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The two Americans teamed up for Schalke’s lone goal in Wednesday’s game against Bayer Leverkusen
Haji Wright has netted his first Bundesliga goal, and he has fellow American Weston McKennie to thank for setting it up.
The two 20-year-olds teamed up for Schalke’s only goal in Wednesday’s game against Bayer Leverkusen at Veltins Arena.
With their team down 2-0 in first-half stoppage time, McKennie rose highest off a corner kick and his header found Wright, who instinctively stabbed home from close range.
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That would be the end of the scoring on Wednesday, though, as Schalke fell to a 2-1 home defeat.
The goal was the first time a U.S. player had set up another U.S. player in the Bundesliga since 2004.
It was still an encouraging sign for Wright, who is forcing his way into the picture at Schalke after a disappointing loan spell at second-tier Sandhausen last season.
Wright began the season with Schalke’s reserves but has now played in four of the team’s last five Bundesliga games, starting two of them.
Meanwhile, McKennie was making his 18th overall appearance of the season for Schalke. The Texas native has two goals and two assists in 2018-19.
The loss leaves Schalke sitting just above the relegation zone in the Bundesliga table, having picked up just 15 points in 16 matches so far this season.
With the winter break aproaching, the side will have one more chance to pick up some points with Saturday’s contest against a Stuttgart side that sits just a point back of Schalke in the table.
The Bundesliga will then go on break for nearly a full month, with Schalke not returning to action until Janurary 20 against Wolfburg.