Fresh off an impressive debut camp with the U.S. men’s national team, wunderkind Mathis Albert is finally getting what he wanted in Germany with club side Borussia Dortmund: playing time.
The 17-year-old winger made his first Bundesliga appearance of the season for the Black and Yellow on Saturday, coming off the bench in the 70th minute in an eventual scoreless draw with Union Berlin.
Directly following the international break in which Albert (briefly) became the youngest goalscorer in USMNT history, Dortmund manager Niko Kovač promised that Albert would receive increased minutes.
“There are no restrictions,” Kovač said on Oct. 9. “He is a very talented young man who is already showing really good signs in training, who has already played a cup game, and who sooner or later, probably sooner, will get a lot more minutes here at Borussia Dortmund than perhaps half a year ago.”
Albert didn’t play a single minute in the two games following Dortmund’s return to action, though. He served as an unused substitute in the Bundesliga match against Werder Bremen and in the Champions League clash with Bodø/Glimt, prompting reports of his interest in finding a new club.
That report seems to have gotten to Kovač, who finally made good on his promise to Albert, granting him significant minutes at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei this weekend.
Albert lived up to the task, racking up 18 touches, seven successful passes, two tackles, a clearance and three wins in his duels against the German foe.
USMNT Youngsters Thriving
As much as Albert’s first significant minutes of the season are a step in the right direction for him, it pales in comparison to the current achievements of some of the other USMNT youngsters who participated in their first international camps this fall.
Cavan Sullivan recently surpassed Alphonso Davies’s record for the most goal contributions in a single season by a teenager (21) with the Philadelphia Union and helped them secure a draw with Charlotte FC to extend their dominant undefeated run. Meanwhile, Orlando City’s Justin Ellis picked up an assist in a win over D.C. United, his 12th this season.
With the young talents easing into more responsibilities at the club level and rising to the challenge of some of the most intense games of their young careers, roster selection only grows more complicated for USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino. He will be forced to make some difficult decisions ahead of the November Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals.
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