Americans Overseas: Pulisic Makes Another Statement
While Bob Bradley still awaits his first win in the Premier League, this week’s spotlight for Americans Overseas swings to the players, led by the poster boy of Pennsylvanian soccer.
By Phil Schoen It was another hero turn for 18-year-old Christian Pulisic who stepped up with an injury time goal to salvage a point for Borussia Dortmund in a 3-3 draw with Ingolstadt. Pulisic entered at the half with Dortmund trailing by two. The Pennsylvania native also registered an assist in the comeback. It’s Pulisic’s second Bundesliga goal of the season. U.S. national team midfielder Alfredo Morales was a late substitute for Ingolstadt.
While Pulisic and Dortmund try to get back into Champions League contention, a fellow American has already clinched a spot in the qualifying rounds for next year’s tournament. New York City native Cobi Span helped lead IFK Mariehamn to the first Finnish league title in the club’s 97-year history with a 2-1 win over Ilves.
The 24-year-old University of Virginia product played 31 times, with 27 starts and two goals for Mariehamn, an island town of just 11,000 residents. The former FC Dallas reserve arrived last season to help the club win its first-ever Finnish Cup.
ARMENIA
Laredo-native Bryan de la Fuente scored the game-winner in a 1-0 home win over Gandzasar to hold on to the top spot in Armenia’s Premier League. It was the first goal for his new club for the 24-year-old ex-Chivas USA midfielder.
COLOMBIA
Houston-native Uvaldo Luna drew a first-half penalty that gave Patriotas a 1-0 win over Fortaleza in Primera A action. The 22-year-old is on loan from Mexico’s Tigres and has played in all 17 of the Boyaca side’s games this season. Miami-native and fellow Tigres-loanee Kevin Rozo was an unused substitute for Patriotas, who leaped from seventh to third in the table with just three games remaining in the regular season.
DENMARK
In Denmark’s Superliga, Canadian Doneil Henry made the most of his first start, helping Horsens to a 1-0 win over Randers. The former Toronto FC defender put in a man of the match performance. American Conor O’Brien also went 90 minutes for the hosts, who leaped into the top-six after 14 rounds.
ENGLAND
Bob Bradley’s quest for his debut win with Swansea City continues, but the Swans showed improvement in a 0-0 home draw against Watford. Up next, it’s a trip to 16th-placed Stoke, who are coming off of back-to-back wins.
In England’s Championship, ex-Sounder DeAndre Yedlin made his third start of the season as Newcastle shut out Ipswich Town 3-0. The win keeps the Magpies three points clear at the top of the table after 14 rounds.
Huddersfield Town ended its two-game slide with a 1-0 home win over Derby County. The extra-time goal sent Terriers manager David Wagner into a joyful on-pitch celebration. The former U.S. national team forward has Huddersfield in third place in the table.
In League One, Duane Holmes earned his second assist of the season. The 21-year-old Columbus, Ga. native set up Scunthorpe United’s second in a 3-0 road win at Chesterfield. 21-year old Virginia native Gboly Ariyibi played the full-90 on the right wing for the home side in a losing effort. The win lifts the Iron five points clear atop the standings.
In u23 play, Liverpool beat Everton 2-0 in a mini-Merseyside Derby. The game-winner was scored by 19-year-old Arizona native Brooks Lennon. The ex-Real Salt Lake academy product also found the net for Liverpool’s u23’s against Tottenham and Wolfsburg last month. Fellow U.S. youth international Antonee Robinson lined up in the Everton defense.
FRANCE
Former U.S. youth international Maki Tall has moved to France, joining goalkeeper Quentin Westberg at Tours in Ligue 2. The 20-year-old Washington, D.C. native returns to France after joining Sion in Switzerland last season, after recovering from a broken toe that knocked him out of the u20 World Cup.
GERMANY
U.S. national team center back John Brooks helped Hertha Berlin to a 2-1 win over Cologne in a showdown of two of the top five teams in the Bundesliga. The victory lifted Hertha from fifth to third place. In Germany’s second flight, 27-year-old striker Andrew Wooten scored his fourth goal of the season for Sandhausen in a 3-0 win over Fafa Picault and St. Pauli. Sandhausen stands ninth in the table after 10 rounds, while St. Pauli are bottom of the league. In under-19 action, Haji Wright scored a brace for Schalke, while Weston McKinnie wore the captain’s armband and contributed with a goal of his own in a 6-0 thrashing of Viktoria Koln.
IRELAND
New York-native Patrick McCann scored the opener, but it was in a losing cause as Sligo Rovers fell 2-1 at Derry City in the penultimate game of the season. It was the first goal of the season for the ex-Holy Cross Crusader. The loss also ended fellow-Yank Ciaron Nugent’s five-match clean sheet streak.
MEXICO
Former LA Galaxy star Omar Gonzalez helped Pachuca to a 2-1 win over Chivas of Guadalajara in a showdown of top-four teams in the Liga MX. The victory keeps the Tuzos in second place, three points behind league-leading Tijuana. They can clinch a playoff berth with a home win against Atlas on Saturday. U.S. national team netminder William Yarbrough has now gone seven straight unbeaten with three straight wins as Club Leon beat Morelia 3-1. The victory keeps Leon in playoff position with just three games remaining in the regular season. In Liga Ascenso action, Joe Corona captained Dorados to a come from behind win over Universidad de Guadalajara 3-2 and climb into a playoff spot with three games left. It was Corona’s corner kick that led to the game-winning goal. U.S. youth international Fernando Arce played the first half for Dorados. Corona and Arce are both on loan from Tijuana to Sinaloa.
NETHERLANDS
Matt Miazga started his second straight match in the Eredivisie. The Chelsea loanee helped Vitesse Arnhem to a road draw at NEC Nijmegen that keeps his side in the top seven. The former NY Red Bull star was also featured by Vitesse, alongside fellow American expat Kai Koreniuk on their adventure.
In the Dutch second division, former Colorado Rapid Shane O’Neill started his second straight game for NAC Breda, a 3-1 home win over Fortuna Sittard. The victory lifted NAC to fifth in the Eerste Divisie.
PORTUGAL
Former Sporting KC product Erik Palmer-Brown is back from injury, making his first start in more than five months for Porto’s B side in a 1-1 road draw at Vizela. The 19-year-old Palmer-Brown has been hampered by a broken foot and several hamstring injuries over the past two seasons.
Frisco, Texas-native Keaton Parks made his starting debut for Varzim, playing 70 minutes in central midfield in a 2-2 draw with Segunda Liga leaders Portimonense. The draw keeps Varzim two points clear of the relegation zone.
SWEDEN
In Sweden’s top-flight, 30-year-old Illinois native Matt Pyzdrowski kept a clean sheet in a scoreless draw for Helsingborg against fellow Yank Brendan Hines-Ike and Orebro. It was the first shutout of the season for the former Marquette star. However, the point keeps Helsingborg mired in the relegation zone, seven points from safety with just three games remaining. One division down, former DC United keeper Josh Wicks extended his unbeaten streak to nine games as AFC United won 2-1 at Angelholm. AFC United stands second with two games remaining and on target for promotion to the Allsvenskan. At the other end of the Superetten table, Venezuelan-American striker Paul Torres celebrated his 25th birthday by scoring to help Assyriska to a 1-1 draw at Dalkurd and keep alive hopes for avoiding the drop. It was the second straight game that the former Maryland Terrapin has found the net.
TRANSFER RUMORS:
Bild reports that AS Roma are interested in Eintracht Frankfurt fullback Timmy Chandler. Milan looking at Toronto FC midfielder Michael Bradley. Barcelona reportedly interested in Dortmund midfielder Christian Pulisic, says Catalan sports daily Mundo Deportivo. OVB Online reports that Real Madrid is scouting 17-year-old German-American striker Timothy Tillman, currently playing for Bayern Munich’s youth teams.
That's all folks...
American soccer ambassadors continue to make inroads around the globe. Feel free to add your comments below to share your thoughts, shout-outs and suggestions. We’re asking for your help to make sure nothing important gets overlooked. So tweet to us @beIN SPORTSUSA, or to me directly @PhilSchoen and use the hashtag #beINOverseas. We’ll pass it on.