By FRANCO PANIZO
The European seasons may still be young and some rust may still be evident, but that is not stopping American players from finding ways to make an impact.
Three different players scored goals for their respective clubs this weekend, including midfielder Sacha Kljestan. The Anderlecht regular set the tone for his club’s latest impressive victory, scoring the opener in a 4-1 triumph over KAA Gent on Sunday. The goal was the first of the season for Kljestan.
John Anthony Brooks also found the back of the net, and he did so in a Bundesliga debut that he will not soon forget. Brooks helped Hertha Berlin post a 6-1 rout of Eintracht Frankfurt in the Old Lady’s return to Germany’s top flight on Saturday by scoring the winner with a low shot following a corner kick from the right side. The tall centerback went the distance in the match.
While Kljestan and Brooks were busy opening their 2013-14 scoring accounts, Aron Johannsson was busy adding to his. For the second straight week, Johannsson converted a penalty kick but this one helped AZ Alkmaar defeat Ajax, 3-2, on Sunday. Johannsson now has two goals in the new Eredivisie campaign.
Here is how the Americans Abroad fared this weekend:
Championship
- Jonathan Spector did not dress in Birmingham City’s 1-0 win vs. Yeovil Town 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. Reading on Saturday.
- Stuart Holden did not dress for Bolton Wanderers. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- Zak Whitbread started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Leicester City’s 0-0 draw vs. Leeds United on Sunday.
- Eric Lichaj started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Nottingham Forest’s 1-0 win vs. Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.
- Danny Williams came off the bench and played four minutes in Reading’s 1-1 draw vs. Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.
GERMANY
Bundesliga
- Fabian Johnson dressed but did not play in TSG 1899 Hoffenheim’s 2-2 draw vs. FC Nurnberg on Saturday.
- Joe Gyau did not dress for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
- Timmy Chandler dressed but did not play in FC Nurnberg’s 2-2 draw vs. TSG 1899 Hoffenheim on Saturday.
- Michael Parkhurst did not dress in FC Augsburg’s 4-0 loss vs. Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.
- Jermaine Jones started and played 90 minutes in Schalke 04’s 3-3 draw vs. Hamburg SV on Sunday.
- Steve Cherundolo did not dress in Hannover 96′s 2-0 win vs. VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- John Anthony Brooks started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in Hertha Berlin’s 6-1 win vs. Eintracht Franfkurt on Saturday.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GJ6ku17l1k?feature=player_detailpage]
2. Bundesliga
- Alfredo Morales started and played 90 minutes in FC Ingolstadt 04’s 2-0 loss vs. Karlsruhe on Saturday.
- Andrew Wooten and Kaiserslautern play SpVgg Greuther Furth on Monday.
- Bobby Wood started, played 59 minutes and had an ASSIST in TSV 1860 Munich’s 2-1 win vs. Fortuna Dusseldorf on Friday.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpIpSbQZSpk?feature=player_detailpage]
FRANCE
- Alejandro Bedoya did not dress in FC Nantes’ 2-0 win vs. Bastia on Saturday.
NETHERLANDS
- Aron Johannsson started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in AZ Alkmaar’s 3-2 win vs. Ajax on Sunday.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8M6Bhb-7aQ?feature=player_detailpage]
RUSSIA
- Eugene Starikov and FK Tom’ Tomsk did not play this weekend.
BELGIUM
- Sacha Kljestan started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in RSC Anderlecht’s 4-1 win vs. KAA Gent on Sunday.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zav-R6-PP9k?feature=player_detailpage]
DENMARK
- Conor O’Brien started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in FC Nordsjaelland’s 2-2 draw vs. FC Copenhagen on Sunday.
AUSTRIA
- Terrence Boyd started and played 30 minutes in Rapid Vienna’s 0-0 draw vs. Austria Vienna on Sunday.
SWEDEN
- Brian Span did not dress in Djurgarden IF’s 3-0 loss vs. Brommapojkarna on Saturday.
NORWAY
- Mix Diskerud started, played 59 minutes and received a yellow card in Rosenborg BK’s 2-2 draw vs. Stromsgodset on Sunday.
- Josh Gatt did not dress in Molde FK’s 2-1 win vs. Sogndal on Saturday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- Ethan Horvath dressed but did not play for Molde FK.
- Steve Clark started and played 90 minutes in Honefoss BK’s 1-0 loss vs. Haugesund on Sunday.
MEXICO
- Michael Orozco Fiscal started and played 90 minutes before being subbed off in stoppage time in Puebla’s 0-0 draw vs. Veracruz on Sunday.
- DaMarcus Beasley started and played 90 minutes for Puebla.
- Jose Torres started and played 90 minutes in Tigres UANL’s 3-1 win vs. Monterrey on Saturday.
- Jonathan Bornstein did not dress for Tigres UANL.
- Joe Corona started and played 90 minutes in Club Tijuana’s 2-0 win vs. Pumas UNAM on Friday.
- Edgar Castillo started and played 90 minutes for Club Tijuana.
- Greg Garza came off the bench and played seven minutes for Club Tijuana.
- Paul Arriola dressed but did not play for Club Tijuana.
- 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 3-1 loss vs. Tigres UANL on Saturday.
BRAZIL
- Freddy Adu did not dress in Bahia’s 3-0 loss vs. Gremio on Sunday.
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What do you think of these performances? Impressed that three Americans scored on the same weekend this early into the season? Whose goal did you like the most?
Share your thoughts below.