By FRANCO PANIZO
Zero wins in more than half a season.
That was the situation FC Nurnberg found themselves in heading into their first game back from the Bundesliga’s winter break, but a goal from Timmy Chandler helped change that as it set the tone for an emphatic victory.
Nurnberg picked up their much-anticipated first win of the campaign on Saturday, overwhelming Hoffenheim, 4-0, at Grundig-Stadion in their first game of 2014. Chandler netted the winner in the first half of the match, scoring his first of the season on a deflected shot that skipped just inside the near post and sent the home crowd into a frenzy.
Chandler also contributed defensively, going the distance at right back and picking up a yellow card in the cleansheet win. Fellow German-American Fabian Johnson started and played 45 minutes for Hoffenheim, leaving the game because of a hand injury.
While the victory was Nurnberg’s first in what has so far been a miserable season for the club, it did not pull it out of the relegation zone. Nurnberg are in 17th place on 14 points, two shy of the relegation play-off spot and three from safety.
Here is the goal:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqvgdos5UcU]
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What do you think of Chandler’s goal? Should Klinsmann call him up to the March friendly and get a closer look? Hoping Chandler makes it onto the World Cup squad this summer?
Share your thoughts below.