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Americans Abroad: Weekend Rewind

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Fabian Johnson Borussia Moenchengladbach 7

 

By FRANCO PANIZO

Fabian Johnson has been in need of a pick-me-up at Borussia Moenchengladbach, and he may have just found it.

Johnson was given a rare start in the club’s meeting with Paderborn on Sunday, and gave manager Lucien Favre something to think about by scoring the game-winner in a 2-0 triumph. The goal came in the 18th minute on a left-footed strike from outside the penalty area that took a very kind deflection, and was Johnson’s first for Moenchengladbach. Playing as a left midfielder, Johnson was also involved in helping create the insurance goal nine minutes before the final whistle. He sprinted towards the end line on the play and hit a cross that was parried into the path of teammate Patrick Herrmann, who netted with a low shot.

There was another foreign-based American to score a decisive tally this weekend. Conor O’Brien was the author of the lone goal in Wiener Neustadt’s 1-0 win over Austria Vienna, converting a 34th-minute penalty kick to push his relegation-threatened side to an upset victory at home. The goal was O’Brien’s fourth of the season, and move Wiener Neustadt to within a point of safety in the Austrian Bundesliga.

While there was some good news from those two European-based players, there was also a negative development over in Mexico. Greg Garza suffered an injury in the first half of Club Tijuana’s game against Pachuca, and had to be replaced by fellow American Joe Corona in the 41st minute. The Xolos were able to overcome that loss, however, as they picked up a 3-2 victory that kept them in first place in Liga MX.

Here is how the Americans Abroad did this weekend:

ENGLAND

Premiership

  • Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made two saves in Everton’s 2-0 loss vs. Arsenal on Sunday.
  • Brad Guzan started, played 90 minutes and made four saves in Aston Villa’s 1-0 loss vs. Newcastle United on Saturday.
  • DeAndre Yedlin did not dress in Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-0 loss vs. Chelsea in the Capital One Cup final on Sunday.
  • Brad Friedel did not dress for Tottenham Hotspur.
  • Geoff Cameron dressed but did not play in Stoke City’s 1-0 win vs. Hull City on Saturday.
  • Gedion Zelalem did not dress in Arsenal’s 2-0 win vs. Everton on Sunday.

Championship

  • Jonathan Spector started and played 90 minutes in Birmingham City’s 1-0 win vs. Brentford on Saturday.
  • Will Packwood did not dress for Birmingham City. He is recovering from an injury.
  • Tim Ream started and played 90 minutes in Bolton Wanderers’ 1-0 win vs. Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
  • Eric Lichaj started and played 90 minutes in Nottingham Forest’s 3-0 win vs. Reading on Saturday.
  • Danny Williams started and played 90 minutes in Reading’s 3-0 loss vs. Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
  • Emerson Hyndman did not dress in Fulham’s 2-0 win vs. Derby County on Saturday. He is recovering from an injury.
  • Zak Whitbread did not dress in Derby County’s 2-0 loss vs. Fulham on Saturday. He is recovering from an injury.
  • Oguchi Onyewu did not dress in Charlton Athletic’s 3-0 win vs. Huddersfield Town on Saturday.

GERMANY

Bundesliga

  • John Brooks started and played 90 minutes in Hertha Berlin’s 1-0 win vs. FC Augsburg on Sunday.
  • Fabian Johnson started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in Borussia Moenchengladbach’s 2-0 win vs. SC Paderborn 07 on Sunday.
  • Timmy Chandler started and played 90 minutes in Eintracht Frankfurt’s 2-1 win vs. Hamburg SV on Saturday.
  • Julian Green did not dress in Hamburg SV’s 2-1 loss vs. Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.
  • Joe Gyau did not dress in Borussia Dortmund’s 3-0 win vs. Schalke 04 on Saturday. He is recovering from a knee injury.

2. Bundesliga

  • Terrence Boyd did not dress in RB Leipzig’s 3-2 win vs. FC Union Berlin on Sunday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
  • Alfredo Morales and FC Ingolstadt 04 play TSV 1860 Munich on Monday.
  • Bobby Wood did not dress in FC Erzgebirge Aue’s 0-0 draw vs. St Pauli on Sunday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
  • Andrew Wooten started and played 87 minutes in SV Sandhausen’s 2-0 win vs. VfR Aalen on Saturday.
  • Jann George did not dress in SpVgg Greuther Furth’s 2-1 loss vs. Kaiserslautern on Friday.

FRANCE

  • Alejandro Bedoya did not dress in FC Nantes’ 1-0 win vs. Guingamp on Sunday.

NETHERLANDS

  • Aron Johannsson came off the bench and played 11 minutes in AZ Alkmaar’s 2-0 win vs. Willem II Tilburg on Saturday.
  • Rubio Rubin dressed but did not play in FC Utrecht’s 0-0 draw vs. Feyenoord Rotterdam on Sunday.

AUSTRIA

  • Conor O’Brien started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in FC Magna Wiener Neustadt’s 1-0 win vs. Austria Vienna on Saturday.

MEXICO

  • Michael Orozco started and played 90 minutes in Puebla’s 4-1 win vs. Queretaro on Saturday.
  • Herculez Gomez dressed but did not play for Puebla.
  • Greg Garza started and played 41 minutes in Club Tijuana’s 3-2 win vs. Pachuca on Friday.
  • Joe Corona came off the bench and played 49 minutes for Club Tijuana.
  • Alejandro Guido did not dress for Club Tijuana.
  • Paul Arriola did not dress for Club Tijuana.
  • Jose Torres did not dress in Tigres UANL’s 3-0 win vs. Pumas UNAM on Saturday. He is recovering from an injury.
  • Edgar Castillo started and played 90 minutes in Atlas’ 3-0 loss vs. Veracruz on Saturday.
  • Ventura Alvarado started and played 90 minutes in Club America’s 1-0 loss vs. Universidad de Guadalajara on Saturday.
  • Jonathan Bornstein dressed but did not play in Queretaro’s 4-1 loss vs. Puebla on Saturday.

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What do you think of these performances? Will this goal-scoring performance help Johnson finish out the season strong? Expecting O’Brien and Wiener Neustadt to avoid relegation?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  4. Well, it’s good to see most of the Bundesliga contingent getting 90 minutes. Won’t Fox have the Bundesliga next season? Seems like there are more Americans there now than in England.

    Reply

    • Yes the Bundesliga rights now belong to Fox. Watching starting players like Johnson (should be in line for more time the rest of the way), Brooks, Chandler, and maybe Gyau or Green next season will great. Not to mention exciting games between Wolfsburg, Dortmund, Leverkusen, Monchengladbach, Schalke, and others; lets hope FOX doesn’t screw it up and relegate them to Fox Soccer Plus or something.

      Reply

  7. Anyone know why Garza only played 41 minutes? Was it because his team was down 2-0 in the first half and he was playing that bad, or because they needed more offense and subbed him out for an offensive player (Joe Corona)? Seems a little early to hit the panic button on subbing defenders, especially considering Garza’s ability to get forward.

    Reply

    • a cramp but he was doing awful it was probably just an excuse to take him out, Damm simply made him look like an amateur.

      Reply

    • so for a real response…yes, Damm was owning that wing but he has been doing that to everyone in Liga MX. but to be fair to Garza, even though he was certainly the guy beat for the 1st goal, Xolos played a truly terrible first half all around. just completely taken to town. went out before halftime with an injury.

      Reply

    • If he’s not dressing next season, it’s time to worry. Considering he arrived in January, in the middle of his offseason, on a team fighting for a champions league spot, I don’t think it’s realistic to expect him to crack the lineup just yet.

      Reply

      • Yeah, there is no reason at all to worry about anything Yedlin does or doesn’t do this season. It’d be nice if he makes some cup appearances next season.

    • It wouldn’t surprise me one bit if we don’t see him until the end of next season. If he’s not getting playing time by then I’d be slightly surprised. Getting loaned to the premiership would be about right. You don’t simply go from 4th division (MLS) to starting in the premiership.

      Reply

      • Do you really think we are 4th division in Europe?

        I certainly don’t think so, our top teams are right there with the top division 2 and bottom feeders from division 1.

      • Are you kidding? We have third/fourth division Europeans come to the MLS and become stars right away.

      • Are YOU serious? Who are these players? You MLS bashers have no knowledge of the league or the game.

      • Just for argument sake and for your question – Bradley Wright Phillips, no?

        I mean, he was playing for Charlton Ath before Red Bulls. Which is Championship.

        Do not agree with David M’s statement.

      • Just for argument sake and for your question – Bradley Wright Phillips, no?

        For arguments sake, the Championship isn’t 3rd/4th division – the claim made above.

        Sidenote: Let’s see how BWP does without Henry’s service.

      • Bradley Wright-Phillips was scoring for Charlton when they were in Division 1, not the Championship. In the Championship, he couldn’t cut it and was released after one season. He played for First Division Brentford before coming to the MLS.

        Luke Rodgers was only good enough for Division 2 in England, yet became a very solid scorer for Red Bulls.

        Estonian Lindpere couldn’t cut in the Russian second tier, yet became a regular in New York and an all-star in his first season here.

        Aurélien Collin was only good enough to play in England for non-league Wrexam.

      • +1 Thank you. MLS fans are just too stubborn and ignorant to admit that they don’t attract any real foreign prospects besides a South American here or there (Freddy Montero)

        But you’re spot on. besides Giovinco, what foreign player who was starting in a 1st division under the age of 30 has willingly joined the MLS?

      • By those standards, I’m curious what’s that makes the Eredivisie then based on Altidore’s performance.

      • More trolling. MLS is championship level. Pretty doubtful this guy has ever watched a fourth division (League Two) game in his life. Probably have never watched MLS either.

      • “We knew he was a player with lots of potential, who’s already done some interesting things in MLS and has additionally played in the last World Cup,” Pochettino said. “That’s why we decided to bring him over sooner, and to begin working with him little by little.”

        seems the coach knows it will be a slow grooming…… i wish USNT fans could accept that as well.

      • Thats fine, but if he doesn’t play at Spurs, then everyone needs to understand that he shouldn’t be playing for the Nats either. One of the best things going right now for the Nats is that JK will not call up anyone who isn’t playing regularly for their club team.

      • Except that he will call up his favorites regardless. I’m not sure if Yedlin falls into this category.

      • I’m struggling to understand your point, if there was one. What manager doesn’t have favorites?

      • The point is, instead of calling up the best players, he calls up the ones he likes. Try to keep up.

      • “Best players” defined who? You? Someone that posts on a soccer website?

        Again, all managers have favorite players their partial too. If your point is you know more than the national team manager, you have no point at all.

        Keeping up with nonsense isn’t on my agenda but I’ve somehow fell into it. Thanks for the confirmation.

      • So whoever JK picks is the right pick and no one can or should ever criticize it? And presumably that goes for every other manager. We won’t have much to post about, that’s for sure.

        I wonder whether you abide by your own insane posting rules. I doubt it.

      • If that means SBI can go a few days without hearing about “passport-Americans” or players not being “American enough”, then bring on the rules.

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