Americans On The Continent: Jozy Makes Sparkling Debut

By Aaron West
 
Jozy Altidore has officially arrived. The 18-year-old American made his debut for Villarreal when he was brought on at halftime for Argentine-Mexican Guille Franco. He made his impact known immediately with strong running, creative dribbling and intelligent link-up play.
 
Altidore put his skills on display, showing exactly why Villarreal felt he was worth $10 million. He was a terror to the Depor defense, holding the ball up with ease and skinning defenders like a Liga veteran, all the while playing with a smile on his face that betrayed his years. From time to time his youth and inexperience showed, but it was a very impressive debut from the youngster that will surely not go unnoticed by the Villarreal management and fans.
 
Villarreal started slowly, but as the game carried on they were able to take control and stamp their authority on the fixture. After a quiet opening, Spain international Santi Cazorla opened the match wide open with a wonderful turn and strike with his left foot into the lower corner of Deportivo ‘keeper Daniel Aranzubia’s goal.
 
After the break, Villarreal threatened with more frequency, seeing shots from Joan Capdevila and Cazorla. And then Altidore showed what he is capable of with a long-range effort that forced another save from the impressive Aranzubia. Deportivo went close towards the end of the match, with Sergio Gonzalez striking the post. However, despite the entertaining closing minutes, neither side was able to add to Cazorla’s first goal.
 
Jozy Altidore, Villarreal CF (Spain)
vs. Deportivo la Coruña, 1-0, 45 minutes
See above. Next up: Away to Manchester United (Champions League), Wednesday, September 17
 
Danny Szetela, Brescia Calcio (Italy)
vs. Bari, 1-1, 90 minutes
Szetela played the full 90 minutes in Brescia’s 1-1 draw away to Bari. Despite being deployed in a more attacking role in midfield, Szetela was unable to help his side to victory as Bari snatched a draw on a 90th minute penalty by Simone Cavalli. Brescia will be disappointed to not grab all 3 points in a match they expected to win. Next up: Treviso, Tuesday, September 16
 
Neven Subotic, Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
vs. Schalke 04, 3-3, 90 minutes, 1 goal
Subotic further cemented his value to the German giants from Dortmund by scoring once again in their 3-3 draw against Schalke 04. Despite foolishly giving away a penalty in the first half by blatantly handling the ball, Subotic led the comeback from 3-0 down with a 66th-minute header on a corner kick from substitute Alexander Frei. Frei then continued the improbable turnaround by scoring in the 70th minute. After receiving 2 red cards in the space of three minutes, the visitors were barely maintaining their grip on the three points when the match came full circle courtesy of a Mladen Krstajic handball in the box with three minutes left. Frei stroke the penalty coolly down the middle, leveling the match at 3-3. Next up: Udinese, Thursday, September 18
 
Oguchi Onyewu, Standard Liege (Belgium)
vs. KV Kortrijk, 2-0, 90 minutes
Despite returning from international duty only one day before the match, Onyewu lasted the full 90 minutes in a solid display for the Belgian side, helping Standard goalkeeper Rorys Aragon Espinoza to his second clean sheet of the season. Igor De Camargo netted the first goal just before half, and Dieumerci Mbokani’s 5th strike of the season assured the victory for the defending champions. Next up: Away to Everton, Thursday, September 18
 
Carlos Bocanegra, Rennes (France)
vs. Le Havre AC, 1-1, 90 minutes
Boca played the whole match, but was unable to prevent his side from gaining all three points against a Le Havre team that had lost two straight games. Both goals came within five minutes of each other in the first half as early pressure from Rennes led to Jimmy Briand’s 27th minute goal and then newly promoted Le Havre leveled the match through Jean-Michel Lesage’s header off Ait Ben Idir’s corner in the 32nd minute. Neither side was able to break the deadlock again, and the match ended in a draw, a disappointing result for Rennes at home. Next up: vs. Twente Enschede, Thursday, September 18
 
Freddy Adu, Monaco (France)
vs. FC Lorient, 2-0, 11 minutes
Adu came on in the 79th minute for new signing Chu-Young Park, who had an impressive match, scoring a goal and assisting the other. Monaco had a fairly easy time at home against a languishing Lorient side. With Park’s 26th minute goal, Monaco dominated the proceedings, finally assuring the game with Frederic Nimani’s 70th minute tally. After coming on, Adu was a thorn in Lorient’s side throughout the final minutes, nearly recording an assist with a pinpoint long ball to Alejandro Alonso in the 90th minute. Next up: Away to Marseille, Sunday, September 21
 
Square Passes
US U-23 striker Preston Zimmerman has transferred from German team Hamburg SV to newly promoted Austrian Bundesliga side Kapfenberg SV. After seeing interest from Belgian teams Westerlo and Cercle Brugge fall through due to EU regulations, the 19-year-old put pen to paper with the Falken. He joins another American at KSV, reserfvist Damon Wilson.

Aaron West's "Americans On The Continent" column appears every Monday.