Bayern Munich has opened an 18-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga after registering its eighth straight league victory with a 2-0 result against Mainz on Saturday, and it was Colombian attacker James Rodriguez again proving the side’s talisman with his second goal in three matches.
It took just 34 minutes for new boy Michy Batshuayi to get his first goal for Borussia Dortmund. Fullback Jeremy Toljan, who is eligible to play for the USA, Germany and Croatia at the senior national level (please pick the USA, Jeremy) supplied the assist.
That didn't take long. It's a debut goal for Michy Batshuayi! Dortmund lead 1-0. #KOEBVB https://t.co/zU6cIysBKj
Nominated for the Bundesliga’s January Goal of the Month, we’d be surprised if this stunning free kick from Wolfsburg’s Max Arnold doesn’t win — although Bayer Leverkusen’s Leon Bailey scored a couple cracks as well. Watching this goal in real-time, your first instinct is to be absolutely convinced that it took a deflection.
I don’t know about you, but a goal like this always brings me back to Thierry Henry’s 2004 effort for Arsenal against Charlton Athletic. It’s the rudest of finishes, and it’s the mark of a true libertine.
Morning all. On this day in 2004 @ThierryHenry scored this goal against Charlton Athletic… http://t.co/z9i0VD7naohttps://t.co/JRJ5SQRpHu
Amidst an influx of impressive young talent coming to Major League Soccer from South America, the Bundesliga is raiding the U.S. for young players. So while American teenagers may not be having any luck breaking into lineups at home, they’re finding more opportunities in the league of the world champions. To steal a line from Taylor Twellman, what are we doing?
James Rodriguez welcomed the Bundesliga back from its winter break with a sublime piece of accuracy, an exquisite free kick to cap off Bayern Munich’s 3-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen on Friday. With the Munich holding a one-goal lead heading into stoppage time, the reigning German champions got a little bit of wiggle room thanks to the James Rodriguez free kick goal.
A thing of beauty from James Rodriguez! https://t.co/BB0LH6bjvT
The fallout to the Jonathan Gonzalez switch from the U.S. to Mexico has been immense. We’ve covered it here and here. Simply put: The U.S. appears to be failing in its pursuit of identifying and recruiting Mexican-Americans to compete for the national team. But the possibility of a Timothy Tillman switch is proof U.S.
American teenager Weston McKennie entered a friendly match for Schalke against Genk at halftime on Sunday. That’s completely normal — the midfielder made 14 Bundesliga appearances in the first half of league play. What was abnormal was the position McKennie played for the entirety of the second half: center back.
McKennie, 19, replaced 35-year-old Brazilian Naldo at the heart of Schalke’s three-man defense. And although Genk scored a late consolation, McKennie impressed in a 2-1 victory for the Germans over the Belgians in Spain.