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Americans Abroad: Midweek Rewind

WillPackwood (BirminghamCity)

By FRANCO PANIZO

If this week was a sign of things to come, Will Packwood likely won’t be complaining.

After struggling to make match-day rosters on a consistent basis in the opening months of the Championship campaign, Packwood made his season debut for Birmingham City on Tuesday by coming off the bench in a 3-1 win over Millwall. The 21-year-old defender entered the match with 19 minutes left, and helped the 20th-placed Blues see out the victory that ended a seven-match winless run. Packwood’s American teammates, Jonathan Spector (injured) and Brek Shea, did not dress for Birmingham.

While Packwood will be hoping for more of the same, Club Tijuana will not. The Xolos settled for just a point for the sixth time in 11 matches in the Liga MX Apertura campaign on Wednesday, playing to a scoreless draw with Cruz Azul. Two of Tijuana’s Americans saw time in the match, with U.S. Men’s National Team players Joe Corona and Greg Garza both starting and going the distance.

Tim Howard also played from whistle to whistle this week, as he helped Everton grab a 1-1 draw against Krasnodar in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday. The veteran goalkeeper made five saves in the match, keeping the door open for Samuel Eto’o to find an equalizer in the 82nd minute. The tie kept the Toffees atop Group H in the competition with four points from two games.

Here is how the Americans Abroad fared in midweek action:

ENGLAND

Premiership

  • Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made five saves in Everton’s 1-1 draw vs. Krasnodar in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday.

Championship

  • Eric Lichaj started and played 90 minutes in Nottingham Forest’s 0-0 draw vs. Wigan Athletic on Tuesday.
  • Tim Ream started and played 90 minutes in Bolton Wanderers’ 4-0 loss vs. Fulham on Wednesday.
  • Emerson Hyndman dressed but did not play in Fulham’s 4-0 win vs. Bolton Wanderers on Wednesday.
  • Will Packwood came off the bench and played 19 minutes in Birmingham City’s 3-1 win vs. Millwall on Tuesday.
  • Brek Shea did not dress for Birmingham City.
  • Jonathan Spector did not dress for Birmingham City. He is recovering from thigh and tendon injuries.
  • Danny Williams did not dress in Reading’s 0-0 draw vs. Leeds United on Wednesday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
  • Zak Whitbread dressed but did not play in Derby County’s 2-0 win vs. AFC Bournemouth on Tuesday.

GERMANY

Bundesliga

  • Fabian Johnson did not dress in Borussia Moenchengladbach’s match vs. Zurich in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday.
  • Joe Gyau did not dress in Borussia Dortmund’s 3-0 win vs. RSC Anderlecht in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.
  • David Yelldell did not dress in Bayer Leverkusen’s 3-1 win vs. Benfica in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.

BELGIUM

  • Sacha Kljestan dressed but did not play in RSC Anderlecht’s 3-0 loss vs. Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.

MEXICO

  • Michael Orozco did not dress in Puebla’s 2-1 loss vs. Pumas UNAM on Wednesday. He was suspended due to the red card he received over the weekend.
  • Edgar Castillo started and played 90 minutes in Atlas’ 2-1 win vs. Queretaro on Tuesday.
  • Joe Corona started and played 90 minutes in Club Tijuana’s 0-0 draw vs. Cruz Azul on Wednesday.
  • Greg Garza started and played 90 minutes for Club Tijuana.
  • Paul Arriola dressed but did not play for Club Tijuana.
  • Alejandro Guido did not dress for Club Tijuana.
  • Amando Moreno did not dress for Club Tijuana.
  • John Requejo did not dress for Club Tijuana.
  • Fernando Arce Jr did not dress for Club Tijuana.
  • Joaquin Alonso Hernandez dressed but did not play in Monterrey’s 3-1 win vs. Club Leon on Tuesday.
  • Jonathan Bornstein did not dress in Queretaro’s 2-1 loss vs. Atlas on Tuesday.
  • Jose Torres started and played 90 minutes in Tigres UANL’s 1-1 draw vs. Santos Laguna on Tuesday.
  • Herculez Gomez started and played 45 minutes.
  • Ventura Alvarado did not dress in Club America’s 2-0 win vs. Veracruz on Wednesday.
  • Gabriel Farfan did not dress in Jaguares de Chiapas’ 1-1 draw vs. Universidad de Guadalajara on Wednesday.

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What do you think of these performances? Do you see Packwood earning more looks in the near future? Worried about the Americans at Tijuana given the club’s slow start?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. That was a painful mid-week if our only bright spot was a once starter finally getting off the bench playing time.

    What’s up with Shea and Johnson? I assume Gyau isn’t on the CL roster hence his exclusion.

    Glad Fulham finally won. Sucks it was without our boy playing a role.

    Reply

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