANIZO
Paul Arriola is becoming quite the super sub for Club Tijuana.
For the second time in the early stages of the Liga MX Apertura, Arriola came off the bench to provide a spark for Xolos. The 18-year-old midfielder delivered a highlight reel-worthy assist almost immediately after coming off the bench in the 65th minute, megging a defender near the end line before sending in a quality cross that was hit home. Unfortunately for Arriola and Tijuana, they could not find another goal to complete their comeback and suffered a 2-1 loss to Morelia.
Aron Johannsson was another American to make an impact for his club. Johannsson had an assist and converted a late penalty kick in the second half of AZ Alkmaar’s season opener, a 4-2 road defeat to Heerenveen on Saturday. The 22-year-old Johannsson, who is still awaiting a decision from FIFA on his one-time switch to play for the U.S. men’s national team, went the distance in the match.
It was not all about the offensive players this weekend. Eric Lichaj made his Nottingham Forest debut and helped the club record a cleansheet in its 1-0 triumph over Huddersfield Town on Saturday. Lichaj played the full 90 minutes for the Reds at right back, a promising sign for him at the start of the new campaign.
Here is how the Americans Abroad fared this weekend:
Championship
- Jonathan Spector did not dress in Birmingham City’s 1-0 loss vs. Watford on Saturday. He is recovering from facial injuries.
- Will Packwood did not dress for Birmingham City. He is recovering from a leg injury.
- Tim Ream dressed but did not play in Bolton Wanderers’ 1-1 draw vs. Burnley on Saturday.
- Stuart Holden did not dress for Bolton Wanderers. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- Zak Whitbread started and played 18 minutes before suffering an injury in Leicester City’s 2-1 win vs. Middlesbrough on Saturday.
- Eric Lichaj started and played 90 minutes in Nottingham Forest’s 1-0 win vs. Huddersfield Town on Saturday.
- Danny Williams came off the bench and played 23 minutes in Reading’s 2-1 win vs. Ipswich Town on Saturday.
GERMANY
Bundesliga
- Fabian Johnson did not dress in TSG 1899 Hoffenheim’s 9-0 win vs. SG Aumund-Vegesack in the first round of DFB Pokal on Saturday.
- Joe Gyau did not dress for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
- Timmy Chandler started, played 120 minutes and received a yellow card in FC Nurnberg’s 4-3 penalty kick loss after a 1-1 draw vs. SV Sandhausen in the first round of DFB Pokal on Sunday.
- Michael Parkhurst dressed but did not play in FC Augsburg’s 2-0 win vs. RB Leipzig in the first round of DFB Pokal on Friday.
- Jermaine Jones and Schalke 04 play FC Nottingen in the first round of DFB Pokal on Monday.
- Steve Cherundolo did not dress in Hannover 96′s 2-0 win vs. Victoria Hamburg in the first round of DFB Pokal on Sunday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- John Anthony Brooks started and played 120 minutes in Hertha Berlin’s 3-2 extra-time win vs. VfR Neumunster in the first round of DFB Pokal on Sunday.
2. Bundesliga
- Alfredo Morales started and played 90 minutes in FC Ingolstadt 04’s 4-1 win vs. Sportfreunde Baumberg in the first round of DFB Pokal on Saturday.
- Andrew Wooten started and played 59 minutes in Kaiserslautern’s 7-0 win vs. Neckarsulmer Sport-Union in the first round of DFB Pokal on Saturday.
- Bobby Wood started. played 64 minutes and had an ASSIST in TSV 1860 Munich’s 4-3 penalty kick win after a 1-1 draw vs. Heidenheimer SB in the first round of DFB Pokal on Friday.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIUSnMjVfis?feature=player_embedded]
NETHERLANDS
- Aron Johannsson started, played 90 minutes, had an ASSIST and scored a GOAL in AZ Alkmaar’s 4-2 loss vs. Heerenveen on Saturday.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_TWFoky0CQ?feature=player_detailpage]
RUSSIA
- Eugene Starikov dressed but did not play in FK Tom’ Tomsk’s 2-1 loss vs. Ural on Saturday.
BELGIUM
- Sacha Kljestan started and played 90 minutes in RSC Anderlecht’s 4-0 win vs. Cercle Brugge on Friday.
DENMARK
- Charlie Davies did not dress in Randers FC’s 3-1 win vs. FC Copenhagen on Sunday.
- Conor O’Brien did not dress in FC Nordsjaelland’s 2-1 loss vs. AGF Aarhus on Saturday.
AUSTRIA
- Terrence Boyd dressed but did not play in Rapid Vienna’s 4-2 win vs. SK Sturm Graz on Sunday.
SWEDEN
- Brian Span and Djurgarden IF play Helsingborg IF on Monday.
NORWAY
- Mix Diskerud came off the bench and played 45 minutes in Rosenborg BK’s 2-0 win vs. Sogndal on Sunday.
- Josh Gatt did not dress in Molde FK’s 2-0 win vs. Brann on Saturday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- Steve Clark started and played 90 minutes in Honefoss BK’s 5-2 loss vs. Aalesund on Sunday.
MEXICO
- Michael Orozco Fiscal started and played 90 minutes in Puebla’s 4-2 loss vs. Jaguares de Chiapas on Saturday.
- DaMarcus Beasley came off the bench, played 45 minutes and had an ASSIST for Puebla.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mInf9eM4lgw?feature=player_detailpage&w=600&h=360]
- Jose Torres started and played 89 minutes in Tigres UANL’s 2-0 win vs. Pumas UNAM on Sunday.
- Jonathan Bornstein did not dress for Tigres UANL.
- Joe Corona started and played 45 minutes in Club Tijuana’s 2-1 loss vs. Morelia on Saturday.
- Edgar Castillo started and played 65 minutes for Club Tijuana.
- Greg Garza started and played 90 minutes for Club Tijuana.
- Paul Arriola came off the bench, played 25 minutes and had an ASSIST for Club Tijuana.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKQ8XkcL2k8?feature=player_embedded]
- Herculez Gomez did not dress for Club Tijuana. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- Joaquin Alonso Hernandez dressed but did not play in Monterrey’s 1-1 draw vs. Toluca on Saturday.
BRAZIL
- Freddy Adu and Bahia did not play this weekend.
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What do you think of these performances? How impressive was Arriola’s assist? Think Johannsson is in for a big season with AZ?
Share your thoughts below.