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Jonathan Klinsmann makes penalty kick save to preserve tie in Hertha Berlin debut

Jonathan Klinsmann earned his Hertha Berlin senior debut on Thursday, and he provided quite the exclamation point.

With the German club already eliminated heading into Thursday’s Europa League group stage finale, Klinsmann made a late penalty kick save to preserve a 1-1 draw with Swedish side Ostersund.

Klinsmann’s penalty kick stop came in the game’s waning moments, as he dove to his left to keep out a Brwa Nouri penalty kick, preserving the 1-1 draw.

“We didn’t go over the penalties until right before the game,” Klinsmann said. “It wasn’t a thing we thought would happen but you have to prepare for the worst, so we said why not?

“You saw the little dots, where he misses, where he made and I just told myself that most guys go left. If I go and I have a feeling he’s going left, I have to go 100 percent to that corner and it worked.”

In total, Klinsmann made five saves in the match, but was beaten on the opposition’s lone goal, which came via a deflection.

It was definitely crazy. I don’t really know how to describe it. The first starting XI and in the Europa League, the whole thing. It was just crazy. I honestly don’t know what to say right now.

Check out Klinsmann’s post-game interview below:

 

 

Comments

  1. For those who remember his pretty snarky comment about Donovan being left off the last WC squad, he sounded like an arrogant , smart alecky kid back then. He comes across a whole lot differently here–humble and respectful. A couple of years of maturity and playing with seasoned pros have undoubtedly had a positive effect. Hopefully he continues to improve and becomes part of the US national team in the future.

    Reply
    • Yeah I remember people on here, roasting this kid, who was 17 at the time for a dumb, ill advised comment about Donovan. I’m mean geez, like no one on here has said or did stupid things when we were in our teens. I also remember people implying the only reason he was on the US youth national teams was because of his dad.

      Reply
      • It is because of his dad. It is called networking. Klinsmann has bundesliga ties he uses them for his son. If a regular kid who has the same skill as Jonathan Klinsmann but does not have the ties to Bundesliga training and securing a bundesliga contract like Klinsmann does that kid never becomes pro. But with the right connections they are seen and are able to get the exposure they need to go pro. That is why their is debate about paying to play on a select club team where in other countries they do not pay to play as well as that kid who cannot afford to play could be the next C Pulisic or W Mckinney we will miss out on.

  2. J gonz starting liga mx final. Can’t find it mentioned anywhere on this site. Fairly historic ha, pretty strange that he is receiving no coverage here..

    Reply
    • Talked about it Tuesday in the midweek preview, not sure how historic an American playing in the Liga Mx final is, been several in the last few seasons. Plus Gonzalez has started almost every match this fall so no big news there.

      Reply

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