Sebastian Lletget scored his first career USMNT goal back in 2017 in Avaya Stadium in World Cup qualifying. Moments later he suffered a devastating injury.
Finally back in the national team fold, Lletget returned to Avaya Stadium in Gregg Berhalter’s second match in charge. And wouldn’t you know it, he scored the winner.
For the casual fan watching Europe, the 2019 January transfer window was by no means the most exciting in recent memory. In terms of what it meant for U.S. soccer, it was massive.
More and more young Americans are heeding the words of one-time USMNT coach Jurgen Klinsmann and heading to Europe. More and more European clubs are welcoming young Americans into the fold.
Bayern Munich has signed 17-year-old Real Salt Lake academy product Taylor Booth on a three-and-a-half-year deal, according to Sports Illustrated. Booth is a member of the USMNT U-18 team, and he was a part of the U.S. squad that advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2017 U-17 World Cup.
After preaching the verb “compete” as one of the mantras of his new leadership, Gregg Berhalter began his reign as USMNT manager with a 3-0 victory over Panama on Sunday night. The first starting eleven of Berhalter’s tenure included five players making their international debuts, and three of them — Real Salt Lake’s Corey Baird, Chicago’s Djordje Mihailovic and San Jose’s Nick Lima — played huge roles in the opening two goals.
The third was created and finished by two more players making their international debuts — NYCFC's Jonathan Lewis and LAFC's Christian Ramirez.
Watching 19-year-old American Tyler Adams make his debut for RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga, it was easy to understand why former New York Red Bulls midfield partner Dax McCarty referred to him as “the Terminator.” Leipzig raced out to a 3-0 lead as early as the 16th minute with a combination of fearlessness, speed and physicality — words that perfectly summed up Adams’ display in the midfield over that period.
The U.S. men’s national team plays the first match of the Gregg Berhalter era on Sunday just outside of Phoenix. The friendly against Panama is the first chance to see the USMNT play under a non-interim coach since October of 2017. Apparently no one cares.
The USA-Panama match will be played at State Farm Stadium (formerly University of Phoenix Stadium) in Glendale, Arizona. It’s a 63,400-seat stadium and one that has been filled for previous USMNT matches.
That won’t be the case Sunday.
The loan system in soccer can be a useful tool for bigs clubs to get playing time for their younger players. When the loan system works, it usually produces the goods — more experienced young players.
The U.S. men’s national team is in Phoenix this week getting ready for Sunday’s friendly against Panama. That match will be followed with another exhibition against Costa Rica the following Saturday to wrap up Gregg Berhalter’s first January camp as USMNT coach.
Meanwhile, young Americans in Europe are thriving — showing just how impotent the annual January camp for domestic players really is.
Schalke defeated Wolfsburg 2-1 in Bundesliga action on Sunday in a match replete with Americans. 25-year-old USMNT defender John Brooks anchored Wolfsburg, and promising 20-year-old attacker Haji Wright made a late substitute appearance for Schalke. However, it was 20-year-old Weston McKennie who made the difference for the home side at Veltins-Arena.
Tim Weah, the 18-year-old American, wasn’t getting much playing time at PSG. This was no surprise, with the likes of Edinson Cavani, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar ahead of him in the pecking order.
So Weah went on loan to Celtic earlier this month in search of more playing time.
That playing time has arrived and it didn’t take long for Weah to show new manager Brendan Rodgers what he can do.