A couple of U.S. internationals made their mark over the weekend in the German Bundesliga, but in an English Championship battle pitting Americans against one another, Eric Lichaj proved to be a difference-maker.
Lichaj’s Nottingham Forest took on Tim Ream’s and Emerson Hyndman’s Fulham on Saturday, but it was the former who had the last laugh, assisting the game-winning goal in a 3-0 rout.
The 27-year-old’s assist was one for the highlight reels as well. After the ball was headed away from danger after a Nottingham Forest corner kick, Lichaj sent the ball to the back post with a bicycle kick and teammate Matt Mills rose high to head it in.
Meanwhile, will Fabian Johnson’s incredible run of form ever end? On Saturday, the U.S. Men’s National Team fullback and winger found himself one-on-one with Bayern Munich netminder Manuel Neuer. Johnson made no mistake, scoring the third goal in Borussia Moenchengladbach’s 3-1 win vs. the German Bundesliga leader.
Johnson has scored four goals in three games across all competitions for Monchengladbach. He now six goals overall this campaign.
In another Bundesliga battle, centerback John Brooks scored the game-winning goal for Hertha Berlin. From a corner kick, the U.S. defender rose highest at the near post late into his side’s match against Bayer Leverkusen and powered a header into the back of the net for the 2-1 win.
Here is how the Americans Abroad performed this weekend:
ENGLAND
Premier League
- Geoff Cameron started and played 90 minutes in Stoke City’s 2-0 win vs. Manchester City on Saturday.
- Brad Guzan started, played 90 minutes and made three saves in Aston Villa’s 1-1 tie vs. Southampton on Saturday.
- Lynden Gooch did not dress in Sunderland’s 3-1 loss vs. Arsenal on Saturday.
- DeAndre Yedlin started, played 90 minutes and received a YELLOW CARD in Sunderland’s 3-1 loss vs. Arsenal on Saturday.
- Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made four saves in Everton’s 1-1 tie vs. Crystal Palace on Monday.
Championship
- Eric Lichaj started, played 90 minutes and had a game-winning ASSIST in Nottingham Forest’s 3-0 win vs. Fulham on Saturday.
- Jonathan Spector started and played 90 minutes in Birmingham City’s 2-0 loss vs. Huddersfield Town on Saturday.
- Cody Cropper dressed but did not play in Milton Keynes Dons’ 2-0 loss vs. Brentford on Saturday.
- Tim Ream started and played 90 minutes in Fulham’s 3-0 loss vs. Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
- Emerson Hyndman came off the bench and played 19 minutes in Fulham’s 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
SCOTLAND
- Gedion Zelalem did not play. Rangers vs. Raith Rovers was postponed.
GERMANY
Bundesliga
- Fabian Johnson started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in Borussia Moenchengladbach’s 3-1 win vs. Bayern Munich on Saturday.
- John Brooks started, played 90 minutes and scored the game-winning GOAL in Hertha Berlin’s 2-1 win vs. Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.
- Aron Johannsson did not dress in Werder Bremen’s 1-1 tie vs. VfB Stuttgart on Sunday. Johannsson is out injured.
- Alfredo Morales started and played 89 minutes in FC Ingolstadt 04’s 1-1 tie vs. TSG 1899 Hoffenheim on Saturday.
- Timmy Chandler did not dress in Eintracht Frankfurt’s 1-0 loss vs. SV Darmstadt 98 on Sunday.
2. Bundesliga
- Andrew Wooten started and played 90 minutes in SV Sandhausen’s 1-1 tie vs. SpVgg Greuther Furth on Friday.
- Terrence Boyd did not dress in RB Leipzig’s 4-2 win vs. MSV Duisburg on Sunday. Boyd is out injured.
- Caleb Stanko dressed but did not play in SC Freiburg’s 3-0 win vs. FC Union Berlin on Saturday.
- Bobby Wood started and played 90 minutes in FC Union Berlin’s 3-0 loss vs. FC Freiburg on Saturday.
- Shawn Barry and FSV Frankfurt play TSV 1860 Munich on Friday.
FRANCE
- Alejandro Bedoya did not dress in FC Nantes’ 1-1 tie vs. GFC Ajaccio on Saturday. He sat out due to suspension.
NETHERLANDS
- Desevio Payne dressed but did not play in FC Groningen’s 0-0 tie vs. Roda JC Kerkrade on Sunday.
- Rubio Rubin did not dress in FC Utrecht’s 1-0 win vs. De Graafschap on Saturday. He is out injured.
MEXICO
- Ventura Alvarado started, played 90 minutes and received a YELLOW CARD in Club America’s 3-1 win vs. Pumas UNAM during the semifinals of the Liga MX Apertura Liguilla on Sunday.
- Jose Torres dressed but did not play in Tigres UANL’s 2-0 win vs. Toluca during the semifinals of the Liga MX Apertura Liguilla on Sunday.
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What do you think of these performances? When will Fabian Johnson’s hot streak ever come to an end? Will Jose Torres and Tigres UANL win the Apertura Liguilla?
Share your thoughts below.
That was a good weekend for US players in big games. While the goal scorers stand out, I also thought Cameron had a very good game against Man City in the Stoke win.
Cameron had a fantastic game. He shut down the midfield from the DM spot, and was pretty instrumental in helping control the tempo of the game.
I’m sure JK’s headache will only get worse in trying to figure where best to play him and Fabian.
Look at some of the USMNT games that Fabian Johnson played as fullback and you can see that most of the accolades were from his good runs out of the back, his fine crossing and generally his good offensive skills. But defensively, he was not bad, but not exceptional, just OK. Against talented wingers and forwards, he was often out of position and had lower than expected tackles and takeaways, somethings full backs need to excel in. If Klinsmann figured he could be an answer to the fullback question, then Klinsmann need to ask more questions, and get more look-sees at players outside of Europe and Liga MX. I’m happy that Johnson is doing well at his position for BoMo, maybe Klinsmann will wise up and keep him in the offensive midfield where he’s good
but fabian *is* solid on defense. he’s played defense well against some of the top players in the world, mostly in the bundesliga.
klinsmann’s problem in this instance is not one of his own creation, but one that plagues managers everywhere: if you have a versatile player like fabian, do you put him in his strongest position, or where he can plug the weakest spot on the field?
and it’s made even more complicated for the u.s. because all our wide spots are weak spots, and the available players on that day could make the “weakest spot” different each game.
Thank you!
Well i would have to respectfully disagree. Yes he’s far from ‘exceptional’ as you say, but he’s definitely been very good on defense when he’s played. Yes, he doesn’t have very many takeaways, but he consistently contains his assigned wingers and shuts his side down,generally makes his flank a non-factor on defense. No winger comes to mind that dominated FabJo.
As far as positioning goes, I can honestly count on one hand he was ACTUALLY out of position, and I’ve been watching every USMNT game since 2010. Not saying I could’ve missed a few, but I just hardly ever see his side truly exposed like you see with Yedlin a couple times a game.
Actually, the Mexico playoff game was probably the worst I’ve seen him play fullback, which probably has a lot to do with the fact that his traditional roles have reversed this season; he used to be a fullback that filled in on wing, now he’s a winger who fills in on fullback.
“the Mexico playoff game was probably the worst I’ve seen him play fullback, which probably has a lot to do with the fact that his traditional roles have reversed this season”
also, he was injured.
“also, he was injured.”
No he wasn’t. Why are you perpetuating this myth?
what myth? fabian said he was, and his club confirmed it. i’m not sure why you insist on taking klinsmann at his word.
Well I know he asked to be subbed out in ET, burning our 3rd sub. But he definitely didn’t start the game injured.
I’m also wary as to the report of how hurt he actually was. His club reported him as having picked up an injury after being sent home, but he ended up playing like a couple days later. There are also reports of FabJo asking to be subbed out of the Mexico game, before the injury set in, which is what set off JK.
Ah yes. The “club confirmed it.” The same club that played him 90 minutes in the same week and subsequently weeks in a row after this “club confirmation” for this supposed “injured” thigh.
There’s a reason many reports confirmed his teammates were unhappy with him and one of the main culprits to why JK sent him home. You had former Nats on ESPN (McBride, Twellman, etc) flat out saying you’ve got to push through tightness and fatigue for your teammates and even some other former players now commentators saying: “In locker rooms, you know who will run through a wall and who will ask out of the game.” attributing that to the mentality Johnson displayed.
You and I were not in the locker room so there’s always an element of the unknown, but I’m sure this has more to do with “another person” involved in the equation that skews your (and others) view on this topic.
All signs point to this being a flat out myth. What myth you ask? THAT myth.
old school,
the real myth here is that “if you get hurt, you couldn’t possibly be fit for the next game”. it certainly falls into your “in klinsmann we trust” pov, but it’s not even remotely true.
you go on listening to taylor twellman’s assessment of fabian’s body; i’ll stick with fabian’s.
doesn’t really matter, as klinsmann’s already given in, because (as with the cases of bradley and jozy) he’s not so inept as to rob the team of its best players in the long run. my comment was more just troIIing bait for the klinsmann sycophants here.
Nate,
Fabian apologized to teammates. That research I suggested you doing will confirm that. However, thanks for confirming your post(s) are nothing more than troll bait.
Good work on continuing to add to the the drastic decline in the quality of this website and it’s debates.
old school,
i’m sure he did; fabian seems like a decent (or merely practical) teammate who would try to curtail any hurt feelings on the team, even if he wasn’t necessarily in the wrong.
and honestly, you wound me to the core. i had considered my outing of klinsmann sycophants a public service, but as a peace offering, let me just say that i no longer require you to visit this “drastically declining” site or read my comments. no hard feelings?
Ze Azzist by Eric was a lucky one!!! He iz no OROZCO!