While one American made the bench for a UEFA Champions League club this week, another clocked in a superb shift in Mexico.
Miguel Ibarra was the driving force for Club Leon in its Copa MX match against Mineros on Tuesday, scoring the first goal of the game and assisting the second before being substituted off. His side eventually tied, 2-2, but the result does not deteriorate the 25-year-old’s impact.
After scoring a simple tap-in to give Leon the lead in the 23rd minute, Ibarra pulled off an incredible run down the left wing to set up teammate Maximiliano Moralez in the second half. Receiving the ball near the midfield line, Ibarra raced towards goal, pushing the ball past Christian López before slotting a low ball across the box.
In European competition, Matt Miazga made the Chelsea bench for the first time since being transferred from the New York Red Bulls. He didn’t feature for the Blues in their 2-1 road loss to Paris Saint-Germain.
One American who did see playing time across the Atlantic this week was U.S. Under-23 goalkeeper Ethan Horvath. The 20-year-old Molde netminder started in his club’s 3-0 UEFA Europa League loss on Thursday. Christian Pulisic, meanwhile, came off the bench for a late cameo with Dortmund, as the German Bundesliga side defeated FC Porto.
Here are how the Americans Abroad did this week:
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Matt Miazga dressed but did not play in Chelsea’s 2-1 loss vs. Paris Saint-Germain.
UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE
Ethan Horvath started, played 90 minutes and recorded one save in Molde’s 3-0 loss vs. Sevilla.
Christian Pulisic came off the bench and played three minutes in Dortmund’s 2-0 win vs. Porto.
ENGLISH CHAMPIONSHIP
Tim Ream came off the bench and played 33 minutes in Fulham’s 3-0 loss vs. Blackburn Rovers on Tuesday.
Emerson Hyndman dressed but did not play in Fulham’s 3-0 loss vs. Blackburn Rovers on Tuesday.
SCOTTISH CUP
Gedion Zelalem dressed but did not play in Rangers’ 2-1 win vs. Kilmarnock on Tuesday.
MEXICAN COPA MX
Miguel Ibarra started, played 72 minutes, scored a GOAL and provided an ASSIST in Club Leon’s 2-2 tie vs. Mineros on Tuesday.
Sebastian Saucedo came off the bench and played 29 minutes in Veracruz’s 0-0 tie vs. Lobos BUAP on Tuesday.
Michael Orozco started and played all 90 minutes in Club Tijuana’s 2-0 loss vs. Coras de Tepic on Tuesday.
Paul Arriola started and played all 90 minutes in Club Tijuana’s 2-0 loss vs. Coras de Tepic on Tuesday.
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What did you think of the Americans’ performances? Which player are you most impressed with?
Share your thoughts below.
Looks USNT could start all Yank-Abroad: Horvath, Villafana, Brooks, Gonzalez, Yedellin, Williams, Cameron or Gil, Johnson, Pulisic, Bedoya, and Woods.
Villafana is Herculez Gomez #2, MLS to FMF, to US Nats?
love to Ibarra doing well. i think a left side of FJ and Villafana is the best option at the moment, but if Ibarra can keep it up, that could push FJ back to LB.
Villafana, especially, is someone I’d like to see more get a shot with the USMNT. We should do whatever we can to keep FJ in midfield, where he can contribute most.
Villafana is an interesting story. He was in high school and won some TV contest and got a tryout with Chivas when he was 18 and was offered a contract. He played spottily the first year or so, (as Jose Flores, he changed his name later in honor of his mother) then more frequently and made a US youth team (forget which age level). He didn’t really start to excel, I don’t think, until he went to Portland. Now he seems ready to break out. A real late bloomer success story.
Scoring a goal in the Mexican League does not leap frog you to contention for LW/LM on the USMNT when you have struggled everytime in the past. Or at least it shouldn’t.
who said otherwise?! Ibarra’s improvement is a good thing but does not pencil him into camp, let alone a starting spot. the operative word used was “COULD” push them…