In the final week before MNT head coach Dave Sarachan names the roster for the first two Kickoff Series matches, U.S. players at home and abroad were hard at work making their case for inclusion to face a strong Brazil roster on Sept. 7 in East Rutherford, N.J. and regional rivals Mexico in Nashville four days later.
U.S. players turned in three big performances during the first weekend of the Bundesliga season. Making his 100th Bundesliga appearance, center back John Brooks scored his first goal for Wolfsburg in the club’s 2-1 win against Weston McKennie and Schalke. The towering defender rose unmarked at back post to head home Maximillian Arnold’s corner kick from the right to open the scoring in the 33rd minute.
JOHN BROOKS!
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 25, 2018
The USMNT defender scores his first goal for Wolfsburg on his 100th Bundesliga appearance. 🇺🇸 #WOBS04 pic.twitter.com/KLXRm41z0R
It was a mixed day for Brooks, who was also shown a yellow card for dangerous play and conceded a late penalty kick, which Schalke’s Nabil Bentaleb converted in the 85th minute, but the hosts found the game winner through Daniel Ginczek four minutes into stoppage time to start the new season off with three points.
Later on Saturday, midfielder Fabian Johnson also tallied his first of the season, finishing off a nice combination with Raffael in the 58th minute to cap the scoring in Borussia Mönchengladbach’s 2-0 win against Bayer Leverkusen.
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 25, 2018
Fabian Johnson scores his 1st goal of the season to put Gladbach up 2-0! pic.twitter.com/L2U2rqAK76
In Sunday’s Bundesliga action, Christian Pulisic went 77 minutes in helping Borussia Dortmund to a 4-1 victory against RB Leipzig. The 19-year-old worked to put the game out of reach before halftime when his corner kick from the right picked out Thomas Delaney, whose header was saved before the rebound was put home by Axel Witsel with a bicycle kick in the 43rd minute.
Axel Witsel is quickly becoming a fan favorite in Dortmund!
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 26, 2018
The Belgian made it 3-1 with an acrobatic finish after a Pulisic corner. #BVBRBL pic.twitter.com/OzoK1Mi8VK
In MLS midweek action, Tyler Adams was credited with a second assist on Bradley Wright-Phillips’ 37th minute header in the New York Red Bulls’ 1-1 draw with New York City FC on Wednesday. The helper was Adams’ third in the last two matches.
In England, DeAndre Yedlin had a mixed bag of fortune this weekend. After sustaining a minor injury two weeks prior, the right back returned to the Newcastle United lineup and went 90 minutes in the Magpies 2-1 defeat to Chelsea. Yedlin put up his first assist of the season when his 83rd minute cross was put home by Joselu, but four minutes later saw the deciding goal go in off his left foot as Newcastle fell in disappointing fashion.
Joselu equalizes! What a goal 👀 pic.twitter.com/uB764A41aO
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) August 26, 2018
MNT defender Eric Lichaj handed off a nifty assist winning a ball in the box and centering a low pass to Frazier Campbell just before halftime in Hull City’s 3-2 win at Rotherham United on Wednesday.
It was also a fruitful week for winger Lynden Gooch, who provided one assist each in Sunderland’s wins against Gillingham (4-1) and Wimbledon (2-1). The MNT winger has one goal and four assists in the Black Cats’ five matches in League One so far this season.
Off the field, center back Cameron Carter-Vickers finalized a loan move to Wales-based English League Championship club Swansea City on Saturday.
🗣️ | "I can’t wait to get out training with the boys."https://t.co/ZWoRZhONXA
— Swansea City AFC (@SwansOfficial) August 25, 2018
Following similar stints last season with Sheffield United and Ipswich Town, the season-long loan from Tottenham should give the 20-year-old defender plenty of playing time after signing a new contract with Spurs earlier this year.
Other notes from the past week:
- On loan to Hannover 96, MNT striker Bobby Wood served a one-game suspension this weekend after receiving a red card with Hamburg in the final match of last season.
- While he’s yet to appear for the Werder Bremen first team, 18-year-old forward Josh Sargent continued to find the back of the net this weekend, scoring the opening goal in Werder Bremen II’s 2-0 win against Drochtersen / Assel. Sargent leads the Werder reserves with three goals in five Regionalliga matches this season.
A full rundown of how MNT players performed for their clubs this past week:
Kellyn Acosta (Colorado Rapids) – 90 minutes in 6-0 loss vs. Real Salt Lake (Aug. 25)
Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls) – 90 minutes, ASSIST in 1-1 draw at New York City FC; 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. D.C. United (Aug. 26)
Juan Agudelo – 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at Philadelphia Union (Aug. 25)
Paul Arriola (D.C. United) – 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at New York Red Bulls (Aug. 26)
Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union) – 89 minutes in 1-0 win vs. New England Revolution (Aug. 25)
Matt Besler (Sporting KC) – 90 minutes in 2-0 win vs. Minnesota United FC (Aug. 25)
Alex Bono (Toronto FC) – 90 minutes in 3-1 win vs. Montreal Impact (Aug. 25)
Michael Bradley (Toronto FC) – 90 minutes in 3-1 win vs. Montreal Impact (Aug. 25)
John Brooks (Wolfsburg) – 90 minutes, GOAL in 2-1 win vs. Schalke (Aug. 25)
Marky Delgado (Toronto FC) - 90 minutes in 3-1 win vs. Montreal Impact (Aug. 25)
Dom Dwyer (Orlando City SC) – 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Atlanta United FC (Aug. 24)
Omar Gonzalez (Atlas) – 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at Puebla (Aug. 21); 90 minutes in 1-0 loss vs. Guadalajara (Aug. 24)
Lynden Gooch (Sunderland) – 90 minutes, ASSIST in 4-1 win at Gillingham (Aug. 22); 90 minutes, ASSIST in 2-1 win at Wimbledon (Aug. 25)
Brad Guzan (Atlanta United FC) – 90 minutes in 2-1 win at Orlando City SC (Aug. 24)
Julian Green (Greuther Fürth) – 88 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Paderborn (Aug. 25)
Bill Hamid (D.C. United) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at New York Red Bulls
Matt Hedges (FC Dallas) – 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Houston Dynamo (Aug. 23)
Emerson Hyndman (Hibernian) – 7 substitute minute sin 1-1 draw vs. Aberdeen (Aug. 25)
Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach) – 90 minutes, GOAL in 2-0 win vs. Bayer Leverkusen (Aug. 25)
Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy) – 90 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. LAFC (Aug. 24)
Eric Lichaj (Hull City) – 90 minutes, ASSIST in 3-2 win at Rotherham United (Aug. 21); 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at Stoke City (Aug. 25)
Dax McCarty (Chicago Fire) – 90 minutes 1-1 draw vs. Columbus Crew SC (Aug. 23)
Weston McKennie (Schalke) – 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at Wolfsburg (Aug. 25)
Matt Miazga (Nantes) – 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Caen (Aug. 25)
Alfredo Morales (Fortuna Dusseldorf) – 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Augsburg (Aug. 25)
Justin Morrow (Toronto FC) – 90 minutes in 3-1 win vs. Montreal Impact (Aug. 25)
Andrija Novakovich (Fortuna Sittard) – 90 minutes in 3-1 loss at ADO Den Haag (Aug. 24)
Michael Orozco (Lobos BUAP) – 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Monterrey (Aug. 21); 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at Querétaro (Aug. 26)
Tim Parker (New York Red Bulls) – 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at New York City FC; 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. D.C. United (Aug. 26)
Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund) – 77 minutes in 4-1 win vs. RB Leipzig (Aug. 26)
Antonee Robinson (Wigan Athletic) – 90 minutes in 3-0 win at Stoke City (Aug. 22); 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at Queens Park Rangers (Aug. 25)
Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC) – 90 minutes in 1-0 win at Portland Timbers (Aug. 26)
CJ Sapong (Philadelphia Union) – 68 minutes in 1-0 win vs. New England Revolution (Aug. 25)
Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen II) – 86 minutes, GOAL in 2-0 win vs. Drochtersen / Assel (Aug. 26)
Zack Steffen (Columbus Crew SC) – 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Chicago Fire (Aug. 23)
Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC) – 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Chicago Fire (Aug. 23)
DeAndre Yedlin (Newcastle United) – 90 minutes, ASSIST in 2-1 loss vs. Chelsea (Aug. 26)
Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew SC) – 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Chicago Fire (Aug. 23)
Walker Zimmerman (LAFC) – 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at LA Galaxy (Aug. 24)
Graham Zusi (Sporting KC) – 90 minutes in 2-0 win vs. Minnesota United FC (Aug. 25)
Injured/Did Not Play
Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC) – Suspended; Not in 18 for 3-1 win vs. Montreal Impact (Aug. 25)
Geoff Cameron (Stoke City) - Not in 18 for 2-0 win vs. Hull City (Aug. 25)
Cameron Carter-Vickers (Swansea) – Not eligible for 1-0 loss vs. Bristol City (Aug. 25)
Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt) – Knee Surgery; Not in 18 for 2-0 win at Freiburg (Aug. 25)
Joe Corona (Club América) – In 18, DNP in 2-0 loss at Club León (Aug. 21); In 18, DNP in 2-2 draw vs. Pumas UNAM (Aug. 25)
Ethan Horvath (Club Brugge) – In 18, DNP in 2-1 win vs. Anderlecht (Aug. 26)
Aron Johannsson (Werder Bremen) – Not in 18 for 1-1 draw vs. Hannover 96 (Aug. 25)
Kekuta Manneh (St. Gallen) – In 18, DNP in 1-0 loss vs. Luzerne (Aug. 26)
Shaq Moore (Reus Deportiu) – Registration Issues; Not in 18 for 0-0 draw vs. Real Zaragoza (Aug. 25)
Darlington Nagbe (Atlanta United FC) – Right adductor injury; Not in 18 for 2-1 win at Orlando City SC (Aug. 24)
Erik Palmer-Brown (NAC Breda) – In 18, DNP in 2-0 loss vs. Excelsior (Aug. 25)
Tim Ream (Fulham) – Injured; Not in 18 for 4-2 win vs. Burnley (Aug. 26)
Rubio Rubin (Tijuana) – 90 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Santos Laguna (Aug. 22); 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at Veracruz (Aug. 26)
Kenny Saief (Anderlecht) – Injured; Not in 18 for 2-1 loss at Club Brugge (Aug. 26)
Jorge Villafaña (Portland Timbers) – Shoulder Injury; Not in 18 for 1-0 loss vs. Seattle Sounders FC (Aug. 26)
Tim Weah (PSG) – Not in 18 for 3-1 win vs. Angers (Aug. 25)
Danny Williams (Huddersfield Town) – Not in 18 for 0-0 draw vs. Cardiff City (Aug. 25)
Bobby Wood (Hannover 96) – Suspended; Not in 18 for 1-1 draw at Werder Bremen (Aug. 25)