Wolfsburg made it back-to-back wins on Saturday and veteran centerback John Brooks was at the forefront of the club’s important Bundesliga victory.
Brooks delivered a Man of the Match performance as Wolfsburg defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0, giving the club its first consecutive winning run since early-November. The U.S. men’s national team defender was dominant in the match, winning two of his three tackle attempts, eight of his 10 duels, and making three blocks. Brooks’ stellar effort along with his defensive teammates helped Wolfsburg earn only its second league clean sheet out of the past 14 matches in all competitions. Saturday’s victory moved Wolfsburg to 12th place in the standings, giving it a slight gap from the relegation zone.
Up next for Brooks and Wolfsburg is a home date with Hoffenheim on Feb. 19 as the German club aims for a first three-match league winning streak since August 2021.
In England, Christian Pulisic helped Chelsea bring home the FIFA Club World Cup while Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson, and Fulham continued their winning run in the EFL Championship. Marlon Fossey scored his first goal for Bolton Wanderers in a 3-2 win over Oxford United.
In Spain, Yunus Musah started for Valencia and went the distance, but couldn’t help the club avoid defeat at Alaves.
In Germany, Gio Reyna missed out for Borussia Dortmund through illness while Timothy Tillman started in Greuther Furth’s home victory over Hertha Berlin. Terrence Boyd assisted once as Kaiserslautern picked up a 2-0 win.
In Italy, Gianluca Busio and Tanner Tessmann both featured as Venezia claimed a 2-1 road win over Torino. Weston McKennie continued to start for Juventus as the visitors earned one point in a draw with Atalanta.
Elsewhere, Brenden Aaronson scored his first goal of 2022 as Red Bull Salzburg claimed a comeback win over Rapid Vienna. Jordan Pefok continued his strong campaign with Swiss side Young Boys by scoring his seventh goal in his past four matches. Ian Harkes scored the winning goal for Dundee United in Scottish Cup play while Chris Mueller registered his first goal for Hibernian.
Here is a closer look at this weekend’s Americans Abroad action:
Club World Cup Final
Christian Pulisic came off the bench and played 88 minutes in Chelsea’s 2-1 extra time win over Palmeiras on Saturday.
England
Premier League
Josh Sargent started and played 87 minutes in Norwich City’s 4-0 loss to Manchester City on Saturday.
Zack Steffen did not dress for Manchester City.
Championship
Antonee Robinson, Tim Ream started and played 90 minutes in Fulham’s 3-0 win over Hull City on Saturday.
Duane Holmes came off the bench and played 24 minutes in Huddersfield’s 0-0 draw with Sheffield United on Saturday.
Ethan Horvath dressed but did not play in Nottingham Forest’s 2-2 draw with Stoke City on Saturday.
Matthew Olosunde did not dress in Preston North End’s 1-0 win over Peterborough United on Saturday.
League One
Marlon Fossey started, scored A GOAL, registered AN ASSIST, and played 90 minutes in Bolton Wanderers 3-2 win over Oxford United on Saturday.
Lynden Gooch did not dress in Sunderland’s 1-1 draw with AFC Wimbledon on Saturday.
Germany
Bundesliga
John Brooks started and played 90 minutes in Wolfsburg’s 3-2 win over Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.
Timothy Tillman started and played 83 minutes in Greuther Furth’s 2-1 win over Hertha Berlin on Saturday.
Ricardo Pepi came off the bench and played 27 minutes in Augsburg’s 3-2 loss to Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday.
Gio Reyna did not dress (Illness) in Borussia Dortmund’s 3-0 win over Union Berlin on Sunday.
George Bello came off the bench and played 28 minutes in Arminia Bielefeld’s 2-0 loss to Hoffenheim on Sunday.
Julian Green came off the bench and played seven minutes for Furth.
Joe Scally came off the bench and played one minute for Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Pellegrino Matarazzo’s Stuttgart lost 4-2 to Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.
Tyler Adams dressed but did not play in RB Leipzig’s 3-1 win over Cologne on Friday.
Timmy Chandler dressed but did not play for Eintracht Frankfurt.
Chris Richards is OUT (Injury) for Hoffenheim.
2. Bundesliga
Bryang Kayo did not dress in Nuremberg’s 4-1 loss to Karlsruher on Saturday.
3. Liga
Terrence Boyd started, registered AN ASSIST, and played 90 minutes in Kaiserslautern’s 2-2 draw with Magdeburg on Saturday.
Johan Gomez came off the bench and played 27 minutes in FSV Zwickau’s 2-0 loss to Hallescher FC on Friday.
Italy
Serie A
Weston McKennie started and played 81 minutes in Juventus 1-1 draw with Atalanta on Sunday.
Gianluca Busio started and played 55 minutes in Venezia’s 2-1 win over Torino on Saturday.
Tanner Tessmann came off the bench and played 35 minutes for Venezia.
Serie B
Andrija Novakovich started and played 86 minutes in Frosinone’s 3-0 loss to Perugia on Saturday.
Spain
La Liga
Sergino Dest started and played 90 minutes in Barcelona’s 2-1 loss to Espanyol on Sunday.
Yunus Musah started and played 90 minutes in Valencia’s 2-1 loss to Alaves on Sunday.
Matt Miazga dressed but did not play for Alaves.
Matthew Hoppe dressed but did not play in Mallorca’s 3-2 win over Athletic Bilbao on Monday.
Segunda Liga
Shaq Moore came off the bench and played 14 minutes in Tenerife’s 2-0 win over Alcorcon on Sunday.
Samuel Shashoua dressed but did not play for Tenerife.
France
Ligue 1
Erik Palmer-Brown started and played 90 minutes in Troyes 5-1 loss to Brest on Sunday.
Tim Weah came off the bench and played 11 minutes in Lille’s 1-0 win over Montpellier on Saturday.
Nicholas Gioacchini came off the bench and played nine minutes for Montpellier.
Konrad De La Fuente did not dress in Marseille’s 2-0 win over Metz on Sunday.
Netherlands
Eredivisie
Luca De La Torre started and played 90 minutes in Heracles 1-0 win over FC Utrecht on Friday.
Cole Bassett dressed but did not play in Feyenoord’s 2-0 win over RKC Waalwijk on Sunday.
Richie Ledezma did not dress in PSV’s 5-0 win over Vitesse Arnhem on Saturday.
Portugal
Liga Primeira
Reggie Cannon started and played 90 minutes in Boavista’s 1-1 draw with Portimonense on Saturday.
Alex Mendez started and played 62 minutes in Vizela’s 1-0 loss to Gil Vicente on Sunday.
Belgium
Pro League
Mark McKenzie started and played 90 minutes in Genk’s 2-0 win over Standard Liege on Sunday.
Bryan Reynolds started and played 90 minutes in Kortrijk’s 2-1 loss to Beerschot on Sunday.
Sam Vines dressed but did not play in Royal Antwerp’s 1-0 win over RFC Seraing on Friday.
Chris Durkin dressed but did not play in Sint-Truiden’s 1-0 win over Union St. Gilloise on Sunday.
Kyle Duncan did not dress in Oostende’s 3-0 loss to Mechelen on Saturday.
Owen Otasowie did not dress in Club Brugge’s 2-0 win over Sporting Charleroi on Sunday.
Scotland
Scottish Cup
Christian Ramirez started, scored A GOAL, and played 90 minutes in Aberdeen’s 2-1 loss to Motherwell on Saturday.
Ian Harkes started, scored A GOAL, and played 90 minutes in Dundee United’s 1-0 win over Partick Thistle on Saturday.
James Sands started and played 90 minutes in Rangers 3-0 win over Annan Athletic on Saturday.
Cameron Carter-Vickers started and played 74 minutes in Celtic’s 4-0 win over Raith Rovers on Sunday.
Chris Mueller came off the bench, scored A GOAL, and played 25 minutes in Hibernian’s 3-1 win over Arbroath on Sunday.
Joe Efford started and played 84 minutes for Motherwell.
Sebastian Soto did not dress in Livingston’s 4-3 penalty shootout loss to Hearts on Saturday.
Austria
Bundesliga
Brenden Aaronson started, scored A GOAL, and played 90 minutes in Red Bull Salzburg’s 2-1 win over Rapid Vienna on Friday.
Switzerland
Super League
Jordan Pefok started, scored A GOAL, registered AN ASSIST, and played 90 minutes in Young Boys 3-1 win over Basel on Sunday.
Hungary
Nb I
Henry Wingo started and played 90 minutes in Ferencvaros 3-1 win over Zalaegerszeg on Sunday.
Turkey
Super Lig
Tyler Boyd came off the bench and played eight minutes in Rizespor’s 0-0 draw with Altay on Friday.
Haji Wright dressed but did not play in Antalyaspor’s 3-0 win over Fatih Karagumruk on Sunday.
Argentina
Copa De La Liga Profesional
Alan Sonora started and played 56 minutes in Independiente’s 2-1 loss to Estudiantes on Saturday.
Joel Sonora dressed but did not play in Velez Sarsfield’s 2-0 win over Aldosivi on Friday.
Brazil
Gaucho
Johnny Cardoso started and played 89 minutes in Internacional’s 1-0 win over Caxias on Saturday.
Mexico
LIGA MX
Sebastian Saucedo started and played 66 minutes in Pumas 2-1 win over Club Leon on Sunday.
Wondering what Berhalter is using as his reasoning for forwards: Jordan Pefok with 14 goals and Christian Ramirez with 10 goals….Zardes, not in season
Pefok may get another look over the summer break, but likely needs to expand his link-up play and transition game to gain traction. He’d be competing with the likes of Dike (if healthy) for that type of role, and Dike brings more to the table. A transfer to a place with proper coaching on his goals likely improves his chances.
I keep seeing excuses like Switzerland isn’t that great a league or Pefok doesn’t fit Berhalter’s style or whatever. The fact is that he is scoring, scoring consistently, like no other US player. He has scored in the Champions League against Manu U. I don’t know what else Berhalter wants. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to bring him into camp, even if it is one more player than you intend. One thing I think we can count on is that Berhalter is short sighted and inflexible.
short sighted? disagree. I am in no way defending all of his choices or decisions, like Gyasi still in a game against a team wanting to press and then sit back to counter, like Canada. It’s just impossible to square that one! and others too. But he’s also pushed a lot of right buttons and gone big with youth while transitioning this team to the current one…Miles, Richards, Pepi, Musah, Antonee, Turner, on and on, along with the head scratchers. Earlier in the cycle I understood his reliance on some of the old timers on those early away games, totally made sense to this coach. But the Gyasi one really smelled. Anyway, one window to go. we’ll see. I think we’re in better position this window than last but not over the tape yet.
Short sighted and inflexible? The shear number of players who have received first caps, completely changed how he wants the US to play from his original inverted RB double 10s, to ball playing 6 with long diagonals to the current high pressing interchanging MF. The inflexible are the fans that want the US play early 2000s sit back and counter hitting long ball after long ball (which by the way we are terrible at because none of our players play that way).
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As for Pefok, yes I agree why not bring him with no roster limit. However we don’t know what he’s like if he’s not playing. Is he still locked in and being a good teammate or his he a distraction? I think of Troy Aikman, he wasn’t right for Oklahoma and their wishbone offense. Jamelle Holliway isn’t in the pro football hall of fame but he was the right choice for how the team was trying to play. And the Swiss League is bad and Gary Page scores if Lingard passes him the ball unmarked 18 yards from goal.
Article states that Barcelona lost but Barcelona tied Espanyol 2-2.