It's time again for a monthly check-up on all the players scattered around the globe who got their start in Major League Soccer or a club academy, a group still needing several doses of health.
Injuries have slowed the likes of Geoff Cameron, Omar Gonzalez and Weston McKennie in recent weeks, but some guy named Landon Donovan did enjoy a winning Leon debut south of the border.
England
<p><strong>Geoff Cameron</strong><br>
HOU: 2008-12</p> |
<p>Due to some hamstring troubles, the US national team veteran has been in and out of action for the last few weeks. However, the real news here came from the local <em>Sentinel</em>, which reported that Stoke City rejected late transfer window offers from Crystal Palace (twice rejected, actually), Newcastle and West Ham United to keep Cameron for their relegation battle.</p> |
<p><strong>DeAndre Yedlin</strong><br>
SEA: 2013-14</p> |
<p>On Saturday, the US right back went the distance as Newcastle logged a big 1-0 triumph over Manchester United. The club's first win over the Red Devils since 2013 lifted them to 13th place, two points above the Premier League danger line.</p> |
<p><strong>Emerson Hyndman</strong><br>
DAL Academy</p> |
<p>There were rumors that Hyndman could head out on loan in January, including reports of MLS options. The young midfielder remained with Bournemouth, however, and hasn't played since an FA Cup outing over a month ago.</p> |
Ream | Reuters Action Images
<p><strong>Tim Ream</strong><br>
RBNY: 2010-11</p> |
<p>The veteran defender has spent his time since our last update helping Fulham extend their unbeaten Championship run to 11 games (8-0-3, with but nine goals allowed). Often dinged for his aerial prowess, the Cottagers mainstay has averaged seven clearances per game during their bulletproof streak. The surge has Ream & Co. in possession of a promotion playoff spot with 13 games left on the schedule.</p> |
<p><strong>Matthew Olosunde</strong><br>
NY Academy</p> |
<p>The Red Devils right back prospect is becoming quite the handyman. After taking his last two shifts at left back, Olosunde has now started at four positions for the ManU reserves this term. Unfortunately, the team has not won since October.</p> |
Germany
<p><strong>Weston McKennie</strong><br>
DAL Academy</p> |
<p>Shortly after our last check-in, the Schalke talent was sidelined by a small MCL rupture in his knee that was expected to keep him out for six weeks. McKennie has just resumed running and light workouts on the side, so he looks to be on target for an early March return. The Miners have stumbled a little in his absence, going 2-2-0 since the injury, but still hold the Bundesliga’s last Europa League slot.</p> |
<p><strong>Carlos Salcedo</strong><br>
RSL: 2013-14</p> |
<p>These are exciting times for the Mexico center back and loan employers Eintracht Frankfurt. The Eagles (who did make one European Cup appearance, finishing as runners up back in 1960) are hunting for their first ever UEFA Champions League invite. Salcedo has locked down a starting role in the Bundesliga's second-stingiest defense, which has helped key a 5-1-2 run up to third place.</p> |
Mexico
<p><strong>Omar Gonzalez</strong><br>
LA: 2009-15</p> |
<p>The Pachuca center back returned from several weeks on the shelf to work the full 90 in Wednesday's 1-0 Copa MX blanking of second-flight Celaya.</p> |
<p><strong>Rogelio Funes Mori</strong><br>
DAL Academy</p> |
<p>After going a few games without a goal in mid-to-late January, the Monterrey forward has hit twice in the last four matches. The team, however, are winless in three and down to seventh place in the Clausura table.</p> |
<p><strong>Landon Donovan</strong><br>
SJ: 2001-04<br>
LAG: 2005-14, 2016</p> |
<p>The MLS and USMNT legend made his Club Leon debut with a seven-minute cameo in their win over Puebla two weeks ago. Donovan made his Copa MX bow on Tuesday, working the final half-hour as <em>La Fiera</em> moved to the top of their group by routing second-tier Tapachula.</p> |
<p><strong>Kekuta Manneh</strong><br>
VAN: 2013-17<br>
CLB: 2017</p> |
<p>While Manneh is still awaiting his league debut, the Pachuca speedster has made three straight starts totalling 220 minutes in their Copa MX games.</p> |
<p><strong>Rafael Baca</strong><br>
SJ: 2011-14</p> |
<p>Times are tough these days for Baca and Cruz Azul, who haven't won since the defensive midfielder's blast toppled Chivas nearly six weeks ago. He was booted for drawing a pair of yellow cards three rounds ago at Atlas, who found a winner moments after he left, and was pulled at the break in last weekend's Puebla draw.</p> |
<p><strong>Jorge Villafaña</strong><br>
CHV: 2007-13<br>
POR: 2014-15</p> |
<p>The US defender is back in the good graces at Santos Laguna. Villafaña has gotten the left back call in every game of a 3-1-2 run that has the team two points off the top.</p> |
<p><strong>Lalo Fernandez</strong><br>
RSL: 2012-17</p> |
<p>The No. 2 netminder for mighty Tigres is still working toward his first taste of action in Mexico.</p> |
<p><strong>Marco Bustos</strong><br>
VAN: 2013-present</p> |
<p>The Whitecaps loanee has now made two short sub appearances for an up-and-down Zacatepec side suddenly just one point away from the better half of the second-flight table.</p> |
Spain
<p><strong>Ballou Tabla</strong><br>
MTL academy</p> |
<p>The new arrival has hit the ground running with Barcelona B, where he's pulled a couple of quick cameo appearances for the second-flight scrappers. On Tuesday, Tabla made a 67-minute start for the <em>Blaugrana</em>'s Under-19 side in a 1-0 UEFA Youth League win that ousted hosts Paris Saint-Germain from the competition.</p> |
Netherlands
Miazga | Reuters/Pascal Rossignol
<p><strong>Matt Miazga</strong><br>
NY: 2013-15</p> |
<p>It's been an eventful spell for the normally inked-in Vitesse center back. Upon returning from a yellow-card ban against Heerenveen on January 20, <a href="https://twitter.com/amadoit__/status/961313332711084032" target="_blank">Miazga committed an (ahem) "extracurricular grab"</a> on an opposing forward that drew a fine from the club. He began this month by nodding in the opener in a 2-0 win over Groningen. After helping his loan employers stroll past defending champs Feyenoord on Feb. 11, the US defender missed out on Saturday's home defeat against Excelsior due to a flu bug.</p> |
<p><strong>Shane O'Neill</strong><br>
COL: 2012-15</p> |
<p>The Excelsior defender returned to the selection from an abdominal injury four weeks ago, but has watched the last six Eredivisie games from the bench. His club are on a decent 3-3-2 run that has them 12 points clear of the drop zone.</p> |
Belgium
<p><strong>Andy Najar</strong><br>
DC: 2010-12</p> |
<p>Though Anderlecht's Honduras international stressed that he will not rush back from hamstring surgery, he did recently tell homeland paper <em>Diez </em>that he hopes to return in time to make a few appearances late in the season.</p> |
<p><strong>Erik Palmer-Brown</strong><br>
SKC: 2009-17</p> |
<p>The latest American to get a look at the Jupiler League is just beginning a Kortrijk loan from Manchester City. Palmer-Brown made the sub's bench for the first time this past weekend, but give him time to earn some minutes. His fifth-place side are in the thick of a fight for their first-ever European berth and have posted three league clean sheets in a row.</p> |
Denmark
<p><strong>Bill Hamid</strong><br>
DC: 2009-17</p> |
<p>With Superliga leaders FC Midtjylland enjoying a 12-0-1 run, the new arrival is waiting his turn. You may be wondering: When is the Wolves' next Danish Cup match, which could certainly offer Hamid a chance to play? That would be Apr. 4, away to Emmanuel Sabbi's Hobro.</p> |
Guatemala
<p><strong>Moises Hernandez</strong><br>
DAL: 2011-16</p> |
<p>The El Salvador international remains the left back of choice at Comunicaciones, who are off to a roller coaster 3-3-2 start in the Clausura season.</p> |
Israel
<p><strong>Aaron Schoenfeld</strong><br>
CLB: 2012-15</p> |
<p>Though the striker is now fit, minutes are still hard to come by for title chasers Maccabi Tel Aviv, with his last appearance coming in the form of a 22-minute sub shift in a victory over Ligat Ha'Al holders Haoel Beer Sheva on Feb. 4. The club did fall off the summit this past weekend, landing in third after a galling 1-0 home loss to strugglers Hapoel Ra'anana, a result that could shake loose some playing time for Schoenfeld.</p> |
<p><strong>Michael Seaton</strong><br>
DC: 2013-15<br>
POR: 2015-16</p> |
<p>The young Jamaican forward is still chasing his first goal of the term after 847 minutes spread across 15 outings for second-flight middlers Maccabi Ahi Nazareth.</p> |
Norway
Adekugbe | USA Today Images
<p><strong>Sam Adekugbe</strong><br>
VAN: 2013-17</p> |
<p>The Valerenga left back is training with his new teammates in sunny Spain ahead of their March 12 Tippeligaen opener.</p> |
Romania
<p><strong>Anatole Abang</strong><br>
NY: 2015-16</p> |
<p>A knock kept the striker out of Astra Giurgiu's first two games out of the winter break, but he was back in the lineup when they dropped a close one to league leaders Cluj last Saturday.</p> |
Scotland
<p><strong>Andy Rose</strong><br>
SEA: 2012-15</p> |
<p>In part thanks to the former Sounders midfielder, Motherwell have stopped the bleeding since our last update. On January 24, his feed resulted in an insurance own goal as the Fir Park crew beat Ross County to snap an eight-game win drought. Two rounds back, Rose set up the winner against St. Johnstone. He also recently helped the Steelmen advance in the Scottish Cup; with a semifinal place on the line, they'll host Hearts on March 4.</p> |
Sweden
<p><strong>Romain Gall</strong><br>
CLB: 2014-15</p> |
<p>The Sundsvall winger began the new campaign in fine fashion, as his cool cracker from the top of the box stood up as the 4-2 winner in Saturday's Svenska Cupen group stage opener against mites Norrby. Dating back to the 2017 season, Gall has three goals in his last seven games.</p> |
Turkey
<p><strong>Fabian Castillo</strong><br>
DAL: 2011-16</p> |
<p>Directly following his recovery from the flu, Castillo sat Trabzonspor's first three matches coming out of the Super Lig's winter pause because of knee troubles. He returned with a 33-minute outing on February 10, and got another short shift as the club suffered their first loss in 13 games against second-place Istanbul Basaksehir this past weekend.</p> |
Larin | USA Today Images
<p><strong>Cyle Larin</strong><br>
DAL: 2015-17</p> |
<p>While the newly-arrived Besiktas striker did make the bench for a cup win over Genclerbirligi that clinched their semifinal place two weeks ago, he has some catching up to do to make the rotation. Larin is still in preseason form, while the Black Eagles are in the heat of a title race and unbeaten in five league games.</p> |
Poland
<p><strong>Brian Iloski</strong><br>
LA academy</p> |
<p>The 22-year-old midfielder was drafted by Colorado last month, but opted last week to ink a two-year deal to join table-topping Ekstraklasa holders Legia Warsaw.</p> |
