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Americans Abroad: Weekend Rewind

Aron Johannsson AZ 2 (Getty Images)

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:

ENGLAND

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.

—–

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.

Comments

  1. “Zak Whitbread started and played 18 minutes before suffering an injury in Leicester City’s 2-1 win vs. Middlesbrough on Saturday.”

    Geez, Zak. To my mind his story is even more tragic than Stuart Holden’s. This guy is really really good when his parts aren’t letting him down. Before we found Besler I was screaming for Zak to get a call up. Great delivery, great in the air, and a good locker room presence.

    Reply
    • Was hoping that Seb Hines would get a call….very similar to Whitbread, except without the injury bug…good passing, strong in the air & in tackeling. A little rough around the edges, but could be a solid backup for 2 cycles at LCB.

      Reply
    • He’s still falling. Until he addresses the holes in his game he’ll not get anything close to significant minutes. He’s likely going to be back in MLS within 2 years….and behind Way behind Besler, JAB, Gonzalez, Packwood, and others who are getting minutes with their clubs.

      Reply
    • We are fortunate that there is enough depth that has developed in that position that we are not pinning all our hopes on him developing into a first-rate CB.

      Reply
  2. “Stuart Holden did not dress for Bolton Wanderers. He is recovering from a knee injury.”

    After two years of constantly seeing this…i thought it was going to be different this season 🙁

    Reply
    • The dude is done. sad story, kinda like charlie davies, except Holden didn’t make terrible life decisions that led him to his downfall. Johny Evans should have to pay half his salary to Stu.

      Reply
      • Why write this? ACL injuries are not career threatening. Holden will get a chance to come back, and has both an opportunity at Bolton and MLS as a back up.

        Hopefully he’s smart enough not to read internet comments, and thanks for reminding me that I shouldn’t read them either.

  3. Johannsen also had an a**ist on the first goal. For Tijuana Garza played LB while Castillo played LM(which I think is his best position).

    Reply
  4. Johannsen also had an assist on the first goal. For Tijuana Garza played LB while Castillo played LM(which I think is his best position).

    Reply
  5. I read that Aron also @$$isted on the first goal. I can’t watch the video.

    Also, and more importantly, Packwood has been given the go-to to start full training again. He incredibly like 4 months ahead of schedule. He posted the news on Twitter. Good for him. He’s one of the bright spots at defense for the next generation.

    Reply
  6. I read that Aron also assisted on the first goal. I can’t watch the video.

    Also, and more importantly, Packwood has been given the go-to to start full training again. He incredibly like 4 months ahead of schedule. He posted the news on Twitter. Good for him. He’s one of the bright spots at defense for the next generation.

    Reply
  7. The Dutch league sucks and defending. There was nobody between Johannsson and the goal, they were all just standing there watching. Terrible, anybody can score in that league.

    Reply
  8. Good news that Eric Lichaj played 90 minutes. He is at the top of my list of players I hope Klinsmann will finally bring into camp for a test. Also, happy to see Daniel Williams get some playing time in the first game of the season. Would be nice to see him establish himself as a starter and improve his game and put his name back into contention for a slot on WC 2014. He does have tremendous potential if he can get it together.

    Want to note that, unfortinately, in preseason has been playing on the U-23 team for Hoffenheim. Not sure what his chances are to move up the first team, or maybe he will be looking for another loan (or a move to MLS).

    As for Timothy Chandler, it should be noted that his yellow card came on a play where he was beat by the attacker and Timothy fouled in the box and the ref awarded the penalty. By all accounts, Chandler had a miserable game and some Nurnberg fans already are calling for him to be benched.

    Reply
    • Just wondering what makes you think that Williams has “tremendous potential”. All I see is a mediocre, error-prone player.

      Reply
    • Chandler wasn’t “beat” the penalty came on a set piece and Chandler basically tackled the guy either on purpose or accident but he certainly wasn’t “beat”..Nurnberg fans should be more worried about their offensive output because besides that 1 play by Chandler the rest of the squad looked terrible. Chandler has a good and long history with the club and while it was a mistake on his part, he should be given the benefit of the doubt.

      Reply
    • Also I dont get the whole rave for Danny Williams – he had a very tough time in that Russia friendly and gave gave away that cheap goal. He also got demoted from Hoffenheim which nearly got relegated and found minutes hard to come by towards the latter part of the season. He’s still young though so I’ll give him that.

      Reply
  9. Looking for positives, and Eric Lichaj is definitely a good one. I think he’ll need consistent playing time to become a consistent defender.

    Did I miss something with Timothy Chandler? I thought he has been out of the MNT because of injury, but I heard rumblings about his shaky dedication to the MNT?

    Reply
    • Chandler committed to the US and then realized:

      1) It’s a long plane flight from Europe to Central America (he hates flying)
      2) It’s really hot in Central America (or the US in the summer)

      Since then, the “injuries” have popped up again when it’s national team time.

      Reply
    • Well, it’s the US or nothing at this point, but Chandler wasn’t particularly impressive last year and I think he is far from a sure thing.

      Reply
  10. That was a nice play by Paul Arriola on his assist. Wikipedia says that he has applied for Mexican citizenship. This could have to do with many factors, and I know he has played for the US youth teams. Does anyone know if he intends to play for the USMNT?

    Reply
    • From what I’ve read he has no intention at this time to play for Mexico National Teams. He’s applying as a procedural move to not count as a foreigner on TJ’s books as teams are only allowed a certain amount ( I want to say 5) non-Mexicans on their rosters

      Reply

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