Just looking at the USMNT rosters from the past year, it’s clear Gregg Berhalter needs to find a consistent striker. With the retirements of Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan — joint-top goal scorers all time for the U.S. — in the last four years and Jozy Altidore’s inconsistency, the team lacks that out-and-out goal threat. But looking at the recent Josh Sargent stats, the 18-year-old redhead might be the No. 9 of the future.
A month ago Sargent couldn’t even get into a Bundesliga match with Werder Bremen. Now he can’t stop scoring.
Sargent helped inspire a two-goal comeback against RB Leipzig on Saturday, though his side ultimately lost 3-2.
The Missouri native came on in the 66th minute with his side trailing 2-0 on the road. Moments later, Max Kruse scored to make it 2-1. While Sargent wasn’t directly involved in the play, his run into the box left Kruse wide open to score first time.
That pass though
Bremen take one back and Josh Sargent is now on the field as they look to salvage a point against Leipzig. pic.twitter.com/R9neJDvD91— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 22, 2018
About 10 minutes after coming on, Werder Bremen had completed its comeback, with Sargent equalizing with a perfect shot off the near post and in.
THE AMERICAN HAS TIED IT!
Josh Sargent's 2nd Bundesliga goal in 3 games brings Bremen level at Leipzig! pic.twitter.com/V9xm2OZylR— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 22, 2018
Sargent did well to time his run such that he was at the right place at the right time while his defenders were nowhere near.
Unfortunately for Werder Bremen, Bruma scored in the 87th minute to give the home side all three points. Bremen now goes into the Christmas break in the bottom half of the league, but with a bit of confidence in its new American striker.
Bremen won’t play again until Jan. 19, so Sargent’s 2018 season is complete. He marked his USMNT debut with a goal against Bolivia in May and his Werder Bremen debut with a goal against Düsseldorf earlier this month. He also had an assist in his Bremen U-23 debut in the Regionalliga Nord. Not a bad year for an 18-year-old, who now has more Bundesliga goals this season than Christian Pulisic.
The Josh Sargent stats now stand as follows:
2018 Josh Sargent Stats
Bundesliga
- Appearances: 3
- Starts: 0
- Goals: 2
- Assists: 0
- Yellow Cards: 1
- Red Cards: 0
Regionalliga Nord
- Appearances: 12
- Starts: 12
- Goals: 7
- Assists: 2
- Yellow Cards: 0
- Red Cards: 0
USMNT
- Appearances: 6
- Starts: 3
- Goals: 2
- Assists: 0
- Yellow Cards: 0
- Red Cards: 0
Total
- Appearances: 21
- Starts: 15
- Goals: 11
- Assists: 2
- Yellow Cards: 0
- Red Cards: 0
We can’t wait to see what 2019 has in store for Sargent.
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