By FRANCO PANIZO
Alfredo Morales wasted no time in making an impact in the 2. Bundesliga season.
Starting in FC Ingolstadt’s season opener vs. St Pauli on Saturday, Morales scored the opener just before halftime by nodding home a free kick in the 42nd minute. The goal that gave visiting Ingolstadt the lead was Morales’ second since joining the club last season, third in his career and likely raised his chances of earning another U.S. Men’s National Team call-up next month. But unfortunately for Ingolstadt, they relinquished the lead in the 78th minute and had to settle for a 1-1 draw.
Andrew Jacobson did not find the back of the net, but he did make his Stabaek debut this past weekend. Recently acquired by 2015 expansion MLS side New York City and loaned out to Stabaek so as to stay fit, Jacobson was given a start by former U.S. head coach Bob Bradley against fellow American Mix Diskerud and Rosenborg on Sunday. Jacobson went the distance in the match, helping Stabaek grab an impressive 4-1 victory.
It was not all roses for the Americans Abroad contingent, as Michael Orozco and Puebla were handed an embarrassing 4-0 loss by Club America and Sacha Kljestan did not see the field in Anderlecht’s 2-0 triumph vs. KV Oostende.
Greg Garza, Joe Corona and Club Tijuana also had less than desirable weekends, playing to a 1-1 home draw with Tigres on Friday that kept Xolos winless in their first three matches of the Liga MX Apertura campaign.
Here is how the Americans Abroad did this weekend:
GERMANY
2. Bundesliga
- Alfredo Morales started, played 86 minutes and scored a GOAL in FC Ingolstadt 04’s 1-1 draw vs. St Pauli on Saturday.
- Terrence Boyd did not dress in RB Leipzig’s 0-0 draw vs. VfR Aalen on Saturday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- Bobby Wood and TSV 1860 Munich play Kaiserslautern on Monday.
- Andrew Wooten dressed but did not play in SV Sandhausen’s 1-0 loss vs. Darmstadt 98 on Sunday.
BELGIUM
- Sacha Kljestan dressed but did not play in RSC Anderlecht’s 2-0 win vs. KV Oostende on Friday.
AUSTRIA
- Conor O’Brien did not dress in FC Magna Wiener Neustadt’s 4-2 loss vs. Sturm Graz on Saturday.
NORWAY
- Mix Diskerud started and played 90 minutes in Rosenborg BK’s 4-1 loss vs. Stabaek IF on Sunday.
- Michael Stephens started and played 90 minutes in Stabaek IF’s 4-1 win vs. Rosenborg BK on Sunday.
- Andrew Jacobson started and played 90 minutes for Stabaek IF.
- Ethan Horvath dressed but did not play in Molde FK’s 1-1 draw vs. IK Start on Sunday.
- Josh Gatt did not dress for Molde FK. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- Zarek Valentin did not dress in FK Bodo/Glimt’s 2-1 loss vs. Aalesund on Sunday. He is recovering from an Achilles injury.
MEXICO
- Michael Orozco started and played 90 minutes in Puebla’s 4-0 loss vs. Club America on Saturday.
- Edgar Castillo started and played 90 minutes in Atlas’ 4-2 win vs. Jaguares de Chiapas on Saturday.
- Jose Torres started and played 90 minutes in Tigres UANL’s 1-1 draw vs. Club Tijuana on Friday.
- Herculez Gomez dressed but did not play for Tigres UANL.
- Jonathan Bornstein dressed but did not play in Queretaro’s 2-0 win vs. Pachuca on Friday.
- Greg Garza started and played 90 minutes in Club Tijuana’s 1-1 draw vs. Tigres UANL on Friday.
- Joe Corona came off the bench and played 22 minutes for Club Tijuana.
- Paul Arriola came off the bench, played 11 minutes and received a yellow card for Club Tijuana.
- Alejandro Guido dressed but did not play for Club Tijuana.
- Amando Moreno did not dress for Club Tijuana.
- Joaquin Alonso Hernandez did not dress in Monterrey’s 0-0 draw vs. Santos Laguna on Saturday.
- Gabriel Farfan came off the bench and played 45 minutes in Jaguares de Chiapas’ 4-2 loss vs. Atlas on Saturday.
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What do you think of these performances? Hoping to see Morales get another USMNT call-up in the near future? Do you see Jacobson earning a regular starting role at Stabaek?
Share your thoughts below.