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Americans Abroad: Weekend Rewind

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Gedion Zelalem continued to turn heads in Scotland, just days after the announcement that he would finish the season with Rangers.

Zelalem recorded an assist and had exceptional play in his team’s 5-1 victory over Cowdenbeath in the Scottish Cup on Sunday. The helper this weekend means that the 18-year-old central midfielder has now recorded three assists in his last four matches.

It was a big weekend in Liga MX, as the regular contingent of American players was boosted by a pair of new signings. Omar Gonzalez started and played 90 minutes in his debut for Pachuca, helping to earn a 1-1 draw against Club Tijuana. Jorge Villafana, meanwhile, played from whistle to whistle in his first game for Santos Laguna, but his side lost, 2-0, to Club Leon and American goalkeeper William Yarbrough, who recorded five saves on the night.

Elsewhere, several Americans made appearances in the storied FA Cup in England. Young goalkeeper Cody Cropper got a rare nod for MK Dons in a 2-2 draw with Northampton Town, Danny Williams played 90 minutes in a 2-2 tie vs. Huddersfield Town, and DeAndre Yedlin also went the distance for Sunderland in a 3-1 loss to Arsenal.

Here are how the Americans Abroad did this weekend:

MEXICO

  • Jonathan Bornstein started, played 90 minutes, and recorded a shot on goal in Queretaro’s 3-1 loss to Atlas. Queretaro newcomer Luis Gil didn’t make the game day squad.
  • Paul Arriola came on in the 66th minute for Club Tijuana against Pachuca in a 1-1 draw.  Michael Orozco, Greg Garza, and Alejandro Guido were not on the game day roster. Omar Gonzalez started and went the distance in his first match for Pachuca.
  • Ventura Alvarado started and played 90 minutes for Club America in their 1-1 draw against Puebla.
  • William Yarbrough started, played 90 minutes, and recorded 5 saves in Leon’s 2-0 win over Santos Laguna, with Miguel Ibarra not coming off the bench. Jorge Villafana started and went the distance for Santos in his first match with the team.
  • Joe Corona started and played 67 minutes in Dorados de Sinaloa’s 1-0 loss to Chiapas. Gabriel Farfan didn’t make the bench for Chiapas.
  • Jose Torres was on the bench for UANL’s 1-0 loss to Toluca.
  • Edgar Castillo started and went the distance in Monterrey’s 1-0 win over Pumas UNAM.

ENGLAND

FA Cup

  • Brad Guzan was not in the game day squad for Aston Villa in their 1-1 draw with Wycombe Wanderers.
  • DeAndre Yedlin started and played 90 minutes in Sunderland’s 3-1 loss to Arsenal, while Lynden Gooch didn’t make the game day squad.
  • Geoff Cameron wasn’t in the team for Stoke City’s 2-0 win over Doncaster Rovers.
  • Tim Howard was on the bench for Everton’s 2-0 win over Dagenham & Redbridge.
  • Jonathan Spector started and went the distance for Birmingham City in their 2-1 loss to AFC Bournemouth.
  • Danny Williams played 90 minutes in Reading’s 2-2 draw against Huddersfield Town.
  • Cody Cropper started and played 90 minutes in MK Dons’ 2-2 draw against Northampton Town.
  • Eric Lichaj came on in the 71st minute of Nottingham Forest’s 1-0 win over QPR.
  • Tim Ream came on in the 71st minute for Fulham’s 2-1 loss to Sheffield Wednesday, while Emerson Hyndman did not make the game day squad.

SCOTLAND

  • Gedion Zelalem started, played 62 minutes, and had an ASSIST in Rangers’ 5-1 Scottish Cup win over Cowdenbeath.

FRANCE

  • Alejandro Bedoya came on in the 64th minute for FC Nantes’ 2-1 victory over St Etienne.

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What do you think of these performances? Impressed with Zelalem’s form? What did you think of Gonzalez and Villafana’s respective debuts in Liga MX?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Saw a damning article against Guzan. It appears he will be riding the pines for a long time if he stays at Aston Villa

    Reply

  2. Zelalem was great against third tier Cowdenbeath. Luckily they played the match at a sparse Ibrox and not the 4,000 seat stadium in Fife.

    Reply

  5. I watch the Sunderland game, Yedlin was involved in 2 of those Arsenal goals, but then again fullbacks sometimes are involved in goals. I would only really fault him for him for the 1st Arsenal goal.

    Reply

    • Yedlin also committed a pretty clear penalty when he clumsily bundled Giroud over but it wasn’t called for reasons unknown. Having said that, he had hiccups but I actually think he’s getting better on D (and I’ve always been pretty skeptical on him as anything other than a superfast winger who only contributes one way)

      Reply

      • He also had a couple of pretty good runs forward, including one in which he absolutely skinned the defender and then played a near-perfect cross which the Sunderland attacker headed off the crossbar.

      • Yup and I think it was Walcott that got the better of him on a shot that hit the post just outside the 18. Yedlin didnt close down hard enough. But I agree with others – he did have positive moments. I liked his run towards the end of the game that resulted in a headed cross off the cross bar. The cross from him was brilliant – enough power to get away from the keeper and be dangerous. Need more of that!

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