ASN: Pepi makes Augsburg debut whereas Adams. Richards, McKennie impresses

It was basically the primary weekend of 2022 that had a major variety of American gamers in motion in Europe. The highest story was Ricardo Pepi’s European debut with Augsburg however one of the best performances got here from American mainstays corresponding to Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta breaks all of it down. 

BY

Brian Sciaretta

Posted
January 10, 2022
5:05 AM

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THE WEEKEND FOR Individuals overseas was blended, because it usually is. There have been no actually standout performances however there have been a couple of good ones, and there have been some good membership debuts as nicely – with the largest coming in Germany as two FC Dallas homegrowns met with Ricardo Pepi making his Augsburg debut.

The remainder of the weekend for Individuals overseas noticed good performances from Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie however principally struggles elsewhere.

COVID continued to sideline numerous video games all through Europe with the Individuals in France hit hardest. Amir Richardson was out of Le Havre for such a cause. Different gamers noticed their staff’s sport cancelled. Tim Weah (at the moment injured) and Eric Palmer-Brown have been schedule to satisfy in France, however their sport was postponed. The identical went for Nicholas Gioacchini and Montpellier.

A whole lot of different leagues have been nonetheless on winter break with Individuals in Scotland, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, and Holland all nonetheless taking part in in simply friendlies.

However this weekend was nonetheless an energetic time and right here is the way it went.

Pepi vs. Richards

The weekend’s most attention-grabbing sport from an American perspective got here on Saturday when Hoffenheim hosted Augsburg and it pitted two U.S. nationwide staff gamers and two FC Dallas merchandise towards one another.

Pepi, 18, started the sport on the bench and was seeking to make his membership, league, and European debut after a $20 million switch from Dallas. Chris Richards began in central protection for Hoffenheim.

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— FC Augsburg (@FCA_World) January 8, 2022

This sport went principally as anticipated. Augsburg scored first early however favored Hoffenhiem had a 2-1 lead by halftime.

Pepi made his membership debut when he got here on on the hour mark. However Hoffenheim struck once more late in stoppage time for 3-1 win.

On this sport the large takeaway is that each Individuals did nicely.

Richards began off shaky together with his passing however that improved within the second half. He solely had 1-2 minor errors defensively over the 90 minutes.

As for Pepi, he had a debut that was principally constructive, regardless of not being a part of a aim and the loss. He moved nicely and put himself in good positions a number of occasions. At one specific second, he was in a large open place for a comparatively simple end however his teammates have been unable to get him the ball. There was nothing, nonetheless, that confirmed this degree was past him and his minutes ought to solely enhance. Based mostly on this, he can be beginning earlier than too lengthy.

These groups are each in essential races this season. Hoffenheim is surprisingly in third place and is pushing for a Champions League spot. Richards has been an enormous a part of that. He’s on the membership on mortgage and may not be a part of a European marketing campaign subsequent yr ought to Bayern need him again. However both method, he’s persevering with to enhance right into a excessive degree participant with a membership pushing for a high 4 end within the Bundesliga.

Sadly for Pepi and Augsburg, they fell into the relegation playoff with the loss. Each sport is essential, and the membership spent lots on Pepi. He’s going to should be a part of the answer and falling into the two.Bundesliga can be unacceptable.

Adams sturdy in win

Tyler Adams obtained the beginning on Saturday for RB Leipzig towards Mainz and this sport turned in Leipzig’s favor within the nineteenth minute when Mainz was lowered to 10 gamers. From there, Leipzig was capable of simply management the sport, preserve possession, and pin Mainz deep.

Adams shifted extra right into a holding midfield position than a defensive midfielder. He was on the ball lots and was incessantly pushing the ball ahead to maintain up the stress. It labored and Adams was a part of the build-up to 2 of Leipzig’s objectives.

Leipzig 4-1 Mainz. Tyler Adams was stable on this one, though Mainz had a nineteenth minute crimson card and it was simple for Leipzig to manage the game- Adams had 99 touches and was 94/97 in passing, together with 3/4 together with his lengthy balls. He didn’t have to do a lot defending#USMNT

— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) January 8, 2022

Total, 99 touches and 97 passing makes an attempt simply highlighted that he was seeking to go each time he obtained on the ball. Sometimes this isn’t attainable in a 11v11 sport however Adams confirmed off his versatility on this sport to be helpful in a possession-dominated sport.

With the win, Leipzig moved into ninth place.

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— RB Leipzig English (@RBLeipzig_EN) January 8, 2022

McKennie and Juve cruise

Weston McKennie was additionally one of many American gamers who had weekend when he began and went the gap for Juventus in a wild 4-3 away win over Roma within the Italian capital.

McKennie, 23, like within the earlier sport for Juventus was clean on the ball and efficient in his passing. He continues to enhance after the distractions of being dismissed from the USMNT camp in September. He’s responded very nicely, and this was one other step.

Busio & Venezia overwhelmed

Venezia hosted Milan on Sunday with Gianluca Busio getting the beginning and Tanner Tessmann suspended for the sport. The previous Sporting Kansas Metropolis midfielder performed simply 79 minutes within the loss and left with Venezia down 3-0, which might be the ultimate rating.

Busio, 19, had some constructive moments and tried to assist Venezia in possession however Milan was merely a lot better in all areas of the sector. His passing is respectable however coping with the dimensions and power of many of the Milan midfielders was robust on him. Busio is getting examined in his first Serie A season and will probably be an in depth name in the event that they survive the season with out relegation. Venezia sit in seventeenth place, the primary protected spot, however have a 4 level cushion on 18th place Cagliari.

Remainder of Bundesliga

Within the Bundesliga, American supervisor Pellegrino Matarazzo might be disenchanted his Stuttgart staff couldn’t discover all three factors after a 0-0 draw with last-place Greuther Furth. With Augsburg’s loss, it was sufficient to maneuver into the ultimate automated survival place, however it ought to have been extra. Julian Inexperienced was a stoppage time sub for Greuther Furth, and his season continues to be disappointing as taking part in time has been scarce.

Timothy Chandler began for Eintracht Frankfurt in a 3-2 loss to Borussia Dortmund and was uncovered on Dortmund’s ultimate profitable aim. Regardless of that, it was a fairly good sport from Chandler who has performed extra this season than the earlier two.

Additionally on this sport, Gio Reyna didn’t make the bench for Borussia Dortmund regardless of reviews that he may return to the sector for the primary time since September.

John Brooks as soon as once more earned the beginning for a Wolfsburg staff which noticed its tailspin carry over into 2022 with a 1-0 loss to Bochum on Sunday. Brooks performed comparatively nicely on the left aspect of a three-man backline and wasn’t at fault for the one aim, however the loss was the sixth in a row for Wolfsburg within the Bundesliga and eighth in all competitions. It’s a large number and Wolfsburg is now simply two factors away from relegation.

La Liga

Matthew Hoppe returned to the sector for Mallorca for the primary time since October when he performed the ultimate 16 minutes in a really disappointing loss to last-place Levante. Hoppe, 20, solely had 4 touches within the sport however one among them was a key go that created a harmful probability when Mallorca was trailing 1-0. He additionally had a collision with the Levante keeper attempting to go for the ball. Levante, nonetheless, scored late.

For Hoppe, it was constructive for him to return to the sector. Whereas he didn’t do a lot, a loss to the league’s worst staff will open the door for the supervisor to make modifications.

On Sunday, Yunus Musah earned a uncommon begin for Valencia and it was in an unlimited stage because it was towards Actual Madrid at Estadio Bernabeu. Musah was given an open, free position the place he may roam the sector. He had a powerful begin and was spectacular together with his dribbling. However Actual Madrid took management of the sport and Musah light over the course of the primary half. Early within the second half, Actual Madrid took a 3-0 lead off a turnover from Musah. Musah was subbed out on the hour mark and Madrid received 4-1.

In his return from COVID, Matt Miazga additionally returned to the beginning lineup for Deportivo Alaves in a troublesome matchup at residence towards Athletic Bilbao. It was simply his second look since October 23. The scored ended 0-0 and Miazga did nicely defensively. The New Jersey native received 7/9 duels and had 4 clearances. His passing was simply 16/24 together with 1/5 together with his lengthy balls, however defensively the clear sheet was essential. The purpose moved Alaves inside a degree of security.

The FA Cup

A number of Individuals have been in motion within the FA Cup.

Christian Pulisic earned the beginning for Chelsea in a 5-1 romp over fifth-tier Chesterfield. The Hershey native had an help and was 11/11 in passing. Total he was harmful towards the overmatched opponent and performed nicely.

Josh Sargent obtained the beginning for Norwich towards Charlton Athletic of third-tier League One. After taking part in out of place at proper wing in current video games, Sargent obtained the beginning on the No. 9 place however nonetheless struggled in his 85 minutes. Norwich received 1-0 however didn’t impress or give a convincing reply that it was able to climbing out of the relegation gap within the Premier League.

Zack Steffen obtained the beginning for Manchester Metropolis in a 4-1 win over Swindon City and will have completed higher on Swindon City’s aim when he was overwhelmed on the close to put up.

Duane Holmes got here into Huddersfield City’s 2-1 win over Burnley within the 59th minute. On the time, it was Huddersfield was trailing however Holmes helped within the build-up to the equalizing aim. It was outing for Holmes who has seen his profession come again to life in current months for Huddersfield.

Neither Tim Ream nor Antonee Robinson obtained off the bench for Fulham in a 1-0 away win over Bristol. The identical could possibly be mentioned for Ethan Horvath who watched Nottingham Forest put up a 1-0 win over Arsenal.

Elsewhere in Europe

In Portugal, Reggie Cannon struggled for Boavista in a 1-1 draw with Tondela and was partially out fault for the Tondela aim. Alex Mendez obtained the beginning and performed nicely for Vizela however his staff nonetheless dropped a 1-0 loss to Moreirense. U.S. U-20 eligible Alejandro Alvarado additionally performed the ultimate 4 minutes for Vizela.

In Turkey, it was a troublesome weekend for Individuals. Tyler Boyd began and struggled for Rizespor in a 2-2 draw together with his mother or father membership Besiktas. The New Zealand-born American winger performed 60 minutes and left together with his staff down 2-1. Rizespor nonetheless sits in nineteenth place and within the relegation zone. Haji Wright began and performed the ultimate 27 minutes for Antalyaspor in a 4-0 loss to Goztepe. Each groups sit simply above the relegation line. In the meantime, DeAndre Yedlin didn’t get off the bench for Galatasaray in a 1-0 loss to Giresunspor.

 Lastly in Greece, former FC Cincinnati midfielder/defender Caleb Stanko made his debut for PAS Giannina within the Greek Tremendous League when he performed your entire second half in central midfield of a 1-1 draw with OFI Crete. Giannina almost had a win however conceded a stoppage time equalizer.