Kljestan delivers historic hat trick for U.S. team
- Share via
It’s amazing what a few days in Scotland can do for a soccer player.
Chivas USA midfielder Sacha Kljestan spent the last week in Glasgow on a tryout with Scottish champion Celtic, returning to California only Thursday afternoon.
On Saturday, he scored three goals -- achieving a feat not accomplished since 1934 -- as the U.S. defeated Sweden, 3-2, in a lively, entertaining and now historic friendly at the Home Depot Center.
The last time an American player scored his initial three goals for the national team in the same game was when Aldo “Buff” Donnelli scored his first four against Mexico in a World Cup qualifier played in Italy 75 years ago.
Does Kljestan know who Donnelli was?
“No,” he said. “But he’s my amigo now.”
For the record, Donnelli netted four goals May 24, 1934, in a 4-2 victory over Mexico in Rome. The U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame member later played in the NFL, coached the Pittsburgh Steelers and was a longtime college football coach.
So was it the Scottish air, water, or the prospect of being offered a hefty contract by Celtic that suddenly turned Kljestan, 23, into a goal scorer on the international level? He had not scored in 12 games for the U.S.
“I don’t think so,” he said. “I had a good training experience over there. . . . I enjoyed my time. It’s a different style, but it’s real professional.”
According to some reports in Britain, Celtic has offered just under $3 million to Chivas USA for the midfielder from Huntington Beach. The initial reaction from both Chivas and the league has been cool. They believe Kljestan is worth more, and Saturday’s performance did not hurt that view.
Kljestan put the U.S. ahead with a superb free kick in the 17th minute, curling in a shot from 30 yards.
He added a second goal five minutes before halftime, slamming home a penalty kick after Canadian referee Silviu Petrescu ruled that Adam Johansson had fouled winger Marvell Wynne.
Kljestan completed his memorable hat trick in the 74the minute, less than 60 seconds after the Swedes had cut the U.S. lead in half on a goal by Daniel Nannskog.
This time the credit went to forward Brian Ching, who brought the ball under control between two defenders and then fed Kljestan on his left. The Chivas player fired the ball into the far corner of the net and then leaped atop the sign boards in celebration.
The fact that Sweden added an 89th-minute headed goal by Mikael Dahlberg did not damp American enthusiasm for what was, overall, a very positive performance.
For the first game of the year, Coach Bob Bradley started Troy Perkins in goal, with a back line of Wynne, Danny Califf, Michael Parkhurst and Jonathan Bornstein. In midfield were John Thorrington, Ricardo Clark, Kljestan and Robbie Rogers, while the two starting forwards were Ching and Charlie Davies.
Perkins and Rogers made their U.S. debuts, and late in the game Chris Wingert and Ugo Ihemelu were among the substitutes and also made their first national team appearances.
Everyone else had praise for Kljestan’s performance, but it was left to Sweden’s coach, Lars Lagerback, to deliver the ultimate accolade.
“Of course he can play in Europe,” Lagerback said.
--
