U.S.'s Sargent scores stunner in Bremen win

Josh Sargent scored an impressive goal in Bremen's defeat of Augsburg.
Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images

Josh Sargent scored a brilliant goal on his first Bundesliga start of the season and Yuya Osako grabbed two as Werder Bremen defeated 10-man Augsburg 3-2 on Sunday.

Ruben Vargas canceled Osako's sixth-minute opener in the 12th before Sargent scored a contender for goal of the month with his right foot in the 21st.

"It was a good goal, but also a super pass," Sargent said.

The 19-year-old American forward controlled Nuri Sahin's ball over the defense with his first touch and then lifted it over the Augsburg goalkeeper with his next, before tapping into the unguarded net - all without letting the ball touch the ground.

"That was outstanding," Bremen coach Florian Kohfeldt said.

Sargent is on the 26-man United States roster for exhibition games in September against Mexico and Uruguay after getting cut ahead of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the championship of North and Central America and the Caribbean.

"Josh is on the right path. He has no problem with speed, as he showed today. That's not something you can learn," Kohfeldt said. "How he scored the goal, that's just unbelievable."

Augsburg was dealt another blow in the 34th when Stephan Lichtsteiner was sent off with a second yellow card for bringing down Niclas Füllkrug. It looked a harsh call.

Vargas scored his second just after the break to put Augsburg level, but Osako's second goal in the 67th was enough for Bremen's first points of the season.

Augsburg remains with one point from the first three games.