Hoops Home & Abroad: Weston McKennie gets first start for Schalke 04

Welcome to another week of Big D Soccer’s coverage of your favorite players with ties to FC Dallas, the FCD Academy, and the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

This week saw both the USL and NASL start their regular seasons. With both leagues now airing many of the Division 2 games online, and most available for replay, a link to those games will now be provided whenever possible.

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Europe

Emerson Hyndman (AP - Rangers(Loan)/Scottish Premiership): International Break

Fabian Castillo (FCD - Trabzonspor/Super Lig): International Break

Weston McKennie (AP - Schalke 04/Bundesliga): Started for the senior team on Wednesday in a Friendly match. Schalke 04 vs Hannover 96 saw McKennie don the #2 jersey (Deuce McKennie!), and play 74 minutes in a 1-3 loss for Schalke 04 on the road.

Hannover 96 is a Bundesliga 2 team, but they employed 11 of their top 18 players in their lineup, while Schalke 04 employed a fully reserve side, with McKennie being one of two u19 players to start.

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Mexico

Omar Gonzales (DFW - Pachuca/Liga MX): International Break

Hector Montalvo (AP - Tigres UANL/Liga MX): International Break

Richard Sanchez (FCD/AP - Tampico Madero(Loan)/Ascenso MX): Suited up but did not play in Tampicos 0-2 road loss against Mineros.

The loss drops Tampico into 13th place of the Ascenso MX table.

Diego De La Tejera (AP - Club Leon/Liga MX): International Break

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Central America & South America

Moises Hernandez (FCD/AP - C.S.D. Comunicaciones/Guatemala): Did not suit up in Comunicaciones road win against Petapa. The victory moved Comunicaciones to 6th place.

Blas Perez (FCD - Club Blooming/Bolivia): International Break

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Major League Soccer

Lee Nguyen (DFW - New England Revolution): Nguyen started as the 2nd Forward in the 4-4-2, and had himself quite a game against MUFC. With the teams all tied up at 1, Nguyen was involved in this beauty:

Not to much later, Juan Agudelo would draw a PK:

Lee would end up playing 70 minutes, in which he had 1 goal and 1 assist, as the Revolution would go on to win 5-2 at home against Minnesota United FC.

Greg Garza (DFW - Atlanta United FC): No match scheduled

Jared Jeffrey (DFW - D.C. United): No match scheduled

Cole Missimo (DFW - Philadelphia Union): No match scheduled

Dillon Powers (DFW - Colorado Rapids): No match scheduled

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USL & NASL

Mikey Ambrose (AP - Charleston Battery(Loan): Was loaned to Atlanta United’s USL affiliate last week. Started at LB for the the Charleston Battery vs. Cincinnati FC

Ambrose played the full 90 as the Battery won 2-1 at home.

Corben Bone (DFW - Cincinnati FC): Suited up and came into the game in the 75th minute, as Cincinnati FC was attempting to rally from being a goal down. Cincinnati FC would go on to lose 1-2 on the road to the Charleston Battery.

Stephen McCarthy (DFW - San Antonio FC) It was San Antonio FC vs. Rio Grande Valley FC in the South Texas Derby, and Stephen McCarthy came off the bench in the 37th minute to help SAFC preserve a 1-0 lead. SAFC would go on to win 1-0 on the road against RGVFC.

Devin Vega (AP - San Antonio FC): Suited up but did not play, as San Antonio FC won on the road 1-0 against Rio Grande Valley FC.

Ruben Luna (FCD/AP - RGVFC Toros); Started and played the full 90, as RGVFC would go on to lose at home 0-1 to San Antonio FC.

Chase Minter (DFW - Real Monarchs): Real Monarchs visited Portland FC 2 and Minter got the start. Chase would go on to play 63 minutes, as Real Monarchs won 2-1.

Conor Doyle (DFW - Puerto Rico FC): Started at Forward in the 4-4-2, and played 75 minutes. Puerto Rico FC settled for a 0-0 draw against the New York Cosmos.

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H. H. & A.’s “Match of the Week”: Rangers FC vs. Motherwell, April 1, 9:00am (CST)

Emerson Hyndman is on a complete tear, so pretty much all his games are “must see” until he cools off.

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H. H. & A’s “Where are they now?”: Kyle Bekker

The Canadian national team member played for FCD back in 2015, making eight appearances before being traded away to the Montreal Impact for Bakare Soumare. The midfielder would play in Montreal from 2015 to 2016, making 21 appearance, mostly as a key reserve.

This offseason, Bekker signed with the NASL expansion San Francisco Deltas. Bekker made his debut with his new team this past weekend, getting the start, and made a little history along the way:

Bekker would become the first player to ever score a goal for the Deltas, but the score would not stand, as the Indy Eleven would rally to force the 1-1 draw.

The Deltas may not have won, but Bekker was not done having a great week: