Austrian side LASK opened its competitive schedule in winning fashion on Friday by advancing in cup play.
George Bello scored LASK’s second goal in a 3-0 road victory over Union Gurten, logging 88 minutes in the result. The former Atlanta United homegrown has continued to earn opportunities at left back and that trend continued on Friday. Bello, 22, watched as his team earned a shutout win, which is a momentum boost heading into next week’s Bundesliga opener.
Bello made 33 combined appearances last season for LASK and will be eager to surpass that total this season as the Austrian side fights for silverware. A trip to Hartberg comes for Bello and LASK on August 3.
In Belgium, Marlon Fossey and Standard Liege earned one point in their season opener at Genk. Bryan Reynolds helped Westerlo to a season-opening win.
In the United States, Cade Cowell faced off against his former club, but Chivas lost in a shootout to the San Jose Earthquakes.
Here is a closer look at this weekend’s Americans Abroad:
Europe
UEFA Conference League Qualifying
Rokas Pukstas started and played 80 minutes in Hajduk Split’s 2-0 first leg win over HB Torshavn on Thursday.
Belgium
Pro League
Bryan Reynolds started and played 90 minutes in Westerlo’s 3-0 win over Cercle Brugge on Sunday.
Marlon Fossey started and played 90 minutes in Standard Liege’s 0-0 draw with Genk on Sunday.
Mark McKenzie did not dress for Genk.
Austria
Cup
George Bello started, scored ONE GOAL, and played 88 minutes in LASK’s 3-0 win over Union Gurten on Friday.
Scotland
League Cup
Dante Polvara is OUT (Injury) for Aberdeen.
Norway
Eliteserien
Sam Rogers and Hamkam’s scheduled match with Fredrikstad was postponed on Sunday.
Denmark
Superliagen
Jonathan Amon started and played 90 minutes in Lyngby’s 1-1 draw with Sonderjyske on Friday.
Christian Cappis came off the bench and played one minute in Brondby’s 2-1 win over Vejle on Monday.
International
Leagues Cup
Cade Cowell started and played 90 minutes in Chivas 4-3 shootout loss to San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday. Cowell missed his penalty kick in the shootout.
Brandon Vazquez and Monterrey are off until July 30.
Frankie Amaya and Toluca are off until August 1.
Alex Zendejas is OUT (Injury) for Club America.
There was typical whining that no US player would play in the european cup Jedi would start for both Spain and England. The english press listed him as the 2nd best LB in the Prem.
He is position for position probably the best player the US has.
New Canadian soccer nickname should be “Los Helicopteros del Norte”
LOL. They’re never going to live this down. And they shouldn’t.
Kind of a weird world we’re moving into, when you need anti-air flak just to have yourself a team practice.
And why would they feel the need to even worry about New Zealand? Australia I can understand, but New Zealand? Foolish, stupid, and rule breaking. They deserve what they get although a lot of the penalties will fall on the players who had no role in this fiasco.
Gary, it just became part of their routine going back to Herdman’s time with the woman. If you remember Honduras’ men’s team complained during WC qualifying that a drone was flying over their training in Canada. I guess the US caught a person who admitted they were Canadian staff spying on US training ahead of a friendly. Priestman being a Herdman protege apparently continued the process. The Canadian Fed chair said they recorded trainings ahead of Copa America but Jesse told them to stop. The women’s players have said they were never shown training video, but I guess there was a report of at least one time the men’s team was shown recordings. Herdman was very specific saying “we didn’t do that at the Olympics or World Cup” but didn’t say I didn’t do it.
Jose Gallegos started and played 61 minutes in Sonderjyske 1-1 draw with Amon and Lyngby. Gallegos was created with 3 chances created.
LB once a black hole position for the USMNT is now turning into one of deepest and potentially most competitive positions going forward.
Incumbent Antonee Robinson
Challengers:
1. Lund
2. Tolkin
3. Wiley
4. Bello
5. Arfsten
6. Gomez (Might want to consider Mexico)
Who would have thought this would be the case 2 years after the 2022 WC.
Arfsten is not a LB. He plays LWB in Nancy’s 343 but he could not play just a straight LB. The others on your list are known for their offensive contributions with defensive limitations. All of them are much more sound defenders than Max. Max has made a huge improvement in his play this season for my Crew but he’s far more LW than LB.
He is a LWB which means the potential is there to play LB. And his defending is improving. Lund and Tolkin are the most sound defensively. Probably more sound than Antonee.
2tone, I watch him every week, he’s a long long long long ways away from being able to be a straight left back. He can play LWB because of Nancy’s system.
My sense watching him with NYRB and now with the Olympic team is that Tolkin is ahead of Lund and has in fact created some separation between himself and anyone but Jedi. He’s definitely not the athlete Jedi is, but technically he’s a better player. The only real knock you can make on Tolkin aside from his inexperience is the fact that he’s not the biggest or most physical guy. I know this is heresy and all…but I personally think Tolkin’s upside is higher than Jedi’s, though I think Tolkin’s a La Liga/Serie-A type guy and not a Prem/Bundesliga type player like Jedi; non-Specimens tend to struggle in those leagues.
Whatever, I’m genuinely surprised he’s still with New York.
Tolkin is a player. I don’t get the whole size/speed/athlete thing. I do BUT I don’t want us making that the primary filter when evaluating players. And Tolkien is A Player! Good coaching and a good system can/should help mitigate weaknesses and enhance strengths so I leave that up to the manager.
…
Not sure I’m ready to make him A-Rob’s back up … I’d still move Dest left and play a stay at home RB. I don’t hate the idea of Scally (or Cannon) being a stay at home RB or even sliding Tyler/Johnny/Tessman wide to provide cover.
Don’t count your chickens.
There’s a reason LB is so hard to fill.