Malik Tillman and Gio Reina Is an attacking midfielder in the Bundesliga. Both are 23 years old. Over the years, they’ve watched their U.S. National Team stock rise and fall like an elevator. Both have high expectations for the World Cup.
There is a coach Mauricio PochettinoWith less than four months until roster decisions are made, Tillman and Lehner find themselves on different paths.
advertise
January ended with Tillmann scoring in Leverkusen’s 3-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt – three days after scoring twice in the Champions League.
Meanwhile, Reina was ruled out for a second consecutive weekend with a muscle problem, ending a month-long absence. Before the injury, he had only played 26 minutes for Monchengladbach since returning from the Bundesliga winter break.
This is a crucial moment for players vying for a World Cup roster spot. The club circuit was even better. Players not only need to consolidate playing time, but also perform well on the field. Pochettino and his staff are watching closely.
The next benchmark will come in six weeks’ time, when Pochettino selects his squad for heavyweight friendlies against Belgium and Portugal in Atlanta – the final training camp before announcing a 26-man World Cup squad at the end of May.
advertise
Tillman and Lehner are likely to advance this summer. Tillman’s current form proves what he can bring to the national team, while Reyna has also performed well in his long-awaited return to the U.S. program in November.
Injuries and limited playing time have slowed Gio Reina’s momentum at Monchengladbach.
(Rene Nijhuis/MB Media via Getty Images)
Of course, Pochettino wants to see both improve ahead of the World Cup. For now, only Tillman is improving his game.
“He didn’t have the consistency we expected, but he’s a player who didn’t have consistent minutes but he came to us in November and performed at a very good level,” Pochettino said of Reina. “It’s a similar situation 1770048324. We will consider him when we make a decision in March and for the World Cup. “
advertise
Over the weekend, Tillmann was confident and performed well on the ball, scoring in the 33rd minute for his fourth and sixth goal in the Bundesliga.
In his first season at Leverkusen, Tillman missed several weeks with a hamstring injury in the fall – a setback at U.S. training camp in October caused him to miss Team USA games in November. Since his return, he has made 11 starts in all competitions, including Wednesday’s Champions League tie against Villarreal.
“It’s time for me to score more often,” Tillman said.
Instead, Reina remains in the shadow of Monchengladbach. He has started four times and been a substitute four times since U.S. training camp in November. Overall, he made 13 appearances and 399 minutes in the Bundesliga, including four starts, with no goals and no assists.
advertise
Elsewhere in Germany, centre-back Noah Kay Bank Returning from a yellow card suspension, he made his 14th Bundesliga start in four months, playing 90 minutes in Augsburg’s 2-1 comeback victory over second-bottom St. Pauli. midfield James Sands St. Pauli are on a six-match winless streak.
full back Joe Scully (17th start) Played 84 minutes in Monchengladbach’s 1-1 draw with Werder Bremen.
Because of a calf injury, the forward Damien Downes Missed Hamburg’s 2-2 home draw with top-ranked Bayern Munich.
In the second division, left wing John Tolkien This was his 18th start in Kielholstein’s 2-1 home defeat to bottom side Greiser Fürth.
advertise
England
forward Patrick AgyemanIn his first season at Derby, his 66th-minute header in a 5-0 win over Bristol City was his third goal in four games and ninth in League Two. He ranks second on the team in scoring.
The seventh-placed Rams are unbeaten in four games and are two points behind Wrexham for the final playoff spot. It’s been 18 years since they last played in the Premier League.
Coventry striker: Americans in English Championship go in opposite directions at club Haji Wright and Middlesbrough midfielder Aidan Morris.
advertise
After losing the lead in the second half, Coventry lost 2-1 to Queens Park Rangers and moved level on points with Middlesbrough, who beat struggling Norwich City 1-0. Although all three clubs are competing for a spot in the Premier League, both clubs have maintained their pace of promotion.
Wright came on in the 71st minute as Coventry moved to 2-4-1 in seven games. Morris has played 90 games for Middlesbrough, who have won five games in a row and are back in the top flight for the first time since 2017.
left back Anthony Robinson Fulham played a heartbreaking 71 minutes in their 3-2 loss to Manchester United as eighth-placed Cottagers overcame a late two-goal deficit.
crystal palace center back chris richards (90 minutes into his 20th Premier League start) was part of a 1-1 draw with 10-man Nottingham Forest – a result that ended a three-game losing streak in all competitions but extended the winless drought to 12 games. They have not won a game in the league since December 7 and have dropped to 15th place.
advertise
midfield Brenden Aronson (This was his 17th Premier League start, 71st minute) Leeds United had a record of 4-1-6 in all competitions, but was ultimately defeated 4-0 at home by leading Arsenal.
Italy
Few American players have enjoyed a better winter than midfielders Weston McEnanyHis outstanding performance continued in Juventus’ 4-1 win over Parma with goals and an undoubted influence at the heart of the midfield.
McKennie (74′) scored with a beautiful side volley in the 33rd minute – his fourth goal in eight games in all competitions – and hit the crossbar with a header in the second half. Fourth-ranked Juventus has an overall record of 14 wins, 2 draws and 5 losses since October 29, one point behind Napoli and two points behind AC Milan.
Gazzetta dello Sport gave McKennie high praise and said he was “still outstanding.”
advertise
After making a rare start in the Champions League in midweek, the midfielder Yunus Musa He remained on the bench in Atalanta’s 0-0 draw with Como, his second consecutive Serie A absence. He has only started three league games all season.
forward Christian Pulisic AC Milan have the weekend off ahead of Tuesday’s game against Bologna.
In the second division, the goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann Cesena, ranked sixth, continued to lose ground in the promotion battle, losing 1-3 to Avellino, and its record continued to 1-4-1.
France
forward Folarin BalogunMourinho’s goal tally dropped to five – eight in nine games – but he provided a 33rd-minute assist in Monaco’s 4-0 win over Rennes.
advertise
winger Tim Weah He played 80 minutes in third-place Marseille’s 2-2 draw with Paris Saint-Germain ahead of next Sunday’s match against Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain.
and Tanner Tesman Lyon, sitting in the midfield, beat Lille 1-0, winning ten consecutive games in all competitions and tying with Marseille, which leads the team on goal difference.
defender Mark McKenzie This is the 15th time in 18 league games that he has played the full 90 minutes. Toulouse drew 0-0 at home with Auxerre and kept a clean sheet for the second consecutive game.
Spain
midfield Johnny Cardozo Starting his third consecutive La Liga game, third-placed Atletico Madrid drew 0-0 with Levante to extend their unbeaten run in the league to six games (4-0-2).
advertise
Days after his move from Orlando City was completed, the right-back Alex Freeman He wore the team uniform but did not play in Villarreal’s 2-2 draw with Osasuna.
Netherlands
In battle of top Eredivisie clubs, right-back Sergino Dest The first-ranked PSV team played for 73 minutes and defeated the second-ranked Feyenoord 3-0. The record improved to 18 wins, 1 draw and 2 losses, with a goal difference of +39. PSV striker Riccardo Pepi Broken forearm, still out.
Scotland
In the Premier League, a centre-back Alston ReliableThe red card suspension saw him attend Celtic’s 2-0 win over Falkirk. He has performed well in the Europa League recently, scoring goals in consecutive games.
advertise
Mexico
Mexican Primera Division, winger Alex Zendejas He resumed training last week but is still missing from the Club America squad. He has not played since November 29 due to a muscle injury, the club’s early elimination from the Apertura playoffs and the winter break.