Category: Americans Abroad

Edin Terzic is pretty happy to see Gio Reyna get his groove back

After a lost season, the 19-year-old is showing signs he’s getting back to his best

Edin Terzic sounds pretty happy to have Giovanni Reyna back.

After an injury-hit campaign in 2021-22, the U.S. international is being brought along slowly this season to ensure he doesn’t suffer any setbacks.

But Borussia Dortmund head coach Terzic felt confident enough to put Reyna in Tuesday’s Champions League match against FC Copenhagen when Thorgan Hazard went down injured in the first half.

Reyna repaid that faith in spades, becoming the first American to tally two Champions League assists in a game in a 3-0 win over the Danish side.

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s league match against RB Leipzig, Terzic said that although he will still be cautious with Reyna — who has yet to start a game this season — he is starting to see signs the USMNT star is getting back to his best

“[With] Gio Reyna one could see the joy,” Terzic told a press conference. “We’ve had to be patient with him over the past few weeks. This will continue to accompany us because we do not want to take any risks. But it’s incredibly good how he accelerates the game and brings in his creativity.”

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Gregg Berhalter doesn’t seem too broken up about Thomas Tuchel being fired

The USMNT boss seems to be a card-carrying member of the #FreePulisic movement

Count Gregg Berhalter among the American observers who weren’t exactly devastated to see Thomas Tuchel sacked as Chelsea head coach.

Tuchel was let go on Wednesday with the season just a month old, with Chelsea moving quickly to replace him with Brighton head coach Graham Potter the next day.

U.S. men’s national team star Christian Pulisic struggled for consistent playing time under Tuchel this season, starting just one game and often playing out of position at wingback when he did see the field.

With just two months remaining until the World Cup, it’s not surprising that the USMNT head coach appears to be looking forward to Pulisic getting the chance to impress a new head coach in London.

“I’m not happy a guy lost his job. But if this means more opportunity for Christian, then it’s positive because he’s a guy that’s proven that he can perform at that level,” Berhalter told the AP on Wednesday. “We’ll just have to wait and see.”

Pulisic is set to be on the roster for the USMNT’s final two World Cup tune-ups this month, as the U.S. faces Japan in Germany on September 23 and Saudi Arabia in Spain four days later.

Berhalter said he is close to settling on a roster for the World Cup, but there still could be a surprise or two.

“I’m sure there’s not going to be anything drastic, but there may be a couple of guys that pop up,” Berhalter said.

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Weston McKennie posterizes PSG to score in the Champions League

The Juventus midfielder made an immediate impact after coming off the bench as a halftime sub

Weston McKennie seems to score a lot of these kind of goals.

The Juventus midfielder out-jumped his marker off a corner kick to score against PSG in the Champions League on Tuesday, just minutes after coming on as a halftime sub.

Kylian Mbappé scored twice in the first half to give the home side a 2-0 lead at the break, with McKennie then introduced in place of Fabio Miretti.

It took the USMNT midfielder just eight minutes to make his mark, as Filip Kostić swung in a great cross and McKennie leapt over Nuno Mendes at the back post to halve the Italian side’s deficit.

It was the first goal of the season for McKennie and it was also the game’s final goal, as Juvenuts fell 2-1 at Parc des Princes.

Watch McKennie’s goal at PSG

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Reyna becomes first American with two Champions League assists in a game

Reyna had his longest shift of the season, and things went well

Gio Reyna is making strides at just the right time for Dortmund, and for the U.S. men’s national team.

After replacing the injured Thorgan Hazard early in their Champions League clash with FC Copenhagen, Reyna looked sharp drifting in from the left flank, picking up two assists in an authoritative 3-0 win. According to TruSportsMedia and Dortmund, Reyna is the first USMNT player to record two assists in a Champions League game.

After Marco Reus broke the deadlock seven minutes earlier, Reyna set up Raphaël Guerreiro for a crucial second goal. In the 42nd minute, Dortmund’s pressure eventually forced an aimless pass from Copenhagen. The ball found Reus, who fought through a tackle to touch the ball on for the onrushing Guerreiro.

The Portugal left back surged forward and played a one-two with Reyna, who drew center back Davit Khocholava and goalkeeper Mathew Ryan before calmly cutting the ball back for Guerreiro for a tap-in.

Dortmund spurned several chances to finish the game off, before Jude Bellingham gave them a three-goal margin on another assist from Reyna. Nico Schlotterbeck stepped out of the back to pick up a loose ball and lead a Dortmund charge, and this time the flood of yellow shirts breaking forward were in harmony. A scintillating one-touch passing sequence ripped Copenhagen’s defense open, and Reyna carried the ball into the area before rolling a pass towards the penalty spot for Bellingham to fire home.

Dortmund has taken things very slowly with Reyna due to a lengthy, frustrating injury history. It’s his third appearance of the season, but previously after a 28-minute appearance as a substitute against Werder Bremen on August 20, he was given a week off to make sure he recovered properly. His next match was on September 2, a seven-minute cameo in a win over Hoffenheim.

The fact that Dortmund was willing to bring Reyna on in the 23rd minute of a scoreless Champions League game, and just four days after he had last played, is a very positive sign for his World Cup prospects. Reyna’s place within the USMNT is only in doubt due to a succession of injuries; if he stays healthy for the next two months, he’s locked into a spot on Gregg Berhalter’s roster as a probable starter.

Watch Reyna’s first two assists of 2022

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The Americans Abroad Five: Yunus Musah is a star

The midfielder’s breakthrough season looks to be upon us

Over the past couple years, the debate over the best and/or most important U.S. men’s national team player would typically center around Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams or Weston McKennie.

By the end of the World Cup, there may be a new answer — and there may not be any more need for a debate.

That’s how good Yunus Musah can be, and already is at age 19.

The Valencia midfielder put in a man-of-the-match display in a 5-1 win over Getafe on Sunday, the latest demonstration of his prodigious talent.

There were also several big moves for some high-profile Americans in Europe, and a couple injury concerns to boot in an eventful week.

Let’s get to the Five.

Estelle loves Leeds fans singing ‘American Boy’ for Brenden Aaronson

Pre-game show at Elland Road coming soon?

Estelle’s hit single “American Boy” has been co-opted by Leeds fans to serenade Brenden Aaronson — and the British singer is loving it.

Aaronson has been a hit at Elland Road so far after moving from Red Bull Salzburg in the summer, with Leeds fans bestowing a new song upon him to the tune of Estelle’s breakout song.

The lyrics are as follows:

“Come to Elland Road and you will see him play. Signed from Red Bull Salzburg and he’s here to stay. I really want to, get a picture with you, you’ll be my American boy, American boy.”

Estelle herself was made aware of the song and responded on social media.

Pre-game show at Elland Road coming soon? Note to Leeds: let’s make this happen.

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Josh Sargent is on an absolute heater — and Norwich City is in first place

The Canaries have won five straight and the USMNT striker has five goals in those games

Two and a half weeks ago on this website, we posited a theory: There may be hope yet for Josh Sargent — if he can actually play striker.

That story came after Sargent got his first extended minutes at striker since January and, perhaps not coincidentally, scored his first goal since January.

Fast forward a couple weeks and Sargent has more than just hope: He appears to have put himself on the fast track to a USMNT roster spot for this month’s friendlies.

The Missouri native scored and grabbed an assist on Saturday as Norwich City beat Coventry 3-0. The 22-year-old has now scored five goals in five games, completely transforming his standing in the USMNT pool.

Sargent has also completely transformed Norwich’s season. The Canaries didn’t win any of their first three league games before Sargent started against Huddersfield on August 17. Since then, they have won five in a row and now sit atop the Championship table.

The catalyst has been Sargent, who was just named the club’s Player of the Month for August.

“It felt really good to win, big thanks obviously to the team for helping out with that and thanks to the fans,” Sargent told Norwich’s website.

“It’s a great achievement and hopefully I can carry that confidence into the next month.”

Watch Sargent’s goal and assist vs. Coventry

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Jozy Altidore scores again as he embraces super-sub role for Puebla

The veteran forward is adapting well to life in Liga MX

Jozy Altidore scored his second goal for Puebla on Thursday, as he came off the bench to secure a valuable 1-1 draw at Querétaro.

Altidore came on with 28 minutes left and his team down a goal. In the 75th minute the veteran American received the ball and turned sharply atop the box before sending a low, scuffed shot into the corner.

The striker now has two goals in six appearances for Puebla, all of which have come as a substitute.

That total has surpassed his total of one goal with the New England Revolution, which the 32-year-old left in July to join Puebla on loan through the rest of 2022.

With so many USMNT strikers in form, Altidore’s chances of a late World Cup roster push still seem remote — especially as he continues to come off the bench. But at the very least, he is showing he hasn’t lost his goalscoring touch.

Watch Altidore’s second Puebla goal

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Sergiño Dest knew he had to get out of Barcelona

The USMNT defender said it was an easy decision to join AC Milan

Sergiño Dest has said joining AC Milan from Barcelona was an easy decision as he looks for more playing time ahead of the World Cup.

Dest completed a year-long loan move on deadline day, with the Italian champions holding an option to purchase the fullback.

The loan came amid Barcelona boss Xavi’s decision to freeze Dest out of his team, with the USMNT defender not even making the matchday squad for two of the club’s three games this season.

After making the move to Serie A, Dest admitted that he needed to find a place where he’d see the field as he eyes a starting spot for the USMNT in Qatar.

“It was an easy decision to make,” Dest told AC Milan’s official website, “Everything happened really quickly, like in one day. I had to make a decision really quick to change my life – to go to another club, in another country, in another culture. I love this club and it’s a club I wanted to play for when I was younger and I think this is a nice step for me and a good chance to play again.”

Dest added: “I need to get minutes for the World Cup. I need to play, not only for the World Cup, I just want to play always. They gave me a great opportunity so I didn’t even think twice. I was like, ‘I have to do it, I have to play.'”

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John Brooks finds his landing spot, signs with Benfica

Brooks is heading to the Portuguese giants

John Brooks has, at long last, found his next club.

The U.S. men’s national team center back, who became a free agent on July 1 after five seasons with Wolfsburg, has signed with Benfica on a one-year contract.

Brooks and Wolfsburg mutually announced that they would not be reaching a deal over a contract extension all the way back in March. Despite being linked with a few suitors over the summer—most credibly with Hoffenheim, while some flimsier rumors pointed towards Feyenoord or Saudi Arabia—it was mostly quiet for Brooks as the transfer window raged on throughout the summer.

However, the last two days of the transfer window got lively for him. First, Brooks seemed certain to sign for Mallorca, with reports going as far as to say that he was photographed at the Visit Mallorca Stadium.

Then, on deadline day, a dramatic reversal. Benfica reportedly came in at the last minute and won Brooks over. While league play in Portugal isn’t at the same level as what Brooks would have seen in LaLiga, the fact is that Benfica offers a guarantee of Champions League soccer this season, and a strong chance of being back there in years to come. Mallorca, who avoided relegation by a single point last year, can’t say the same.

Does this boost Brooks’ USMNT chances?

Finding an attack-minded club with real pressure to win the league may be the best answer Brooks has for Gregg Berhalter and the USMNT. Berhalter has not called Brooks in since September 2021, and in July told ESPN’s Fútbol Americas that among other things, he wanted to see Brooks improve when playing with a high line, as the USMNT intends to use.

Benfica is generally the aggressor in its league matches, so the high line issue should be answered one way or another. On the other hand, Brooks will join a team that already has six center backs vying for two spots in manager Roger Schmidt’s 4-2-3-1 formation. Veteran Nicolás Otamendi has partnered Morato in Champions League qualifying, while Lucas Veríssimo and João Victor return from injury. Jan Vertonghen is also at Benfica, but academy product António Silva got the nod alongside Otamendi in a recent 3-0 win at Boavista.

In other words, if Brooks can battle his way to a starting role here, he’s doing everything Berhalter has said he needs to do. It’s just a big “if” to be facing less than three months from the World Cup.

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