Americans abroad analysi
Player movement, plus another big outing from McKennie and central defenders top weekend
January 31, 2021
11:30 PM
THE WEEKEND ABROAD might not have lived up to last weekend’s lofty standards but it was still very good with so many players chasing silverware, promotion, and spots in Europe next season. This weekend had the added drama of player movement ahead of the close of the winter transfer window. By the looks of it, several Americans are potentially on the move.
Of course, part of the good and bad of covering Americans abroad these days is that there are so many players playing, that there is always going to be good news and bad news. This was a good weekend overall, but not everything was particularly great.
In France, U.S. national team forward Nicholas Gioacchini, 20, was sent off in the first half of SM Caen’s 4-2 loss to Chambly and is now looking at potentially a very long suspension as his tackle knocked Chambly’s Xavier Pinoteau unconscious and sent him to the hospital for brain scans. It was a very ugly incident and Gioacchini could face a long time away from his team.
Reading this, #USMNT forward Nicholas Gioacchini is staring at a potentially long suspension. His red card tackle knocked out Chambly’s Xavier Pinoteau who went to the hospital for brain scan https://t.co/Qrnh4p2GOW
— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) February 1, 2021
Reggie Cannon did not start for Boavista for the first time this season and was an unused sub. Last-place Boavista came away with a rare away win, this time a 2-1 victory over Portimonense for its second win of the season.
Yunus Musah has not been playing particularly well the past two months and he played only a handful of minutes for Valencia in a 1-0 win over Elche. Tim Weah also only played three minutes for Lille in a 1-0 win over Dijon. Lille sits atop Ligue 1 but Weah is back to rarely playing. Sergino Dest was injured for Barcelona with “thigh problems” and did not dress. Konrad de la Fuente was an unused sub and Barca defeated Athletic Bilbao on Sunday. Zack Steffen meanwhile remains the backup goalkeeper for Manchester City which defeated Sheffield United 1- on Saturday.
There continues to be a long list of other players from that November U.S. national team roster who either don’t play or rarely play. Uly Llanez, Ethan Horvath, Sebastian Soto, Tim Ream, Chituru Odunze, and Owen Otasowie are all fighting uphill for minutes.
One player who might have helped himself, however, is Chris Richards who is going on loan.
But that brings us to player movement.
Active window for Americans
There are a lot of American players widely reported to be on the move over the past few weeks. DeAndre Yedlin is in Turkey for his medical ahead of a move to Galatasary. The Seattle native will now get to play for one of the most intense environments at one of the big Istanbul clubs.
The transfer saga of Bryan Reynolds finally appears to be over as the FC Dallas teenage right back is moving to Roma. This one has been full of drama and inaccurate media reports.
Chris Richards of Bayern Munich, the U.S U-23, and full national team is heading to Hoffenheim on loan without an option to buy. The central defender from Alabama will now be in a situation where he can possibly play regularly. It is impressive Bayern found him a club within the Bundesliga and it would be very impressive if Richards can play regularly at Hoffenheim.
In Turkey, Tyler Boyd appears to be heading to Sivasspor on loan from Besiktas.
Bayern Munich U-23 defensive midfielder Taylor Booth, 19 and the FC Dallas duo of Brandon Servania, 21, and Edwin Cerillo, 20, are all on trial ahead of a possible loan to St. Polten of the Austrian Bundesliga. The Austrian window is still open for another week, however, and this could materialize at the end of next week.
Gregg Berhalter told the media on Saturday that player movement among those players in the team’s current camp is possible. This makes sense as the potential MLS lockout or even the season’s late start making loaning players to Europe more attractive as a way to shed salary on a temporary basis.
Aaron Long of the Red Bulls is being linked to several English and German clubs. Paul Arriola might join Jordan Morris in Swansea. Even Jozy Altidore could be on the move outside of MLS as Berhalter mentioned was possible. The Toronto FC forward has apparently not been thrilled in with his Canadian club lately.
This is going to be a drama-filled couple of days.
Adams & Lepzig win
In the Bundesliga, Tyler Adams, 21, earned the big start on Saturday as second place Leipzig hosted third place Bayer Leverkusen. Last weekend, Adams returned to the starting lineup in a bad loss to Mainz and it was his first start in three games. He scored a goal, but it was a bad game for the entire team.
The former Red Bull remained in the starting lineup and in this game against Leverkusen but there was a big difference. Adams was on the right side of the midfield but as you can see in his touch map, he was given a lot of freedom to cut into the middle of the field.
- 90 minutes
- 69 touches
- 1 shot
- 37/43 passing, 86%
- 2 crosses
- 0/2 long balls
- 1 key pass
- 6 duels won (3 lost)
- 1 clearance
- 1 dribble (1 attempt)
- 2x fouled
- 0 fouls
- 0 tackles (2 attempts)
- 1 aerial won (0 lost)
- 4 interceptions
As a result, Adams had far more of a impact on both sides of the ball. He was involved in more duels, he cut off passing lanes with his interceptions, and was able to have more of an impact with his passing.
Leipzig won’t catch Bayern Munich, but is now three points clear of third place Wolfsburg.
McKenzie starts for Genk
KRC Genk spent a ton of money for American defender Mark McKenzie, so the former Philadelphia Union defender was always going to get a lot of chances early in his tenure with the club. Last weekend he started in a 3-2 loss to Club Brugge and on Wednesday he came off the bench in a 3-2 win over Zlute Waregem. In that run against Zlute Waregem, McKenzie completed all of his passes and looked increasingly comfortable in his new environment.
On Saturday, McKenzie started against midtable KV Mechelen and played well. The 0-0 result was disappointing but McKenzie played very well and helped to preserve the clean sheet. He also was important in helping Genk maintain the huge possession edge in this one – as is evident in his 102 touches.
- 90 minutes
- 102 touches
- 1 shot
- 83/90 passing (92%)
- 1 cross
- 1/5 long balls
- 3 duels won (0 lost)
- 3 clearances
- 2 tackles (2 attempts)
- 1 interception
- 1 aerial won (0 lost)
As you can see with his touch map, McKenzie was on the ball a lot by very infrequently was into the opposing half. His one shot came off a set piece.
What is important for McKenzie is that combining his aerials and duels, McKenzie was 100% successful at 4/4. His long ball passing could have been a little bit better bit this was a big statement for McKenzie in his ability to be a big asset for the Genk team that spent a fortune for him.
Genk remained in second place with the draw but only has an edge on third place Antwerp based on goal differential.
McKennie strong for Juventus
Weston McKennie, 22, is routinely turning in strong performances these days for Juventus and that continued on Saturday in a big 2-0 away win over Sampdoria in Genoa.
In this game, McKennie very strong on both sides of the ball and worked extremely hard over the course of his 90 minutes. He won eight of his 12 duels and both of his aerials. He notched five tackles and also made four interceptions as he disrupted passing lanes.
Offensively, he created two chances, completed all of his long passes and had a high pass completion overall.
McKennie is increasing his importance with Juventus with each game. His numbers in this one were outstanding and his touch map showed that defensively (on the left) he played centrally but with the ball in the attack, he drifted wide right.
- 90 minutes
- 56 touches
- 0 shots
- 2 key passes
- 32/35 passing
- 3/3 long balls
- 8/12 duels won
- 3 clearances
- 0 dribbles
- 0x fouled
- 2 fouls
- 5 tackles (6 attempts)
- 2 aerials won (0 lost)
- 4 interceptions
With the win, Juventus moved into third of Serie A – five points behind Inter Milan and seven behind AC Milan. Juventus has played one fewer game than either of the Milan teams.
Sargent vs. Hoppe lackluster
The most anticipated game heading into this weekend for Americans was when Werder Bremen hosted Schalke because it pitted two U.S. forwards in Werder’s Josh Sargent against Schalke’s Matthew Hoppe.
Both forwards worked hard but the game was lackluster and neither made much of an impact, and neither saw the ball a lot of times. The game deservedly finished even at 1-1.
Sargent had two shots, and his best came early in the second half when a half volley came his way on a set piece. The St. Louis native could not get over the ball and instead sent it over the net.
For Sargent, he won four of his seven duels and all three of his aerials.
- 61 minutes
- 2 shots
- 27 touches
- 10/15 passing
- 1 key passes
- 4 duels won (3 lost)
- 1 foul
- 1 tackle (1 attempt)
- 3 aerials won (0 lost)
Werder Bremen manager Florian Kohfeldt afterward said he believes Sargent can eventually be one of the top forwards in the Bundesliga (https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/usa-s-josh-sargent-can-be-a-top-striker-werder-bremen-coach-florian-kohfeldt-14553 ) but for Sargent, he’s will need to start taking advantage of his half chances in close games.
As for Hoppe, it was touch because Schalke had the lead for most of the game and were trying to hold the lead as Werder Bremen were pressing forward. It was mostly a defensive effort and his duels and aerials were mostly hopeful balls from Schalke defenders or midfielders trying to make something out of nothing.
- 80 minutes
- 21 touches
- 1 shot
- 12/14 passing
- 3 duels won (10 lost)
- 2 clearances
- 1 dribble (2 attempts)
- 4 fouls
- 1 aerial (5 lost)
It is a tough environment for Hoppe, despite his great run of success in January. Schalke lacks the talent to win in this league against just about every opponent. It will be interesting to see if he decides to remain with Schalke in the 2.Bundesliga or if he moves within the top flight – where playing time will be harder to come by.
Morris debuts for Swansea
It was expected that Jordan Morris, 26, would make his debut for Swansea City on Saturday when they hosted relegation-battling Rotherham United. American right back and New Jersey native Matthew Olosunde, 22, earned the start for Rotherham United and was coming of a fantastic defensive effort midweek in a 3-0 win over Middlesbrough. For his performance in that one, Olosunde was named to the Championship Team of the Week.
Olosunde struggled in this one and was subbed out to start the second half with Swansea up 2-0.
In the 83rd minute, Swansea was up 3-1 and Morris came into the game for his first appearance of his loan to Swansea. It was a brief and mostly uneventful performance from Morris who had a few nice touches and won a few duels but by the time he came on, Swansea was simply seeing out the win and had taken its foot off the gas pedal.
With the win, Swansea moved back into second-place of the Championship, but has played one more game than third place Brentford. Friday will be a huge game for Swansea as they host league leaders Norwich. Morris will eventually get a chance in meaningful minutes and after next week, the schedule will condense and there will be a need for squad rotation.
Reyna starts in Dormund win
American midfielder Gio Reyna, 18, returned to Borussia Dortmund’s starting lineup on Saturday against Augsburg. After a slow start where they conceded the opening goal, Borussia Dortmund rallied for a 3-1 win.
In this game, Reyna was decidedly average and was a level where he certainly wasn’t bad, but wasn’t particularly noteworthy. From his touch map, he once again played right win, but unlike recent weeks, he did not cut into the middle of the field as much. Over the past two months, Reyna has played all across the midfield and accepting different duties within these positions at different times.
In this game, he did not stand out.
- 90 minutes
- 44 touches
- 1 shot
- 1 key pass
- 29/35 passing
- 2 crosses
- 0 long balls
- 4 duels won (8 lost)
- 1 clearance
- 0 dribbles
- 2x fouled
- 2 fouls
- 1 aerial won (3 lost)
- 1 tackle
- 0 interceptions
For Reyna, the turning point came when Lucien Favre was fired. While Favre was underperforming, Reyna played well under him. Under interim manager Edin Terzi? (who is there until the end of the season), Reyna hasn’t found it easy to adapt and his roles continue to change within the Dortmund midfield.
Holmes returns to Huddersfield
On Tuesday, Huddersfield announced it had signed Duane Holmes on a transfer from Derby County and the American midfielder was returning to his hometown club where he progressed from the U-9 levels all the way to the first team.
Now after four years, the Georgia-born Holmes was returning to the club which he insists means a great deal to him.
Aaronson subs into Salzburg win
Brenden Aaronson, played for the third consecutive game for Red Bull Salzburg on Saturday. After starting midweek where he assisted in a win over Ried, on Saturday he came into the game with Salzburg up 2-0 on Hartberg.
Aaronson, 20, played the final 19 minutes and Salzburg scored again with him on the field for a 3-0 away win. With the win, Salzburg remained in first place of the Austrian Bundesliga.
In his time on the field, Aaronson was once again aggressive and effective. Competition is tight on the field for Salzburg as many of the players can get the job done. For Aaronson, he has likely faced many better defenses in MLS while with Philadelphia, but is adjusting to the frantic style of play Jesse Marsch and Salzburg prefers to play.
Next up will be two games against Erik Palmer-Brown and Austria Vienna – next weekend in the Austrian Cup and then the following week in the league. Both games will be in Salzburg.
- 19 minutes
- 13 touches
- 7/8 passing
- 1 dribble (1 attempt)
- 0x fouled
- 2 duels won (1 lost)
- 1 foul
- 1 tackle (1 attempt)
Robinson returns to Fulham
After serving his three-game red car suspension, United States national team left back Antonee Robinson earned the start for Fulham against West Bromwich Albion. It was a matchup between two teams needing wins who are both stuck in the relegation zone of the Premier League.
In this game, Robinson once again covered a ton of ground defensively and was the least of his team’s problems. But the 2-2 draw was bad news for both teams as neither made an significant progress climbing out of the relegation zone.
Antonee Robinson: raw # for Fulham in 2-2 draw with West Brom
— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) January 30, 2021
90 mins
0 shots
0 key passes
28/38 passing, 74%
3 crosses
0/4 long balls
4 duels won (6 lost)
0 dribbles
0x fouled
0 fouls
1 tackle (1 attempt)
3 aerials won (4 lost)
1 interception#USMNT
Fulham are still four points deep. Robinson can play well in the Premier League and probably won’t go down with Fulham if they are indeed relegated. The next few months, however, will be important for him to continue to build his case.
Pulisic assists off the bench
For the second straight game since Christian Pulisic, 22, was reunited with manager Thomas Tuchel after Frank Lampard was fired, the Hershey native was on the bench for Chelsea. On Sunday it was against Burnley.
With Chelsea up 1-0 at the break, Pulisic came into the game to start the second half and had a very good 45 minutes on the field. That was capped off with an 84th minute assist on a wonderful goal by Marcos Alonso. That goal rounded out the final score of 2-0.
Thomas Tuchel had Chelsea flying today in victory, and Christian Pulisic helped seal the deal with this sweet assist. ???????? #MyPLMorning pic.twitter.com/3XFhjia04z
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) January 31, 2021
Pulisic was aggressive in his 45 minutes on the field. While that has been the case the past two months, in this game, he didn’t force plays as much and fit in with his team better.
- 45 minutes
- 25 touches
- 2 shots
- 1 assist
- 10/15 passing
- 1 key pass
- 3 duels won (6 lost)
- 1 clearance
- 1 dribble (3 attempts)
- 1x fouled
- 1 foul
- 1 aerial won (0 lost)
- 0 tackle attempts
- 0 long ball attempts
Chelsea moved into seventh place with the win, six points out of the Champions League positions and two points out of the Europa League. Next up is a tough visit to Tottenham in a London Derby.
Durkin strong in St. Truiden win
Chris Durkin, 20, had a big outing for St. Truiden in a 3-0 win over Cercle Brugge on Sunday. His numbers were very strong on both sides of the ball and in the 90th minute, his shot took a deflection and found the back of the net for a 3-0 win.
When you look at his touch map, Durkin sat firmly in the middle third of the field and it was there where he successfully won all of his duels, aerials, and tackles. His interception numbers shows his defensive ability to sniff out passing lanes and force turnovers.
It was a really good outing.
- 90 minutes
- 72 touches
- 1 shot
- 1 goal
- 0 key passes
- 44/60 passing (73%)
- 7/13 long balls
- 6 duels won (0 lost)
- 2 aerials won (0 lost)
- 0 clearances
- 0 dribble attempts
- 3 tackles (3 attempts)
- 4 interceptions
- 1x fouled
- 1 foul
Durkin’s improvement over the past two months has been noticeable and he has been a major reason why the club was once in last place, but is now pushing towards midtable. Over its last nine games, St. Truiden has six wins, two losses, and a draw.
With many media reports suggesting Johnny Cardoso, Jackson Yueill Owen Otasowie, and Andres Perea to be the backup for Tyler Adams, Durkin is building a case.
Brooks big in Wolfsburg win
John Brooks is currently having his best season as a professional and he is a big reason why Wolfsburg is currently in third place after a 3-0 win over Freiburg. Wolfsburg is now in strong contention for a Champions League spot next year and Brooks is having his best season as a professional player.
Against Freiburg, Brooks put up the type of numbers that have been typical of him all season.
- 90 minutes
- 61 touches
- 1 shot
- 1 goal
- 4/8 accurate long balls
- 36/46 passing (78%)
- 5 duels won (1 lost)
- 8 clearances
- 1 foul
- 1x fouled
- 0 dribbles
- 0 tackles
- 3 aerials won (0 lost)
- 1 interception
Between duels and aerials, Brooks was successful eight of nine times. He was also huge with his clearances to keep a clean sheet and his long-ball passing out of the back was also strong.
It was another impressive game for Brooks who is nearing the Champions League for the first time of his career. For the U.S. national team, having Brooks playing at a Champions League level during the start of World Cup qualifying could be massively important.
Green scores again in Furth win
Julian Green, 25, continues to have his best season as a professional as he is a significant contributor to a Greuther Furth team that is building a strong case for promotion to the Bundesliga.
On Friday, Green earned the start for Greuther Furth against Erzgebirge Aue and the Florida-born attacking midfielder scored for the third straight game. This time his 60th minute goal gave Furth a 3-0 lead, which would turn out to be the final score.
Green made a very well-timed run into the box in this game and made a clever finish inside the post with his first touch. 15 minutes later, Green was taken out with Furth in complete control.
While normally he plays centrally, in this game Green was based more on the left side of the midfield.
- 75 minutes
- 38 touches
- 20/23 passing 87%)
- 3 shots
- 1 cross
- 0/1 long balls
- 4 duels won (6 lost)
- 1 dribble (2 attempts)
- 2x fouled
- 0 tackles
- 0 clearances
- 2 fouls
- 1 yellow card
- 1 aerial won (2 lost)
- 2 interceptions
Green will be interesting to watch in the months ahead on many levels. Obviously a return to the Bundesliga could happen if Furth is able to earn promotion. But scoring double digits might see him get sold to a Bundesliga team, even if Furth come up short. So regardless, Green is playing himself into a summer where he might have solid options.
Then there is the U.S. national team. Green’s positions (left mid and central attacking midfield) are becoming more and more crowded with young options emerging both domestically and abroad but the more Green scores, the more he will be impossible to ignore. 2021 is such a busy year for American soccer that he might force Gregg Berhalter’s hand the long he continues with his current form.
Calling up someone playing well does more than benefit the one player called up, it sends a signal to everyone that they are being tracked by the national team staff and that success is rewarded.
Miazga and Anderlecht draw
Matt Miazga, 25, rebounded from a bad error last weekend to help Anderlecht maintain a clean sheet on Sunday against Gent. Unfortunately for Anderlecht its scoring woes continued and it was forced to settle for just a point following a 0-0 draw.
Anderlecht has scored just one goal in its last 279 minutes and that was a penalty. It has been three straight games without a goal from the run of play. Miazga’s mistake last weekend was bad, but he is playing well trying to help the team fight through its offensive drought.
Miazga’s duel winning, passing, and interceptions were all very valuable against Gent.
- 90 minutes.
- 87 touches
- 1 shot
- 65/75 passing (87%)
- 3/6 long balls
- 0 key passes
- 8 duels won (3 lost)
- 1 foul
- 0x fouled
- 0 clearances
- 6 aerials won (2 lost)
- 2 tackles (2 attempts)
- 5 interceptions
With better offense, Anderlecht would probably be in second but instead it is in seventh. The club would be wise to attempt to purchase Miazga outright from Chelsea and use him to build for the future but Miazga is probably using this as a stepping stone to hopefully earn a Bundesliga offer.
De la Torre starts in Heracles win
Luca de la Torre, 22, is quietly improving and having a nice season in the Eredivisie with Heracles. It is his first season as a starter and thus far he is doing quite well – not great, but generally good.
On Saturday, he was effective for Heracles in a 1-0 win over FC Groningen and the win moved Heracles into comfortable 10th place after a shaky start to 2020/21.
- 90 minutes
- 57 touches
- 1 shot
- 0 key passes
- 37/45 passing (82% passing)
- 1/3 long balls
- 5 duels won (9 lost)
- 1 dribble (3 attempts)
- 5x fouled
- 0 tackles
- 2 aerials won (0 lost)
- 0 interceptions
De la Torre is certainly a player that is quietly putting together a nice resume although a it would be unclear if Heracles would entertain his release for the U.S. U-23 team for March’s Olympic qualifying.
Johnny and Internacional win
On Sunday night Internacional posted a 2-0 win over Bragantino in Brazil’s Serie A to move five points clear into first place. U.S. national team defensive midfielder Johnny Cardoso played the final 23 minutes and helped his club preserve the win over a Bragantino club that is part of the Red Bull Empire.
Cardoso, 19, handled his defensive responsibilities very well including winning all of his duels and aerials.
- 23 minutes
- 12 touches
- 3 duels won (0 lost)
- 1 dribble (1 attempt)
- 1x fouled
- 1 clearance
- 1 aerial won (0 lost)
- 0 interceptions
- 0 tackles
With less than a month remaining in the Serie A season, Cardoso is chasing a Brazilian title while still being shy of his 20th birthday. Even if he is not starting, still participating in such a pursuit with on of the biggest clubs in South America is a fantastic learning experience.
It shouldn’t be a surprise if Cardoso emerges with the U.S. U-23 team in March given the end of the Serie A season. Internacional might be willing to allow Cardoso to miss State Cup games to play with the U.S. U-23 team.
Elsewhere around Europe
In France’s Ligue 1, Tim Weah played the final three minutes for Lille in a 1-0 win over Dijon. In Ligue 2, Nicholas Gioacchini was sent off with a straight red in the 32nd minute for SM Caen in a 4-2 away loss to Chambly.
In the Bundesliga on Friday, American manager Pellegrino Matarazzo and VfB Stuttgart came away with a 2-0 win over Mainz.
Pellegrino Matarazzo and VfB Stuttgart snap a two game losing streak in the Bundesliga with a 2-0 win over Mainz. In its first season since promotion, the manager from New Jersey has Stuttgart sitting comfortably in midtable in 10th place https://t.co/6e4sO0VZpS
— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) January 29, 2021
In the 2.Bundesliga, Alfredo Morales played the final 29 minutes for Fortuna Dusseldorf in a 2-1 away loss to Wurzburger Kickers on Friday.
In the German third tier, Kevin Lankford recently joined Wehen Wiesbaden on loan from St. Paul and the U.S. U-23 eligible winger scored in his debut for the 3.Liga club on Saturday in a 1-0 win over Kaiserslautern.
In Italy’s Serie B, Andrija Novakovich started and played 67 minutes for Frosinone in a 3-1 loss to Empoli on Friday. Frosinone fell to 10th place with the loss.
In England's third tier League One, Lynden Gooch played the final 36 minutes for Sunderland in a 2-2 draw with Gillingham.
In England's fourth-tier League Two, Indiana Vassilev, 19, made his club debut for Cheltenham Town in a 0-0 draw with Forest Green Rovers. The Georgia native played the final seven minutes.
In Turkey, Tyler Boyd was still not included in the lineup for Besiktas in a 2-1 home loss to Trabonspor. The former New Zealand winger is on the verge of a transfer. Mix Diskerud played the final minute for Denizlispor in a 2-1 win over Goztepe.
In the Scottish Premiership, Ian Harkes played the final six minutes for Dundee United in a 2-0 loss to Hibernian. Dillon Powers was an unused sub for Dundee United.
In Hungary, American right back Henry Wingo played the final 27 minutes league leaders Ferencvaros in a 1-1 draw with Kisvarda.
In the Austrian Bundesliga, Erik Palmer-Brown started and played 90 minutes for Austria Vienna in a 2-2 draw with Swarovski Tirol on Sunday. Austria Vienna now has two wins and a draw since the resumption of play after the league’s winter break. American forward Andrew Wooten started and played the distance for last-place FC Admira in a 0-0 away draw with Ried on Saturday.
In the Swiss Super League, American-born forward Jordan Siebatcheu starterd and played a full 90 in a 2-1 win over Sion. The Washington, DC-born forward struggled to get shots but was dominant in the air - as is his biggest strength
In La Liga, Sergino Dest was out injured for Barcelona and Konrad de la Fuente was an unused sub for Barcelona in a 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao. Yunus Musah only played the final three minutes for Valencia in a 1-0 win over Elche on Saturday.
In Portugal, Reggie Cannon did not start for Boavista for the first time and was an unused sub in a 2-1 away win over Portimonense.
In Chile’s Primera, New Jersey native and former North Carolina State defender Matias Fracchia played the final 24 minutes in a 2-0 win over Chilean leaders Universidad Catolica.
In Spain’s Segunda, Shaq Moore started and went the distance for Tenerife in a 1-1 draw with Fuenlabrada. Moore received very positive ratings from the local media for his outing playing right back.