Hoffenheim’s quest for Bundesliga survival did not become official this weekend, but the German club claimed an important head-to-head victory over one of its closest challengers.
John Brooks logged 90 minutes for Pellegrino Matarazzo’s squad in a 3-1 home win against Hertha Berlin, leapfrogging Hoffenheim out of the bottom three and into 15th place. Brooks has recently returned as a starter under Matarazzo, starting in each of Hoffenheim’s last two matches. The 30-year-old defender won two duels, made eight clearances, and five recoveries as Hoffenheim snapped a 15-match winless run in all competitions.
Hoffenheim will enter the international break before resuming its league season on April 2 at Werder Bremen. The Bundesliga club still has matches against fellow strugglers Schalke and VfB Stuttgart this season, providing two major opportunities to get out of its current relegation fight.
Elsewhere in Germany, Paxten Aaronson made his Bundesliga debut for Eintracht Frankfurt. Joe Scally logged 90 minutes in a 2-2 draw with Werder Bremen.
In England, Zack Steffen registered a three-save clean sheet as Middlesbrough stayed within touching distance of the top-two in the English Football League Championship. Weston McKennie played 90 minutes as Leeds United defeated Wolves 4-2. Christian Pulisic earned his first start since January as Chelsea tied Everton 2-2.
In France, Timothy Weah helped Lille to a 2-0 Ligue 1 win, but left the match with a head injury. Erik Palmer-Brown also logged 90 minutes in Troyes’ 2-2 draw.
Elsewhere, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Malik Tillman both excelled in Scottish Premiership action. Marlon Fossey scored for Standard Liege in Belgian league play. Bryan Reynolds and Alex Mendez both assisted once apiece for their respective clubs. Alex Zendejas came off the bench to help Club America close out an important 4-2 win over Chivas de Guadalajara.
Here is a closer look at this weekend’s Americans Abroad:
England
Premier League
Weston McKennie started and played 90 minutes in Leeds United’s 4-2 win over Wolves on Saturday.
Brenden Aaronson started and played 81 minutes for Leeds United.
Tyler Adams is OUT for Leeds (Hamstring Injury)
Christian Pulisic started and played 62 minutes in Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with Everton on Saturday.
Matt Turner dressed but did not play in Arsenal’s 4-1 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday.
Chris Richards dressed but did not play for Crystal Palace.
FA Cup
Antonee Robinson, Tim Ream started and played 90 minutes in Fulham’s 3-1 loss to Manchester United on Sunday.
Championship
Zack Steffen started, made THREE SAVES, and played 90 minutes in Middlesbrough’s 4-0 win over Preston North End on Saturday.
Auston Trusty started and played 90 minutes in Birmingham City’s 1-0 win over Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.
Ethan Horvath started, made THREE SAVES, and played 90 minutes in Luton Town’s 1-1 draw with Sunderland on Saturday.
Lynden Gooch came off the bench and played 18 minutes for Sunderland.
Josh Sargent started and played 90 minutes in Norwich City’s 0-0 draw with Stoke City on Saturday.
Daryl Dike and West Bromwich Albion have a bye this week.
Duane Holmes is OUT (Calf Injury) for Huddersfield.
League Two
Jonathan Tomkinson dressed but did not play in Stevenage’s 0-0 draw with Carlisle on Saturday.
PL2
Gabriel Slonina did not dress in Chelsea U21’s 1-1 draw with Everton U21s on Friday.
Germany
Bundesliga
Joe Scally started and played 90 minutes in Borussia Moenchengladbach’s 2-2 draw with Werder Bremen on Friday.
Gio Reyna came off the bench and played 18 minutes in Borussia Dortmund’s 6-1 win over Cologne on Saturday.
John Brooks started and played 90 minutes in Hoffenheim’s 3-1 win over Hertha Berlin on Saturday.
Justin Che is OUT (Injury) for Hoffenheim.
Jordan Pefok started and played 67 minutes in Union Berlin’s 2-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday.
Paxten Aaronson came off the bench and played eight minutes for Eintracht Frankfurt.
Timmy Chandler dressed but did not play for Eintracht Frankfurt.
Kevin Paredes came off the bench and played 32 minutes in Wolfsburg’s 1-0 win over Stuttgart on Saturday.
2. Bundesliga
Julian Green came off the bench, scored ONE GOAL, and played 32 minutes in Greuther Furth’s 3-0 win over Magdeburg on Saturday.
Terrence Boyd started and played 45 minutes in Kaiserslautern’s 2-0 loss to Darmstadt on Saturday.
George Bello did not dress in Arminia Bielefeld’s 2-2 draw with Nuremburg on Friday.
3. Liga
Johan Gomez started and played 82 minutes in FSV Zwickau’s 4-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund II on Sunday.
Nico Carrera dressed but did not play for FSV Zwickau.
Spain
La Liga
Yunus Musah started and played 63 minutes in Valencia’s 3-0 loss to Atletico Madrid on Saturday.
Luca De La Torre started and played 69 minutes in Celta Vigo’s 1-1 draw with Espanyol on Saturday.
Italy
Serie A
Sergino Dest did not dress in AC Milan’s 3-1 loss to Udinese on Saturday.
Serie B
Tanner Tessmann started and played 90 minutes in Venezia’s 1-0 win over Ascoli on Saturday.
Andrija Novakovich came off the bench and played 29 minutes for Venezia.
Gianluca Busio did not dress (Injury) for Venezia.
France
Ligue 1
Tim Weah started and played 90 minutes in Lille’s 2-0 win over Toulouse on Saturday.
Erik Palmer-Brown started and played 90 minutes in Troyes 2-2 draw with Brest on Sunday.
Folarin Balogun started, scored ONE GOAL, and played 90 minutes in Stade Reims 2-1 loss to Marseille on Sunday.
Netherlands
Eredivisie
Ricardo Pepi started and played 90 minutes in FC Groningen’s 2-0 loss to Heerenveen on Sunday.
Taylor Booth came off the bench and played 29 minutes in FC Utrecht’s 2-1 loss to Go Ahead Eagles on Saturday.
Djordje Mihailovic came off the bench and played 12 minutes in AZ Alkmaar’s 2-1 loss to FC Twente on Sunday.
Richie Ledezma did not dress in PSV’s 1-1 draw with Vitesse on Sunday.
Eerste Divisie
Anthony Fontana came off the bench and played 26 minutes in PEC Zwolle’s 2-0 win over NAC Breda on Friday.
Portugal
Liga Portugal
Reggie Cannon started and played 90 minutes in Boavista’s 2-1 loss to Famalicao on Sunday.
Alex Mendez came off the bench, registered ONE ASSIST, and played 34 minutes in Vizela’s 1-0 win over Portimonense on Saturday.
Scotland
Premiership
Cameron Carter-Vickers started and played 90 minutes in Celtic’s 3-1 win over Hibernian on Saturday.
Matthew Hoppe came off the bench and played 21 minutes for Hibernian.
Malik Tillman came off the bench, scored ONE GOAL, and played 25 minutes in Rangers 4-2 win over Motherwell on Saturday.
Ian Harkes started and played 88 minutes in Dundee United’s 1-1 draw with St. Mirren on Saturday.
Dante Polvara did not dress in Aberdeen’s 3-0 win over Hearts on Saturday.
Joe Efford is OUT (Injury) for Motherwell.
Belgium
Pro League
Mark McKenzie started and played 90 minutes in Genk’s 1-1 draw with Cercle Brugge on Friday.
Bryan Reynolds started, registered ONE ASSIST, and played 90 minutes in Westerlo’s 2-1 win over Oostende on Saturday.
Marlon Fossey started, scored ONE GOAL, and played 90 minutes in Standard Liege’s 2-2 draw with Waregem on Saturday.
Sam Vines dressed but did not play in Royal Antwerp’s 1-0 loss to Sporting Charleroi on Sunday.
Hungary
NB I
Henry Wingo did not dress in Ferencvaros 1-0 loss to Zalaergerszegi on Sunday.
Denmark
Superliagen
Emmanuel Sabbi came off the bench and played 45 minutes in Odense’s 1-0 loss to Aarhus on Saturday.
Christian Cappis dressed but did not play in Brondby’s 2-1 loss to Nordsjaelland on Sunday.
Austria
Bundesliga
Sebastian Soto did not dress in Austria Klagenfurt’s 1-0 win over Austria Lustenau on Sunday.
Croatia
1. HNL
Rokas Pukstas started and played 90 minutes in Hajduk Split’s 1-0 win over Slaven Belupo on Saturday.
Sweden
Allsvenskan
The Allsvenskan season begins on April 2.
Turkey
Super Lig
Haji Wright started and played 90 minutes in Antalyaspor’s 2-0 loss to Adana Demirspor on Saturday.
Israel
Ligat HaAL
Josh Cohen started and played 90 minutes in Maccabi Haifa’s 2-1 win over Ashdod SC on Sunday.
Brazil
Gaucho
Johnny Cardoso started and played 90 minutes in Internacional’s 1-1 draw with SER Caxias on Saturday.
Mexico
Liga MX
Alan Sonora, Joel Sonora, Ventura Alvarado and FC Juarez visit Queretaro on Sunday.
Alejandro Zendejas came off the bench and played 27 minutes in Club America’s 4-2 win over Chivas Guadalajara on Saturday.
Sebastian Saucedo dressed but did not play in Toluca’s 3-3 draw with Club Tijuana on Friday.
Congrats to Paxton Aaronson on his Bundesliga debut. Sounds like it was pretty uneventful, anyone see it?