Daryl_dike_-_asn_top_-_barnsley_vs_bradford_-_2-14-21
Americans abroad analysis

Cannon, Wooten, Booth Brooks impress in mixed weekend for Yanks

This weekend was decidedly mixed and most of the success came from not those established, but by those that are trying to make breakthroughs were those that impressed the most. Dike, Hoppe, Cannon, Booth, and de la Torre were those that impressed the most. ASN's Brian Sciaretta breaks it down in great detail. 
BY Brian Sciaretta Posted
February 14, 2021
10:00 PM

THE WEEKEND FOR Americans abroad was not great but overall a major improvement from the previous weekend which saw only most stories of success. This past weekend we saw many regulars return to solid form while also some important steps from newcomers.

Among the national team core, Tyler Adams was solid off the bench, Reggie Cannon had one of his best outings since leaving Dallas for Portugal, and John Brooks was outstanding, yet again.

But this was an impressive weekend for young players still outside the top echelon group. Luca de la Torre continues to steadily improve in the Eredivisie. Brenden Aaronson is now in good shape to win more silverware, this time in Austria. Daryl Dike started in a big win and fellow young forward Matthew Hoppe had his best professional game where he did not score a goal. While not young, Andrew Wooten is taking Austria by storm since arriving from Philadelphia. In Scotland, Ian Harkes had a nice and important assist for Dundee United. In Argentina, Joel Sonora might finally have a starting spot for the first time in his career. Then, of course, you have Taylor Booth who shined for St. Poelten in his first game at the first-team professional level.

So while there wasn’t much great to write about for key players like McKennie, Dest, Reyna and Pulisic didn’t have a game (plus the Arriola/Morris duo had their game postponed), other players gave us plenty of good news.

Here is my big breakdown.

 

Adams solid sub shift for Leipzig

 

Tyler Adams played the final 26 minutes off the bench for RB Leipzig on Friday in a 2-1 win over Augsburg. While it was a dangerous game for Leipzig which has a Champions League clash vs. Liverpool next week and the temptation to overlook a struggling Augsburg was very real.

Leipzig had a 2-0 win at the half and Adams came into the game in the 64th minute with the 2-0 league intact. He wasn’t at fault for the penalty witch saw Augsburg draw closer but the U.S. national team defensive midfielder was effective in helping Leipzig close the game out.

In 26 minutes, he was active and on the ball with 23 touches. He nearly had an assist but was let down by poor finishing.  His passing at 14/17 was respectable and he was active defensively. It was a solid shift that got the job done and Leipzig remained in second place with the win. In his touch map, he was based centrally (attacking right).

The big question is whether or not Julian Naglesmann starts Adams for the big game next week against the Premier League champs. Adams hasn’t been a Champions League starter for most of the group stages but he is in form and he is well-rested. It would be a huge moment if Adams gets the start.

 

Cannon rises to occasion vs. Porto

 

Few gave last-place Boavista much of a chance on Saturday in a visit to second place Porto. Boavista has struggled most of the season to come up with wins but it has occasionally impressed with a 3-0 win over Benfica standing as one of the most surprising results in the league this season.

In this game, Boavista burst out to a 2-0 lead just before halftime. In the second half, Porto rallied for a 2-2 draw. Coming into this game, a 2-2 result on the road to one of Portugal’s traditional powers would have been very good for Boavista. But squandering a 2-0 lead is disappointing.

U.S. national team right back Reggie Cannon was very good in this game and it was one of his best performances since moving to Portugal from FC Dallas. Unlike his traditional right back role, in this game he played in a five-man backline. As you can see from the touch map, he was not necessarily a wingback and was forced to play a lot of defense.

 

  • 90 minutes
  • 46 touches
  • 0 shots
  • 18/23 passing (78%)
  • 2 key passes
  • 1 dribble
  • 1x fouled
  • 1 foul
  • 1 tackle
  • 5 interceptions
  • 3 clearances
  • 2 crosses
  • 1/4 long balls
  • 5 duels won (1 lost)
  • 2 aerials won (0 lost)
Touch map, attacking left:



Cannon was an asset defensively and he was active breaking up Porto’s passing and handled the physical side of the game well. For being pinned back often, his pass completion was high and he managed to get involved offensively on multiple occasions.

The draw was somewhat disappointing but Boavista moved out of last place with the point. If the team can play at this level somewhat regularly, it will avoid relegation. But consistency continues to be a problem.

For Cannon, this was a solid outing that should give him confidence to compete with any team in the league. Between aerials and duels, Cannon won seven out of eight encounters which is a huge number against this level of an opponent.

 

Wooten scores again for Admira

 

FC Admira Moedling was dead last in the Austrian Bundesliga but it might have made a key move for their survival in January when they signed American forward Andrew Wooten, 31, who was most recently with the Philadelphia Union.

On Wednesday, Admira defeated Altach 3-1 behind two goals from Wooten. That win moved Admira out of last-place. On Saturday, Admira struck first on a solid Wolfsberger team thanks to another goal from Wooten in the third minute. Unfortunately, Admira could not hold the lead and dropped a 2-1 decision. But Wooten is clearly a weapon they did not have before and the club is improved having acquired him.

  • 90 minutes
  • 43 touches
  • 3 shots
  • 1 goal
  • 23/28 passing (82%)
  • 0 key passes
  • 1 cross
  • 1/1 long balls
  • 3 duels won (5 lost)
  • 2 aerials won (3 lost)
  • 0 dribbles
  • 1x fouled
  • 3 clearances

Wooten worked very hard in the game, passed well and got on the ball a lot. If Admira is going to stay up, Wooten is going to be critical. If they go down, he will, at worst, find another club in this league. He’s been impressive.

The goal, was simply terrific. 

 

De la Torre solid in loss to Ajax

 

Entering into Saturday, Luca de la Torre had been a contributor to Heracles for its upward climb in the Eredivisie the past five weeks. The San Diego was playing well in the midfield and wing positions and the club moved from near the bottom of the table all the way into tenth place.

Saturday’s game at home against league-leaders Ajax was a test on another level for Heracles. De la Torre earned the start in central midfield and was once again solid. Heracles was surprisingly the better team at the start of this game until Ajax scored against the run of play in the 14th minute. Then again in the 79th for a 2-0 win. The difference in this game is that Heracles was wasteful with its chance where Ajax, playing poorly, was clinical with its chances.

De la Torre, 22, had an impressive game playing mostly as a No. 8 midfielder. While his duels and aerials weren’t great, his passing was crisp and on point. He completed all five of his long balls and made very few mistakes in his distribution. His touch map showed that he was given a huge range to play all over the field.

  • 90 minutes
  • 67 touches
  • 42/45 passing
  • 5/5 accurate long balls
  • 6 duels won (12 lost)
  • 1 clearance
  • 2 dribbles (5 attempts)
  • 2 tackles (4 attempts)
  • 1 interception
  • 0 aerials won (3 lost)
Touch map, attacking right:


As for Torre on the international front, do not count him out. While maybe not at the national team level now, he’s steadily improving over the season and is hitting his stride. We do not know yet how high he can climb but he’s doing well and is in a good place.

Meanwhile, Jason Kreis would be wise to be in contact with Heracles to possibly seek a release for the U.S. U-23 team next week given that Heracles is unlikely to be in a relegation battle or a push for Europe. Having de la Torre involved with the U.S. U-23 team would be welcome news for the U-23 team and it would probably help Heracles in keeping the San Diego native’s value high.

 

Reyna and BVB struggle again

 

In what was expected to be an anticipated matchup between two top young Americans in Chris Richards and Hoffenheim against Gio Reyna and Borussia Dortmund, news that came out on Friday revealed that Richards had picked up a knock in training and was forced to the bench.

 

That left us with Reyna in this game and the young American had been struggling since December under the interim coaching staff. In this game, Reyna had some nice moments and in the first half had a great run down the right side where he beat his defender only to have his cross to Erling Haaland cleared.

But with Dortmund down 2-1, Reyna was subbed out in the 59th minute. He was not on the field for Haaland’s equalizer in what finished as a 2-2 draw.

  • 59 minutes
  • 33 touches
  • 0 shots
  • 1 key pass
  • 20/24 passing (83%)
  • 2 crosses
  • 5 duels won (4 lost)
  • 1 dribble (2 lost)
  • 1x fouled
  • 1 foul
  • 1 tackle (1 attempt)
  • 1 aerial won (0 lost)
Touch map, attacking right:

Dortmund has a tough Champions League matchup next week against Seville and Dortmund is trending downward. Not only in this year’s Champions League, but it seems like an tall task for Dortmund to qualify for next year’s edition.

It was tough to figure out why Reyna got the hook in this one. Last week in the loss to Freiburg, Reyna was pulled in the 70th minute and was ineffective. In this game, Reyna was far improved from the week before but got the earlier hook. Interim manager Edin Terzi? is really struggling at the moment and his decisions are not working.

 

Aaronson subs into Salzburg win

 

After an eye-opening midweek performance for Red Bull Salzburg in a 3-1 win over Austria Vienna where he started and scored the game-winning goal, Brenden Aaronson was on the bench Saturday for a visit to WSG Swarovski Tirol.

With the score 1-1 in the 69th minute, Aaronson came into the game. Swarovski Tirol scored off a penalty in the 78th minute but Salzburg scored three-straight in the 79th, 89th, and in stoppage time for a 4-2 win.

The biggest news for Salzburg is that second place Rapid Vienna played to a 0-0 draw with relegation battling Altach and Salzburg now sits three points clear of Rapid and a +20 goal differential edge over Rapid in the first tiebreaker. So, this was a productive day for Jesse Marsch and his team.

Aaronson wasn’t as influential as previous games and didn’t score or assist but was still on the field when Salzburg played its best soccer and move atop the standings.

 

Hoppe impresses in Schalke draw

 

Matthew Hoppe, 19, earned the start once again for Schalke on Saturday in a visit to struggling Union Berlin (one point from its last four games). Since Hoppe’s banner week in January when he scored five goals in three games, including a hat trick against Hoffenheim, Hoppe has had to adjust to the fact that defenders in the Bundesliga are now focusing on defending him.

In this game, Hoppe again went a full 90 and probably had his best game outside of January’s three-game run. He didn’t score, but he held the ball up well, passed well, dribbled well, and turned heads in the second half when he nutmegged his defender to dribble the ball in the box and create a dangerous chance.

  • 90 minutes
  • 34 touches
  • 0 shots
  • 19/25 passing (76%)
  • 1/1 long balls
  • 5 duels won (7 lost)
  • 3 dribbles (4 attempts)
  • 1x fouled
  • 2 fouls
  • 1 aerial won (4 lost)

Hoppe is now signed long-term to Schalke. If he is to get sold this summer, he’s probably going to need to score a few more. But if he goes down to the 2.Bundesliga next season (and Schalke have little chance of staying up), Hoppe could very well dominate in the second tier and be more prepared in a return the Bundesliga. It is certainly possible, however, that clubs make offers this summer to Schalke that it simply can’t refuse. Its going to be very interesting to see what happens.

One thing that is probably more predictable is that Hoppe makes his U.S. national team debut next month in the March window.

 

Green and Furth draw

 

In what was one of the biggest games of the 2.Bundesliga promotional race so far this season, league leaders Hamburg SV hosted Greuther Furth on Saturday. After serving a suspension last weekend in Furth’s win, Julian Green returned to the starting lineup and came into this game having scored goals in his last three 2.Bundesliga games.

This game was tense and hard fought but it became particularly interesting in the 57th minute when Greuther Furth’s Sebastian Ernst was sent off. At home and up a man, HSV pressed hard for 33 minutes for a goal and it nearly came, but Furth defended well and received some excellent keeping to earn a 0-0 draw.

Green, 25, was forced to play a different game and was successful before being taken out in stoppage time.

Despite being down a man, he completed a lot of his passes, drew fouls, and made no costly mistakes that gave HSV opportunities to score.

  • 89 minutes
  • 35 touches
  • 0 shots
  • 0 key passes
  • 1/1 long balls
  • 18/20 passing
  • 4 duels won (7 lost)
  • 3 crosses
  • 0 dribbles
  • 3x fouled
  • 1 tackle
  • 2 clearances
  • 1 interception
  • 0 aerials won

Touch map, attacking left:


Green is having his best season of his career and while he didn’t score, this game was reflective of his strong season. He found ways to help where his team needed the most. In this case, down a man on the road against the best team in the league, Green completed passes to maintain possession, drew fouls, and defended well.

 

Dest and Barca win

 

Both Sergino Dest and fellow American Konrad de la Fuente began the game on the bench for Barcelona on Saturday against Deportivo Alaves. Dest was returning from missing Barca’s most recent game due to thigh problems.

With Barcelona up 2-1 in the 72nd minute, Dest came on and was on the field for Barcelona’s final three goals (74th, 75th, and 80th minute) of a convincing 5-1 win. Meanwhile, de la Fuente was once again an unused sub and is still waiting to make his La Liga debut for the club.

Dest was tidy and mistake free, but not an impact player in the late goal surge – which was mostly the result of Messi. But being on the field during big moments always helps. His numbers show, however, he wasn’t invisible and he passed well.

  • 18 minutes
  • 18 touches
  • 0 shots
  • 11/12 passing (92%)


Meanwhile, Barcelona host Paris St. Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday. After a slow start to the season, the legendary club is trending in the right direction. It probably won’t win La Liga (now in second but eight points behind an Atletico Madrid team that also has a game in hand), but Barca is playing well and has a good chance against PSG. Dest, if healthy, has a good chance of starting.

 

McKennie & Juve lose

 

Anything can happen and we’re still in mid-February, but Juventus lost a tough one on Saturday to Napoli and the result is a severe blow in its chances of mounting a comeback to win another Scudetto in 2020/21.

American midfielder Weston McKennie started the game at the San Paolo on the bench but came into the game in the 63rd minute with Juve down 1-0 after conceding a first half penalty.

Juventus should not have lost this game. It had 62% possession, outshot Napoli 24-28, had 531 completed passes compared to just 285 to Napoli. But Juventus was wasteful and could not find the back of the net and Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret had a huge day.

Prior to the game, Juventus manager Andrea Pirlo said that McKennie wasn’t 100% midweek due to a minor hip injury and that probably is why he did not start in this game (https://www.quotidiano.net/sport/calcio/napoli-juve-formazioni-1.6015889/amp).

When McKennie came into this one as Juventus was pressing, he did not have that much of an impact. He wasn’t bad but he did not have the impact which he has shown he’s capable of. That could be because he’s not yet 100%.
 

  • 27 minutes
  • 22 touches
  • 1 shot
  • 14/17 passing
  • 1 duel won (0 lost)
  • 1 aerial won (0 lost)


With the loss, Juventus remains seven points behind AC Milan in the race for another Serie A title.

 

Sargent leaves Werder’s draw early

 

Werder Bremen’s 0-0 draw against Freiburg on a cold Saturday was a very dull game. Sargent had been playing well, despite the lack of goals but in this one he was not able to get anything going offensively. It doesn’t mean he wasn’t working hard physically. He won a high percentage of his duels and aerials an was effective in fighting for possession.

But in his 62 minutes, he wasn’t part of many chances and still got on the ball only once every three minutes.

  • 62 minutes
  • 20 touches
  • 0 key passes
  • 0 shots
  • 8/12 passing (67%)
  • 5 duels won (3 lost)
  • 0 dribbles
  • 2x fouled
  • 3 aerials won (2 lost)

It was a particularly tough moment in the 62nd minute when Sargent was subbed out of the game after a collision where he hit his head. We will have to wait and see if this will force him to miss any more time.

 

Sonora starting for Talleres

 

Joel Sonora, 24, has generally played well for Talleres de Cordoba in recent season but starting has been tough. Across all competitions, Sonora had just 13 first-team career starts in his career but on Saturday night was able to make his 14th career start as the 2021 Copa Diego Maradona opened for Talleres as they hosted Patronato.

But the door is open for Sonora at the start of the 2021 competition as Talleres as midfielder Tomás Pochettino has moved to the United States to play for Austin FC. Now it will be up to Sonora to play well enough to make the most of this huge opportunity.

In this game, Sonora played 62 minutes and left with Talleres up 1-0 and was not involved in the goal. The game finished 1-0 and the win was important for the club and will likely keep the starting lineup in place for week two.

 

Harkes sharp in Dundee win

 

In Scotland’s Premiership on Saturday, Dundee United hosting Livingston FC with three Americans potentially taking part. Scott Pittman started for Livingston while both Ian Harkes and Dillon Powers were on the bench for Dundee United.

Dundee United took a 1-0 lead early but were reduced to 10 men in the 33rd minute. As part of a tactical adjustment, Dundee United subbed in Harkes in the 33rd minute and one minute later, he delivered a great assist for a 2-0 lead – while down a man.

In the end, Livingston were reduced to 10 players in the 61st minute and Dundee United coasted to a 3-0 win to move into sixth place. Once season off of promotion, that is a comfortable position. Harkes made a nice impact in this game and should reclaim in starting spot soon, if not the next game.

 

Dike’s starts in big Barnsley win

On Sunday, Daryl Dike made his first start for Barnsley and his first appearance in the Championship. This came off his sub appearance in an FA Cup loss to Chelsea midweek.

Visiting Brentford, this was a big test for Dike against one of the best teams in the Championship and a legitimate contender for promotion. It was a huge test for the American forward and overall he played well – not great, but enough to be an intriguing option. His stats (such as 4/9 passing don’t tell the full story).

Dike did what Barsnely wanted – and needed. He was big, physical, and tough to defend. In the 47th minute with Barnsley up 1-0, his pass into the box was poorly cleared and set up a goal from Carlton Morris. Was it a shot? Was it slightly off pass? Does it matter?

 

Then in the 56th minute, Barnsley subbed out the entire front line – including Dike – to keep the energy high for pressing. The strategy worked and Barnsley posted a huge 2-0 win. Dike earned positive reviews for his performance.

 

Barnsley will never be able to pay Dike’s $20 million buyout but if Dike can continue to improve on his performances as he did with Orlando, English teams who can afford him will begin to take notice. If not, he returns to Orlando and continues to progress.

On another note, this win by Barnsley was a huge boost to Paul Arriola, Jordan Morris and Swansea City for their promotional hopes. Brentford dropping points is huge in that regard.

 

Booth’s first-rate pro debut

 

After starting this season with Bayern Munich where he played for their U-23 team, Taylor Booth went on loan last week to SKN St. Poelten of the Austrian Bundesliga for the remainder of the season. He joined fellow American Brandon Servania as another American midfielder to join the team in 8th place in Austria’s top flight.

On Sunday, Booth made his professional first-team debut against Ried and had a very good performance where he passed well, won duels, and assisted on an 83rd minute equalizer in a 1-1 draw. He was involved defensively and in winning possession.

 

Booth, 19, probably would have been a key part of the U.S. U-20 team had that cycle not been cancelled. For now, international competitions (2024 U-23 team, perhaps) might be a ways off but he is in a good position to develop, get minutes, and who knows? The No. 6 position isn’t quite settled on the full national team.

 

Brooks strong again for Wolfsburg

 

John Brooks continues to have the best season of his career and he is critical factor why Wolfsburg is pushing for a Champions League spot next year out of the Bundesliga. On Sunday, third-place Wolfsburg hosted a seventh place Borussia Monchengladbach that is one of the better attacking teams in Germany.

The good news for Brooks is that the U.S. national team central defender did his part. The bad news is that his teammates were unable to score and the game finished 0-0.

 

  • 90 minutes
  • 94 touches
  • 2 shots
  • 1 shot off the post
  • 1 key pass
  • 70/80 passing (88%)
  • 2/7 long balls
  • 6 duels won (2 lost)
  • 5 clearances
  • 1 tackle (1 attempt)
  • 1 dribble (1 attempt)
  • 0x fouled
  • 1 foul
  • 4 aerials won (0 lost)
  • 1 interception
  • 1 yellow card

With the draw, Wolfsburg fell to fourth in the Bundesliga but behind only Eintracht Frankfurt on a one goal deficit in goal differential. It will be a big race down the stretch to qualify for the Champions League but if Wolfsburg is going to be successful, it will require Brooks to be sharp. Given that he is full of confidence and in the midst of his best season, you have to like their chances.

 

Other USMNT/U-23 Pool Notes

 

Among some of the noteworthy players in the current U.S. national team pool, DeAndre Yedlin played the final 14 minutes plus stoppage time for Galatasaray in a 2-1 win over Kasimpasa. It was 1-1 when the former Seattle Sounder came into the game but Yedlin was not involved in the winner – an 89th minute penalty for the Turkish leaders.

In Ligue 2, U.S. international Nicholas Gioacchini was subbed into SM Caen’s 1-0 win over Niort in the 72nd minute. He was on the field but not part of Anthony Weber’s 74th minute winner. Gioacchini completed just 3/7 of his passes but won 7/10 duels and 3/4 aerials and drew two fouls. He also nearly had an assist but the shot was saved. He came in, played physically, and helped his team when he was on the field. It was a good outing.

Tim Weah came off the bench for Lille in the 62nd minute in a 0-0 draw against Brest. This is the type of result that could be enormously costly in the Ligue 1 title race that Lille wants to win. In this game, Lille had nine shots but just one on goal. The past two games, Weah has been part of the problem. He has been effective in getting into dangerous positions but unable to finish.

In La Liga, Yunus Musah was on the bench for Valencia but played the second half of a 2-0 away loss to Real Madrid. Musah, 18, played the second half and was mostly on the left side of the midfield. While he wasn’t bad, he didn’t have much of an influence against an opponent that was significantly superior. Musah hasn’t been great since the November international window but the problems at Valencia run deep and it is a tough team for a young player to standout right now.

Musah’s numbers vs. Real Madrid.

  • 45 minutes
  • 23 touches
  • 1 shot
  • 1 key pass
  • 12/15 passing (80%)
  • 2 duels won (3 lost
  • 1 clearance
  • 1 blocked shot
  • 0 dribbles

 

On Sunday in the Austrian Bundesliga, Erik Palmer-Brown started and played well for Austria Vienna but his team dropped a disappointing 1-0 decision to Hartberg. The U.S. U-23 central defender won 6/9 of his duels and was 3/3 in aerials. He also completed 8/10 accurate long balls but also picked up a yellow card. Palmer-Brown is playing well and U.S. U-23 boss Jason Kreis would do well to secure the Kansas City native’s release for Olympic qualifying next month.

In Belgium’s Pro League, Matt Miazga, 25, stared and played the distance for Anderlecht in a 0-0 draw against Cercle Brugge on Sunday. Miazga played well enough defensively winning his duels and aerials – but it was another frustrating result for Anderlecht where the club has done well against the top of the Belgian table but has struggled against the bottom of the table.

Dropping points against the second-to-last team is disappointing for Miazga and Anderelecht. In its last four games against the bottom five teams of the table, it has drawn four and lost once. That is nine squandered points against the worst in the league. With those points, it would be in second place but instead it sits in fourth.

In Serie B, Frosinone kept up its hunt for a promotional playoff spot with a 3-2 win over Virtus Entella. American forward Andrija Novakovich had an assist on the winning goal in the 76th minute. The Wisconsin native played the full 90 and while he had no shots, he created three chances and had two key passes. He was also very involved physically and committed six fouls. This was a result Frosinone needed to have against an opponent even on points for last place. With the win, Frosinone remains in 10th place but just three points out of eighth place which is where the relegation playoff positions begin.

In Brazil, Johnny Cardoso played the final minute (plus eight minutes of stoppage time) for Internacional in a 2-0 away win over Vasco de Gama. There are two more rounds left in the Serie A table and Internacional has a one-point lead over second place Flamengo. Internacional hosts Flamengo next weekend and if Internacional wins, it will become the champions of Brazil.

Zack Steffen was, as expected, an unused sub for Premier League leaders Manchester City in a 3-0 win over Tottenham.

On Sunday, Wolverhampton came up with a 2-1 away win over Southampton. U.S. U-20 defender/midfielder Owen Otasowie did not get off the bench and probably needs a loan sometime soon.

On Sunday, both Antonee Robinson and Tim Ream were unused subs for Fulham in a 2-0 away win over Everton. It was a huge win for Fulham and a very rare occasion where Robinson did not play for Fulham. The fact that Fulham delivered in his absence might mean Robinson has to fight for his minutes – and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

 

Elsewhere around the globe

 

On Saturday in the Championship, Duane Holmes started for Huddersfield Town and played 80 minutes in a disappointing 3-2 loss to Wycombe Wanders.

In England’s League One, Lynden Gooch started and played 74 minutes for Sunderland in a 4-1 win over Doncaster.

In the Bundesliga, American manager Pellegrino Matarazzo and his VfB Stuttgart team played Hertha BSC to a 1-1 draw on Saturday. On Sunday, Timothy Chandler was an unused sub for surging third-place Eintracht Frankfurt in a 2-0 win over Koln.

In the 2.Bundesliga, American winger McKinzie Gaines, 22, played the final five minutes for Hannover in a 0-0 draw against Paderborn on Friday. It was the first-team club debut for Gaines who only had two touches. Also in the 2.Bundesliga on Saturday, Jahn Regensburg and Fortuna Dusseldorf played to a 1-1 draw in Regensburg. Jann George played 80 minutes for the hosts while Alfredo Morales played a full 90 for the guests.

In Belgium, U.S. U-23 defensive midfielder Chris Durkin started and played 90 for St. Truiden in a disappointing 2-1 loss at home to Zlute Waregem. Meanwhile, Brenden Hines-Ike was not on the lineup sheet for Kortrijk in a 3-1 loss to Oud-Heverlee on Friday.

In Poland’s top flight, eighth-place Lechia Gdansk defeated third-place Rakow Czestochowa 1-0 on Saturday. Kenny Saief started and played 81 minutes in the win. Ben Lederman played 12 minutes in the loss.

In Greece’s Super League, 2015 U.S. U-23 winger Gbolyi Ariyibi started and played 84 minutes for relegation threatened Panetolikos in a 0-0 draw with Aris on Sunday.

In the Swiss Super League, league leaders BSC Young Boys defeated Lugano 3-1 on Sunday. American-born forward Jordan Siebatcheu has been playing well and has scored eight goals for Young Boys since December came into the game in the 67th minute with all the scoring having taken place.

In Turkey’s Super Lig, Mix Diskerud did not play for last-place Denizlispor in a 2-0 loss to Konyaspor on Sunday.

In Chile’s Primera, New Jersey native and former North Carolina State defender Matias Fracchia started and played 75 minutes for O’Higgins in a 1-1 draw with Colo Colo.

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