After five frustrating months to begin life at Norwich City, Josh Sargent scored his first (two) Premier League goal(s) on Friday.
[ MORE: USMNT roster for World Cup qualifiers in January, February ]
Sargent has certainly had better or seemingly easier chances to score a goal while at Norwich (remember this?), but the correct final touch always eluded him. Too much time to think? With absolutely zero time to think on Friday, he simply reacted and found a way to put the ball over the goal line (with a little help from the crossbar).
It was nothing short of brilliant — the type of goal that, if Lionel Messi had scored it, would have been replayed and celebrated for years to come. Take a bow for this one, Josh Sargent.
23 minutes later, Sargent did it again, making a darting run toward the far post as Milot Rashica floated the ball over everyone else inside the penalty area. Sargent rose to meet the ball and head it downward with full force into the back of the net.
It is, perhaps (or, perhaps not), worth noting that Sargent scored said goal exactly eight minutes after Gregg Berhalter announced his latest 28-man USMNT roster for 2022 World Cup qualifying next week. Sargent wasn’t called up for World Cup qualifiers in October or November, after being in the first squad in September.
The USMNT sits 2nd in CONCACAF after eight games, a single point behind leaders Canada ahead of the two sides’ showdown in the second game of the upcoming window. Mexico and Panama are a point behind the USMNT in 3rd and 4th, respectively.
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VIDEO: USMNT forward Josh Sargent scores first (two) Premier League goal(s) originally appeared on NBCSports.com