MNT Rewind: Aron Johannsson Finds Back of the Net, Sparks Werder Bremen Comeback
Striker Aron Johannsson continued his strong run of form for Werder Bremen, while CJ Sapong and Kenny Saief contributed to wins for their clubs over the weekend.
The 2018 Major League Soccer campaign got underway this week, while a number of MNT players in Europe put in notable performances.
On Friday, forward Aron Johannsson came on at halftime for a Werder Bremen side that was trailing 2-0 and helped spark the comeback before scoring the equalizing goal to take a valuable road point at Borussia Mönchengladbach. Johannsson received high praise for spearheading the attack for Die Wederaner, seeing a number of good chances turned away before smashing home the tying goal in the 78th minute.
Johannsson is in the midst of a small career renaissance of late, with his goal on Friday marking his second in the past month for Bremen, who are two points above the Bundesliga’s relegation playoff place with nine matches left.
WATCH: Johannsson Helps Bremen Earn 2-2 Away Draw
Left no doubt! 🚀 That's two goals in the last month for @aronjo20.pic.twitter.com/KdiaoKMJEJ
— U.S. Soccer MNT (@ussoccer_mnt) March 2, 2018
In Belgium, on-loan midfielder Kenny Saief continued his strong run of form, picking up what would stand as the game-winning assist in Anderlecht’s 3-2 victory vs. Zulte-Waregem. In the 32nd minute, Saief alertly slipped Łukasz Teodorczyk through the back line, before the striker rounded the ‘keeper to bury his second of the match.
Saief has performed admirably since joining the Belgian giants on loan from Gent, playing every minute of the club’s eight matches in the new year while registering a goal and three assists in that time.
WATCH: Kenny Saief Helps Keep Anderlecht Second in Belgium
Back in MLS, striker CJ Sapong picked up right where he left off last season, contributing a goal and assist in Philadelphia Union’s 2-0 victory against New England Revolution. In the 23rd minute, Sapong helped give the Union a man advantage after being hauled down by New England defender Antonio Mlinar Delamea.
From there, Sapong helped the Union get on the score sheet when he redirected Alejandro Bedoya’s cross into the path of Anthony Fontana who hit home the go-ahead goal in the 43rd minute. Sapong got his own on the other side of halftime when Cory Burke broke free on the right and centered a low ball which the MNT forward flicked past Revolution ‘keeper Matt Turner from close range in the 69th minute.
WATCH: Sapong Active in Union’s Season Opening Win
Meanwhile in Toronto, Columbus Crew SC used a goal from debutante attacker Gyasi Zardes to open the 2018 season with a 2-0 victory away to the defending MLS Cup champs. Already leading 1-0 thanks to Federico Higuain’s 44th minute strike, Zardes gave the visitors a 2-0 lead one minute into the second half, getting on the end of a well-placed pass from Pedro Santos before slotting his effort inside the right post.
WATCH: Zardes Scores in Columbus Debut
A few other highlights from the past week:
- Midfielder Weston McKennie returned from a partially ruptured MCL, coming off the bench for the final 10 minutes of Schalke’s 1-0 win vs. Hertha Berlin. The substitute appearance was the 19-year-old midfielder’s first since suffering the injury on Jan. 21.
- On loan from Manchester City, center back Erik Palmer-Brown made his debut for Belgian side Kortrijk, going the full 90 minutes in a 2-1 defeat to league-leaders Club Brugge.
- Eighteen-year-old Tim Weah also earned his club debut for Paris Saint-Germain, coming on for the final 11 minutes of the club’s 2-0 win at Troyes.
- Almost a year after suffering a lisfrac injury during the MNT’s 6-0 World Cup Qualifying win vs. Honduras last March, midfielder Sebastian Lletget saw his first competitive action, playing the final 18 minutes of LA Galaxy’s season opening win vs. Portland Timbers.
- Midfielder Tyler Adams provided an assist on Sean Davis’ strike in New York Red Bulls’ 2-0 victory against Olimpia in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League on Thursday. The side now moves on to the Quarterfinals where they’ll visit Club Tijuana in the first leg on Tuesday, March 6.
- Jozy Altidore, Michael Bradley and Justin Morrow all played the full 90 minutes in Toronto FC’s 0-0 draw with Colorado Rapids in their CCL second leg tie on Tuesday. TFC moves on to face current Liga MX champs Tigres UANL in the Quarterfinals with leg one at BMO Field on Wednesday, March 7.
- Elsewhere in CCL play, Cristian Roldan went the full 90 minutes in Seattle Sounders FC’s 4-0 second leg win vs. Santa Tecla, while Joe Corona also went the distance in Club América’s 1-1 draw with Saprissa. Seattle next meets CD Guadalajara on Wednesday, March 7, while América faces Tauro on Tuesday, March 6.
A full rundown of how MNT players performed for their clubs this past week:
Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls) – 90 minutes, ASSIST in 2-0 CONCACAF Champions League second leg win vs. Olimpia (March 1)
Juan Agudelo (New England Revolution) – 55 minutes in 2-0 loss at Philadelphia Union (March 3)
Paul Arriola (D.C. United) – 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Orlando City SC (March 3)
Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC) – 90 minutes in 0-0 CONCACAF Champions League second leg draw vs. Colorado Rapids (Feb. 27); 90 minutes in 2-0 loss vs. Columbus Crew SC (March 3)
Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union) – 90 minutes, ASSIST in 2-0 win vs. New England Revolution (March 3)
Matt Besler (Sporting KC) – 90 minutes in 2-0 loss vs. New York City FC (March 4)
Michael Bradley (Toronto FC) - 90 minutes in 0-0 CONCACAF Champions League second leg draw vs. Colorado Rapids (Feb. 27); 90 minutes in 2-0 loss vs. Columbus Crew SC (March 3)
Geoff Cameron (Stoke City) – 90 minutes in 0-0 draw at Southampton (March 3)
Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt) – 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Hannover 96 (March 3)
Joe Corona (Club América) – 90 minutes in 1-1 CONCACAF Champions League second leg draw vs. Saprissa (Feb. 28); 9 substitute minutes in 1-1 draw at Guadalajara (March 3)
Jesse Gonzalez (FC Dallas) – 90 minutes in 3-2 CONCACAF Champions League second leg win vs. Tauro (Feb. 28)
Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca) – 53 minutes in 2-1 Copa MX loss at Atletico San Luis (Feb. 27)
Brad Guzan (Atlanta United FC) – 90 minutes in 4-0 loss at Houston Dynamo (March 3)
Matt Hedges (FC Dallas) – 90 minutes in 3-2 CONCACAF Champions League second leg win vs. Tauro (Feb. 28); 90 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Real Salt Lake (March 3)
Julian Green (Greuther Fürth) – 85 minutes in 2-0 win at Nürnberg (March 3)
Aron Johannsson (Werder Bremen) – 45 substitute minutes, GOAL in 2-2 draw at Borussia Mönchengladbach (March 3)
Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy) – 18 substitute minutes in 2-1 win vs. LA Galaxy (March 4)
Weston McKennie (Schalke) – 10 substitute minutes in 1-0 win vs. Hertha Berlin (March 3)
Matt Miazga (Vitesse) – 90 minutes in 3-2 win vs. Ajax (March 4)
Justin Morrow (Toronto FC) - 90 minutes in 0-0 CONCACAF Champions League second leg draw vs. Colorado Rapids (Feb. 27); 90 minutes in 2-0 loss vs. Columbus Crew SC (March 3)
Darlington Nagbe (Atlanta United FC) – 61 minutes in 4-0 loss at Houston Dynamo (March 3)
Ike Opara (Sporting KC) – 90 minutes in 2-0 loss vs. New York City FC (March 4)
Erik Palmer-Brown (Kortrijk) – 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at Club Brugge (March 3)
Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund) – 2 substitute minutes in 1-1 draw at RB Leipzig (March 3)
Tim Ream (Fulham) – 90 minutes in 2-1 win at Derby County (March 3)
Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC) – 90 minutes in 4-0 CONCACAF Champions League second leg win vs. Santa Tecla (March 1); 90 minutes in 1-0 loss vs. LAFC (March 4)
Kelyn Rowe (New England Revolution) – 14 substitute minutes in 2-0 loss at Philadelphia Union (March 3)
Rubio Rubin (Club Tijuana) – 32 minutes in 3-1 win vs. Lobos BUAP (March 2)
Kenny Saief (Anderlecht) – 90 minutes, ASSIST in 3-2 win at Zulte-Waregem (March 3)
CJ Sapong (Philadelphia Union) – 90 minutes, GOAL, ASSIST in 2-0 win vs. New England Revolution (March 3)
Zack Steffen (Columbus Crew SC) – 90 minutes in 2-0 win at Toronto FC (March 3)
Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC) – 90 minutes in 2-0 win at Toronto FC (March 3)
Jorge Villafaña (Santos Laguna) – 90 minutes in 2-1 win at Necaxa (March 3)
Tim Weah (Paris Saint-Germain) – 11 substitute minutes in 2-0 win at Troyes (March 3)
Danny Williams (Huddersfield Town) – 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at Tottenham Hotspur (March 3)
DeAndre Yedlin (Newcastle United) – 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at Liverpool (March 3)
Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew SC) – 90 minutes, GOAL in 2-0 win at Toronto FC (March 3)
Graham Zusi (Sporting KC) – 90 minutes in 2-0 loss vs. New York City FC
Injured/Did Not Play
Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas) – Sports Hernia Surgery; Not in 18 for 3-2 CONCACAF Champions League second leg win vs. Tauro (Feb. 28); Not in 18 for 1-1 draw vs. Real Salt Lake (March 3)
John Brooks (Wolfsburg) – Knee injury; Not in 18 for 2-1 loss vs. Bayer Leverkusen (March 3)
Dom Dwyer (Orlando City SC) – Quad injury; Not in 18 for 1-1 draw vs. D.C. United (March 3)
Lynden Gooch (Sunderland) – Not in 18 for 1-1 draw at Millwall (March 3)
Bill Hamid (Midtjylland) – In 18, DNP in 1-0 loss vs. Brøndby (March 1); at Silkeborg (March 5)
Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach) – Back injury; Not in 18 for 2-2 draw vs. Werder Bremen (March 3)
Eric Lichaj (Nottingham Forest) – Suspended; Not in 18 for 2-1 win vs. Birmingham City (March 3)
Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC) – Torn ACL; Not in 18 for 4-0 CONCACAF Champions League second leg win vs. Santa Tecla or Sunday March 4 vs. LAFC
Bobby Wood (Hamburg) – Not in 18 for 0-0 draw vs. Mainz (March 3)
Walker Zimmerman (LAFC) – Leg tightness; Not in 18 for 1-0 win vs. Seattle Sounders FC (March 4)