USMNT Watch: Bobby Wood Opens Bundesliga Account Before WCQ Resumes
Things are looking good for the United States men's national team at the forward position as the pair of September CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers approach.
Bobby Wood added to the excitement surrounding the position on Saturday with his first Bundesliga goal. Jozy Altidore is already in impressive form for Toronto FC as he works his way back from injury.
Elsewhere in the world, one of the USMNT's top young players secured a move to a new club and a potential rising star shone in Major League Soccer.
TOP NEWS
Madrid Fines Players $590K 😲
'Mbappé Out' Petition Gaining Steam 😳
Star-Studded World Cup Ad 🤩
Continue reading below for more on those stories in our latest USMNT Watch.
Bobby Wood, Andrew Wooten Score in Germany
Wood opened his Bundesliga account on Saturday in Hamburg's first league match of the season, against Ingolstadt.
Wood used his strength to body off a defender on the edge of the box in the 30th minute to put his new club in the lead.
The 23-year-old picked up where he left off last season in the 2. Bundesliga, in which he netted 17 strikes for Union Berlin.
Wood is expected to compete with Altidore for the starting forward position in the upcoming CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers. There is also a possibility Wood ends up starting on the wing or next to Altidore in a 4-4-2 formation in order for the Yanks to get the best out of their forward corps.
Another American found the back of the net in Germany, as Andrew Wooten scored for Sandhausen in their 2-1 defeat to VfB Stuttgart in the 2. Bundesliga on Friday.
Wooten isn't near the top of the USMNT forward depth chart yet, but he could climb that list if he continues to rack up goals in the German second division.
Aron Johannsson, who was once directly behind Altidore on the depth chart, returned to first-team action on Friday, playing 64 minutes for Werder Bremen in their 6-0 loss at the hands of Bayern Munich.
If he is able to work his way back to full fitness and provide Bremen with a boost throughout the Bundesliga season, we could see Johannsson on the roster for the first hexagonal-round matches in November.
Fabian Johnson played the final 29 minutes for Borussia Monchengladbach in their 2-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.
DeAndre Yedlin Starts on Bench After Newcastle Move
DeAndre Yedlin finally settled on which team he would play for this season, as he signed for Newcastle United on Wednesday.
Yedlin, who spent last season on loan at local rivals Sunderland, started on the bench in the Magpies' match with Brighton & Hove Albion in the Championship on Saturday. The right-back made a three-minute appearance in the contest at St. James' Park.
Although a move to the second division in England may be frowned upon by some, Yedlin will have a chance to learn under Rafa Benitez, and if Newcastle are successful, he could be a part of a rigorous promotion fight that will only give him more big-game experience.
Eric Lichaj and Jonathan Spector both played 90 minutes for their respective clubs, Nottingham Forest and Birmingham City, in the Championship on Saturday. Both defenders are still on the outside looking in at the USMNT roster despite the lack of depth at full-back.
Geoff Cameron played the full 90 for Stoke City in their loss to Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday. The Potters are off to a rough start in the Premier League, and they've earned just one point from three matches.
Lynden Gooch remained in the starting lineup for Sunderland for the Black Cats' match with Southampton. It wouldn't be a total shock if head coach Jurgen Klinsmann opted to call in Gooch to receive some international experience after earning a starting role in the Premier League.
Cameron Carter-Vickers once again found himself on the bench for Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, but he did not feature for Mauricio Pochettino's men.
Patrick Mullins Bags Hat-Trick for D.C. United
Patrick Mullins, who is finally receiving playing time in MLS with D.C. United, scored a hat-trick in the club's 6-2 rout of the Chicago Fire at RFK Stadium on Saturday.
Mullins isn't on the USMNT radar just yet, but if he continues to score like he has since arriving in D.C. in July, he should hear from Klinsmann sooner rather than later.
Steve Birnbaum picked up an assist in the win that kept Ben Olsen's side in sixth place in the Eastern Conference.
Alejandro Bedoya, Graham Zusi and Matt Besler all played 90 minutes for their respective clubs in Philadelphia Union's 2-0 win over Sporting Kansas City.
Altidore and Michael Bradley each started his final club match before the resumption of World Cup qualifying, both going the full 90 for Toronto FC in their loss to Montreal Impact on Saturday.
Ethan Finlay continued his strong run of form with a strike in Columbus Crew's 2-0 win over the San Jose Earthquake at Mapfre Stadium. The winger has scored four of his five regular-season goals in the last five matches. Form like that could hand Finlay a call-up for the October friendlies against Cuba and New Zealand.
Matt Hedges, Kellyn Acosta and Chris Wondolowski also played 90 minutes for their respective sides on Saturday night.
News and Notes: Ethan Horvath Has Massive Day in Net for Molde
Ethan Horvath continued to make a push toward the No. 3 spot on the goalkeeper depth chart with an eight-save performance for Molde on Saturday against Stromsgodset in Norway. Horvath is in competition with D.C. United's Bill Hamid for the final goalkeeping spot on the roster behind Tim Howard and Brad Guzan.
The other big news out of Molde in recent weeks is the long-awaited return of Josh Gatt. The 24-year-old, who has two senior USMNT appearances to his name, has been in the matchday squad for the last two weeks after a significant injury absence.
Down in Mexico, Omar Gonzalez and Jonathan Bornstein played 90 minutes for Club Pachuca and Queretaro respectively. Jose Torres featured for 69 minutes for Tigres against Veracruz.
Joe Tansey covers U.S. Soccer for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter, @JTansey90.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
