USMNT Rewind: First Timer Alejandro Zendejas Delivers Goal And Assist For Club América Before Arriving In January Camp

Two U.S. Men's National Team players grabbed some headlines this past weekend with a pair of golazos while a third continued to fill the net for his side.

Alejandro Zendejas celebrated his first call-up to the USMNT with a game to remember for Club America in Mexico.

In his first game back after the World Cup, Gio Reyna came off the bench to score a spectacular game-winner for Borussia Dortmund.

And Josh Sargent hit double digits in goals in a season for the first time in his career for Norwich City in England.

GOLAZO NO. 1

Before joining the USMNT on Sunday morning in Carson, Calif., Alejandro Zendejas assisted on Club America's first goal and tallied on the second in its 2-2 draw with Pubela on Saturday, Jan. 21.

The 24-year-old sent a cross into the penalty area for Henry Martín, who chested the ball past goalkeeper Antony Silva and into the net for a 1-0 lead in the 38th minute. After the visitors equalized, Zendejas pushed Club America into a 2-1 advantage in the 67th minute as he volleyed home a Salvador Reyes feed off the bounce with his left foot inside the far post from 15 yards. It was his eighth goal this Liga MX season.

 

 

Zendejas, who has scored 24 goals in 98 league matches, also came close in connecting for a brilliant game-winner his 25-yard shot hit the post in the 70th minute.

Less than 24 hours later on Sunday, Zendejas journeyed to Los Angeles to join the USMNT training camp in Los Angeles for the team's first match of the new year, against Serbia at BMO Stadium on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET; HBO Max, Peacock, UNIVERSO). Zendejas will return to Club America to continue the Liga MX campaign following Wednesday’s match.

GOLAZO NO. 2

Gio Reyna scored just as memorable a goal for Borussia Dortmund.

Only eight minutes after coming on, he delivered a spectacular game winner in the 78th minute to boost Borussia Dortmund to a 4-3 triumph over Augsburg as the Bundesliga resumed on Sunday, Jan. 22.

 

 

On the right flank, the 20-year-old Reyna received the ball at the corner of the box and powered the ball into the far side of the net.

It was Reyna's third goal in 11 appearances and 383 minutes for Dortmund this season.

GOAL NO. 10

Moved to center forward, Josh Sargent helped Norwich City to a 3-0 lead after 18 minutes as the side held on for a 4-2 victory over host Coventry City in the English Championship on Saturday, Jan. 21.

Sargent put Teemu Pukki's pull-back pass past goalkeeper Ben Wilson for his 10th goal of the campaign, the first time he hit double figures as a pro in a six-year career that includes four seasons with Werder Bremen (Germany) and two with Norwich City.

 

 

The 22-year-old forward is tied with six other players for fifth place in league goal-scoring. Middlesbrough's Chuba Akpom is the leader with 13 goals.

The Canaries (12-10-6, 42 points) climbed to fifth place in the Championship table.

FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING

In his first appearance since Oct. 22, Kevin Paredes registered his first Bundesliga assist in Wolfsburg's 6-0 victory over Freiburg on Saturday, Jan. 21. After entering the match in the 68th minute, the former D.C. United homegrown player send a cross into the box to Ridle Baku, who scored in the 80th minute for a 5-0 margin.

In other assists last week:

• Ricardo Pepi appeared to have mis-hit his shot, but the ball went to Florian Kruger, who scored the equalizer in the 40th minute of Groningen's 3-1 away loss at Heerenveen on Sunday, Jan. 22. The former FC Dallas forward has been involved in 10 goals (seven goals, three assists) since joining the Dutch Eredivisie side last year.

• Weston McKennie played the entire way and helped Juventus to a 2-1 home win over Monza in Coppa Italia, setting up Moises Kean's eighth-minute goal on Thursday, Jan. 19.

FULL RUNDOWN

• Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United; English Premier League) - 69 minutes in 0-0 draw vs. Brentwood (Jan. 22); 45 minutes as a substitute in 5-2 win vs. Cardiff City in FA Cup (Jan. 18)

• Tyler Adams (Leeds United; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 0-0 draw vs. Brentwood (Jan. 22); 45 minutes in 5-2 win vs. Cardiff City in FA Cup (Jan. 18)

• Taylor Booth (Utrecht; Dutch Eredivisie) - 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at Twente (Jan. 22)

• John Brooks (Benfica; Portuguese Primeira) – Not in 18, DNP in 3-0 win at Santa Clara (Jan. 21)

• Gianluca Busio (Venezia; Italian Serie B) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at Sudtirol (Jan. 21); 89 minutes in 1-0 loss at Genoa (Jan. 16)

• Reggie Cannon (Boavista; Portuguese Primeira) - Vs. Chaves (Monday, 3:15 p.m.)

• Johnny Cardoso (Internacional; Brazilian Serie A) - 66 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Juventude in Campeonato Gaucho (Jan. 21)

• Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic; Scottish Premiership) - Not in 18, DNP in 5-0 win vs. Greenock Morton in Scottish FA Cup (Jan. 21); Injured, DNP in 4-0 win vs. St. Mirren (Jan. 18)

• Luca de la Torre (Celta Viga, Spain La Liga) - 68 minutes in 1-0 loss at Mallorca (Jan. 20)

• Sergiño Dest (AC Milan; Italy Serie A) - 11 minutes in 3-0 loss vs. Inter Milan in Italian Super Cup (Jan. 18)

• Daryl Dike (West Bromwich Albion; English Championship) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at Burnley (Jan. 20); Not in 18, DNP in 4-0 win vs. Chesterfield in FA Cup (Jan. 17)

• Matthew Hoppe (Middlesbrough; English Championship) - In 18, DNP in 2-0 loss at Sunderland (Jan. 22)

• Ethan Horvath (Luton Town; English Championship) - 90 minutes in 2-0 win at Wigan Athletic (Jan. 21); 90 minutes in 2-1 win at Wigan Athletic in FA Cup (Jan. 17)

• Richy Ledezma (PSV; Dutch Eredivisie) - In 18, DNP in 1-0 win vs. Vitesse (Jan. 21)

• Weston McKennie (Juventus; Italy Serie A) - 90 minutes 3-3 draw vs. Atalanta (Jan. 22); 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 2-1 win vs. Monza in Coppa Italia (Jan. 19)

• Mark McKenzie (Genk; Belgian Pro League) - Ppd. at Eupen (Jan. 21); 90 minutes in 3-2 win at Westerlo (Jan. 17)

• Djordje Mihailovic (AZ Alkmaar; Dutch Eredivisie) - 56 minutes as a substitute in 3-1 win vs. Fortuna Sittard (Jan. 22)

• Yunus Musah (Valencia; Spain La Liga) - Vs. Almeria (Monday, 3 p.m.)

• Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg; Bundesliga) - 22 minutes as a substitute, ASSIST, in 6-0 win vs. Freiburg (Jan. 21)

• Jordan Pefok (Union Berlin; Bundesliga) - 63 minutes in 3-1 win vs. Hoffenheim (Jan. 21)

• Ricardo Pepi (Groningen; Dutch Eredivisie) - 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 3-1 loss at Heerenveen (Jan. 22)

• Tim Ream (Fulham; English Premier League) - Vs. Tottenham Hotspur (Monday, 3 p.m.)

• Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund; Bundesliga) - 20 minutes as a substitute, GOAL, in 4-3 win vs. Augsburg (Jan. 22)

• Chris Richards (Crystal Palace; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 0-0 draw vs. Newcastle United (Jan. 21); 90 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Manchester United (Jan. 18)

• Antonee Robinson (Fulham; English Premier League) - Vs. Tottenham Hotspur (Monday, 3 p.m.)

• Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) - 34 minutes as a substitute in 3-2 loss vs. Bayer Leverkusen (Jan. 23)

• Josh Sargent (Norwich City; English Championship) - 66 minutes, GOAL, in 4-2 win at Coventry City (Jan. 21)

• James Sands (Rangers; Scottish Premiership) – In 18, DNP in 1-0 win at St. Johnstone in Scottish FA Cup (Jan. 21); 7 minutes as a substitute in 3-2 win at Kilmarnock (Jan. 18)

• Zack Steffen (Middlesbrough; English Championship) - 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at Sunderland (Jan. 22)

• Malik Tillman (Rangers; Scottish Premiership) - 67 minutes in 1-0 win at St. Johnstone in Scottish FA Cup (Jan. 21); 12 minutes as a substitute in 3-2 win at Kilmarnock (Jan. 18)

• Auston Trusty (Birmingham City; English Championship) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Preston North End (Jan. 21); 90 minutes in 2-1 win at Forest Green Rovers in FA Cup (Jan. 17)

• Matt Turner (Arsenal; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP, in 3-2 win vs. Manchester United (Jan. 23)

• Tim Weah (Lille; French Ligue 1) – 90 minutes in 2-0 win vs. Pau in Coupe de France (Jan. 22)

• Haji Wright (Antalyaspor; Turkish Super Lig) - Injured, DNP in 2-1 loss at Galatasaray (Jan. 21); Not in 18, DNP in 2-0 loss vs. Kayserispor in Turkish Cup (Jan. 17)

• Alejandro Zendejas (Club America, LIGA MX) - 85 minutes, GOAL, ASSIST, in 2-2 draw vs. Puebla (Jan. 21)