MNT Rewind: Andrija Novakovich Scores vs. PSV Eindhoven in Home Debut

MNT forward Andrija Novakovich opened his Eredivisie account for Fortuna Sittard against reigning Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven this weekend
By: Jeff Crandall
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Just weeks away from the beginning of the MNT’s fall Kickoff Series, U.S. players at home and abroad were hard at work making their case for inclusion to face a Neymar-led Brazil roster on Sept. 7 in East Rutherford, N.J.

Here’s a rundown of how MNT players fared for their clubs the last seven days:

In Europe, forward Andrija Novakovich tallied in his home debut for Dutch side Fortuna Sittard in their 2-1 defeat to PSV. After the visitors failed to clear the ball out of their attacking third, Novakovich got on the end of a header from teammate Jorrit Smeets and fought off two PSV defenders in the area before finishing past Jeoren Zoet in the 61st minute. The goal looked like it would secure Fortuna a valuable point against the defending league champions until they conceded in the 90th minute in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat.

WATCH: Novakovich Tallies First Goal for Fortuna Sittard

Three MNT players found the back of the net in MLS play this past week. On Tuesday, midfielder Sebastian Lletget recorded his third goal of the season and second in as many games when he finished past Tim Howard in the 77th minute of the LA Galaxy’s 2-2 draw with Colorado Rapids.

On the weekend, Cristian Roldan also tallied his third of the season, finishing off a nice bit of passing between Nicolas Lodeiro and Harry Shipp to bury the fourth goal for Seattle Sounders FC in a 5-0 thrashing of the LA Galaxy.

On Sunday, Gyasi Zardes extended his fantastic form in the first season with Columbus, tallying Crew SC’s lone strike in a 3-1 defeat at Atlanta United FC. Trailing 1-0 just after halftime, Zardes collected a pass from Wil Trapp before unleashing a lethal effort from distance past Brad Guzan in the 50th minute. Leading all U.S.-eligible MLS goal scorers with 15 this season, the strike brings the veteran MNT attacker within one of his career season best, achieved during his 2014 campaign with the LA Galaxy.

North of the border, the MNT’s Toronto FC contingent played a big role in the Reds winning a third-straight Canadian Cup. Jozy Altidore hit home his first career hat trick for TFC, while Marky Delgado added two assists and Michael Bradley provided another in a 5-2 win against Vancouver Whitecaps FC in Wednesday’s second leg of the Final.

Back in Vancouver, rising MNT midfielder Tyler Adams was credited with a pair of assists on both New York Red Bulls’ goals in their 2-2 draw at Whitecaps FC on Saturday. Adams accounted for the second assist on Daniel Royer’s opening strike to give New York a 1-0 lead in the fifth minute. With Red Bull trailing 2-1 late, Adams then expertly served up a free kick from the left for Royer, who rescued the 2-2 draw for New York in the 90th minute.

Adams now has seven assists across all competition for the Red Bulls this season.

Finally, Paul Arriola added his sixth assist of the 2018 campaign to help D.C. United to a 2-0 win against New England Revolution and the club’s third league victory in the span of a week. Arriola juked a defender in the box on the right before crossing for Luciano Acosta at the back post to give D.C. an early 13th minute lead.

Other notes from the past week:

  • Bobby Wood made his competitive debut for Hannover 96, coming off the bench in the 65th minute and providing an assist in the club’s 6-0 DFB Pokal First Round rout of Karlsruher.
  • Weston McKennie (Schalke) and John Brooks (Wolfsburg) each went the full 90 minutes in their clubs’ DFB Pokal First Round victories against Schweinfurt and Elversburg, respectively.
  • On loan from Chelsea, center back Matt Miazga made his debut for French Ligue 1 side Nantes in the 2-0 defeat at Dijon.
  • Tim Weah started his first league match of the season, going the first 45 minutes in PSG’s 3-1 victory against Guingamp.
  • After a long layoff with a broken leg, Danny Williams returned to the matchday squad for Huddersfield Town in their defeat to Manchester City.

A full rundown of how MNT players performed for their clubs this past week:

Kellyn Acosta (Colorado Rapids) – 50 minutes in 2-2 draw at LA Galaxy (Aug. 14); 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at LAFC (Aug. 19)
Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls) – 90 minutes, TWO ASSISTS in 2-2 draw at Vancouver Whitecaps FC (Aug. 18)
Juan Agudelo – 45 minutes in 2-0 loss at D.C. United (Aug. 19)
Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC) – 90 minutes, THREE GOALS in 5-2 Canadian Cup Second Leg Final win vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (Aug. 15)
Paul Arriola (D.C. United) – 90 minutes in 4-1 win vs. Portland Timbers (Aug. 15); 60 minutes, ASSIST in 2-0 win vs. New England Revolution (Aug. 19)
Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union) – 90 minutes in 2-0 win vs. New York City FC (Aug. 18)
Matt Besler (Sporting KC) – 90 minutes, ASSIST in 3-0 win vs. Portland Timbers (Aug. 18)
Alex Bono (Toronto FC) – 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at San Jose Earthquakes (Aug. 18)
Michael Bradley (Toronto FC) – 90 minutes, ASSIST in 5-2 Canadian Cup Second Leg Final win vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (Aug. 15); 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at San Jose Earthquakes (Aug. 18)
John Brooks (Wolfsburg) – 90 minutes in 1-0 DFB Pokal First Round win at Elversberg (Aug. 18)
Joe Corona (Club América) – 90 minutes in 3-0 Copa MX win at Veracruz (Aug. 14)
Marky Delgado (Toronto FC) - 90 minutes, TWO ASSISTS in 5-2 Canadian Cup Second Leg Final win vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (Aug. 15); 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at San Jose Earthquakes (Aug. 18)
Omar Gonzalez (Atlas) – 90 minutes in 1-0 loss vs. Morelia (Aug. 17)
Lynden Gooch (Sunderland) – 90 minutes, ASSIST in 3-0 win at Scunthorpe United (Aug. 19)
Brad Guzan (Atlanta United FC) – 90 minutes in 3-1 win vs. Columbus Crew SC (Aug. 19)
Julian Green (Greuther Fürth) – Monday, August 20 DFB Pokal First Round vs. Borussia Dortmund (2:40 p.m. ET – ESPN3)
Bill Hamid (D.C. United) - 90 minutes in 4-1 win vs. Portland Timbers (Aug. 15); 90 minutes in 2-0 win vs. New England Revolution (Aug. 19)
Matt Hedges (FC Dallas) – 90 minutes in 2-0 win vs. Minnesota United FC (Aug. 18)
Emerson Hyndman (Hibernian) – 50 substitute minutes in 3-0 UEFA Europa League Qualifying match at Molde (Aug. 16); 64 minutes in 3-2 Scottish League Cup win vs. Ross County (Aug. 19)
Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy) – 90 minutes, GOAL in 2-2 draw vs. Colorado Rapids (Aug. 14); 63 minutes in 5-0 loss at Seattle Sounders FC (Aug. 18)
Eric Lichaj (Hull City) – 90 minutes in 1-0 loss vs. Blackburn Rovers (Aug. 18)
Kekuta Manneh (St. Gallen) - 26 substitute minutes in 6-0 Swiss Cup win at Ueberstorf (Aug. 19)
Dax McCarty (Chicago Fire) – 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at Montreal Impact (Aug. 18)
Weston McKennie (Schalke) – 90 minutes in 2-0 DFB Pokal First Round win at Schweinfurt (Aug. 17)
Matt Miazga (Nantes) – 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at Dijon (Aug. 18)
Alfredo Morales (Fortuna Dusseldorf) – 32 substitute minutes in 5-0 DFB Pokal First Round win at TuS Koblenz (Aug. 19)
Justin Morrow (Toronto FC) - 90 minutes in 5-2 Canadian Cup Second Leg Final win vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (Aug. 15); 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at San Jose Earthquakes (Aug. 18)
Andrija Novakovich (Fortuna Sittard) – 90 minutes, GOAL in 2-1 loss vs. PSV Eindhoven (Aug. 18)
Michael Orozco (Lobos BUAP) – 90 minutes in 3-0 loss at Pachuca (Aug. 18)
Tim Parker (New York Red Bulls) – 90 minutes in 2-2 draw at Vancouver Whitecaps (Aug. 18)
Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund) – Monday, August 20 DFB Pokal First Round at Greuther Fürth (2:40 p.m. ET – ESPN3)
Antonee Robinson (Wigan Athletic) – 90 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Nottingham Forest (Aug. 18)
Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC) – 90 minutes, GOAL in 5-0 win vs. LA Galaxy (Aug. 18)
Rubio Rubin (Tijuana) – 75 minutes in 3-1 Copa MX win vs. Juárez (Aug. 15)
CJ Sapong (Philadelphia Union) – 90 minutes in 2-0 win vs. New York City FC (Aug. 18)
Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen II) – 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. LSK Hansa (Aug. 19)
Zack Steffen (Columbus Crew SC) – 90 minutes in 3-1 loss at Atlanta United FC (Aug. 19)
Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC) – 90 minutes in 3-1 loss at Atlanta United FC (Aug. 19)
Tim Weah (Paris Saint-Germain) – 45 minutes in 3-1 win at Guingamp (Aug. 18)
Bobby Wood (Hannover 96) – 25 substitute minutes, ASSIST in 5-0 DFB Pokal First Round win at Karlsruher (Aug. 19)
Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew SC) – 90 minutes, GOAL in 3-1 loss at Atlanta United FC (Aug. 19)
Graham Zusi (Sporting KC) – 90 minutes in 3-0 win vs. Portland Timbers (Aug. 18)

Injured/Did Not Play

Geoff Cameron (Stoke City) Not in 18 for 2-2 draw at Preston North End (Aug. 18)
Cameron Carter-Vickers (Tottenham Hotspur) – Groin Injury; Not in 18 for 3-1 win vs. Fulham (Aug. 18)
Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt) – Knee Surgery; Not in 18 for 2-1 DFB Pokal First Round defeat at Ulm (Aug. 18)
Ethan Horvath (Club Brugge) – In 18, DNP in 1-1 draw at Royal Antwerp (Aug. 19)
Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach) In 18, DNP in 11-1 DFB Pokal First Round win at Hastedt (Aug. 19)
Aron Johannsson (Werder Bremen) – Injured; Not in 18 for 6-1 DFB Pokal First Round win at Wormatia Worms (Aug. 18)
Shaq Moore (Reus Deportiu) – Suspended; Not in 18 for 2-0 loss at Las Palmas (Aug. 19)
Darlington Nagbe (Atlanta United FC) – Right adductor injury; Not in 18 for 3-1 win vs. Columbus Crew SC (Aug. 19)
Erik Palmer-Brown (NAC Breda) – In 18, DNP in 3-0 win vs. De Graafschap (Aug. 18)
Tim Ream (Fulham) – Injured; Not in 18 for 3-1 loss at Tottenham Hotspur (Aug. 18)
Kelyn Rowe (New England Revolution) – In 18, DNP in 2-0 loss at D.C. United (Aug. 19)
Kenny Saief (Anderlecht) – Injured; Not in 18 for 2-0 win vs. Royal Excelsior Mouscron (Aug. 17)
Jorge Villafaña (Portland Timbers) – Injured; Not in 18 for 4-1 loss at D.C. United (Aug. 15); Not in 18 for 3-0 loss at Sporting KC (Aug. 18)
Danny Williams (Huddersfield Town) – In 18, DNP in 6-1 loss at Manchester City (Aug. 19)
DeAndre Yedlin (Newcastle United) – Injured; Not in 18 for 0-0 draw at Cardiff City (Aug. 18)
Walker Zimmerman (LAFC) – In 18, DNP in 2-0 win vs. Colorado Rapids (Aug. 19)

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