Tyler Adams is one of those unfortunate souls to have been born on a holiday. He celebrated his 20th birthday on Thursday, Valentine’s Day, perhaps with his German-but-not-really-German girlfriend the Leipzig press is way too interested in.
Though he just turned 20, he’s quickly become an integral part of the Bundesliga’s fourth-placed team. On Saturday, he played the full 90 minutes in midfield for the fourth time since joining the club in January.
Though his performances have been assured beyond the years of a typical 19-year-old American, Adams’ first match as a 20-year-old provided his first major contribution: a brilliant assist that shows why he is the future of the USMNT midfield.
Adams’ sixth appearance with RB Leipzig (he’s played the full 90 in three Bundesliga matches and one DFB-Pokal match to go with a one-minute cameo in the Bundesliga) came in his side’s 3-1 road win over VfB Stuttgart on Saturday.
Yussuf Poulsen scored twice and Marcel Sabitzer added a lovely free kick for the Die Roten Bullen. It was another good result for Leipzig, which hasn’t lost since Adams made his debut in January, with four wins and a draw in that span.
The Tyler Adams assist came on the third and final goal as Stuttgart was seeking an equalizer to ensure all three points for the visitors. The American began the play in his own half and dribbled past a defender toward midfield. Soon after passing the halfway line, Adams played a no-look pass to Poulsen right in stride, allowing the Dane to drive into the box for the final goal of the match.
From defense to offense in no time at all.
Thursday: @tyler_adams14 turns 20
Today: @tyler_adams14 bags his first Bundesliga assist for @RBLeipzig_EN.— U.S. Soccer MNT (@USMNT) February 16, 2019
Gregg Berhalter will be salivating to get his hands on Adams, who has shown he more than belongs as a starting midfielder in one of the best leagues in the world (no, not MLS). Berhalter will get his first chance to call up Adams — and fellow Bundesliga midfielder Weston McKennie — with the USMNT in March when the U.S. plays Ecuador and Chile in Orlando, Florida, and Houston, respectively.
Tyler Adams vs Stuttgart
1 assist
56 passes
71% pass accuracy
1 key pass
4 dribbles won
4 tackles won
2 interceptions
2 clearances
1 aerial wonAmazing player. Three full Bundesliga games & three fantastic performances. Only 20 years of age. pic.twitter.com/1ekRaNXof4
— FootballTalentScout (@FTalentScout) February 16, 2019
Poulsen’s brace on Saturday gave him 12 goals on the Bundesliga campaign, three times his return from last season. After scoring at the World Cup over the summer, the Dane now trails only Eintracht Frankfurt’s Luka Jovic (14), Robert Lewandowski (13) and Marco Reus (13) in the Golden Boot race.
Here was Poulsen’s first, which was a case of being in the right place at the right time in the sixth minute.
While Stuttgart equalized with a penalty 10 minutes later, Leipzig took the lead for good on this well-placed free kick from Sabitzer.
Your next chance to see Tyler Adams in action will be Monday, Feb. 25, when RB Leipzig hosts Hoffenheim. Hopefully FS1 actually shows the match, though FOX has been relegating Bundesliga matches to FS2 for the most part this season as the American broadcaster continues to show how few shits it gives about soccer. (FOX hasn’t released that week’s schedule yet.)
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