Bundesliga
Josh Sargent: “The way we’re going is good right now”
Josh Sargent believes Werder Bremen are moving in the right direction, despite drawing their last four Bundesliga matches in a row.
Sargent, 19, chipped in with his second assist of the campaign and registered two attempts on goal as Werder held a Bayer Leverkusen team that finished fourth last season to a 2-2 draw on Matchday 9. The Green-Whites are now just four points outside the top half of the standings.
"It was a lot of back and forth," Sargent told bundesliga.com after the game. "It was good from us to get a point at the end of the day, but obviously we wanted to figure out a way to win the game. But I think the way we’re going is good right now."
Watch: Josh Sargent reflects on Werder's draw at Leverkusen
It’s no surprise that Werder’s improved form has coincided with an upswing in fortunes for Sargent. Florian Kohfeldt’s side lost their first two games of the season, before the USA international helped change the northern club’s fortunes with a stunning solo goal on his first start of the campaign in the Matchday 3 win over Augsburg.
The American was a second-half substitute as Werder got the better of Union Berlin the following week, but has been named in the starting line-up in each of the last five league outings, scoring one and assisting two.
Although Bremen have taken only four points from a possible 15 in that time, three of that modest return came in games against clubs that finished above them last term and are playing either UEFA Champions League or Europa League football in 2019/20: Borussia Dortmund, Eintracht Frankfurt and Leverkusen. Sargent was on target in the other - a 1-1 draw with Hertha Berlin.
Watch: Josh Sargent, fast becoming a Bremen hero
If Werder can build on their encouraging run against Bundesliga 2 club Heidenheim in the DFB Cup second round and at home to surprise package Freiburg next weekend, Sargent will be cautiously optimistic he can help the three-time Bundesliga winners realise his pre-season objective of qualifying for Europe.
"I want to help us at least qualify for the Europa League," Sargent told FoxSports after Bremen finished a point outside the top seven in 2018/19. "We we pretty gutted when we all missed out, so we’re all very motivated and hungry this season. We’ll give it our all!"
Sargent, who has produced four goals and two assists in 18 Bundesliga appearances since scoring on his top-flight debut in December 2018, is currently enjoying his first full season of professional club football. The Missouri native has already won 11 senior USMNT caps, and netted his third goal for his country in CONCACAF Nations League qualifying during the October international break.