Zack Steffen has been quite busy defending Fortuna Dusseldorf’s nets this season, posting the second-most saves made in the Bundesliga thus far. On Sunday, however, the US national team goalkeeper got involved in the attack, thanks to some old-fashioned direct play.
Steffen nearly booked a rare assist on Dusseldorf’s opening goal vs. Union Berlin when he blasted a goal kick well into Berlin’s half – when the second ball fell kindly for his teammate Rouwen Hennings, the German striker opening the scoring with a jaw-dropping blast into the top corner in the 38th minute:
It was one of two exceptional goals for the hosts: After Berlin leveled, Erik Thommy conjured up a marvelous late winner out of nothing with a dipping banger off the far post from distance in the 90th minute.
The dramatic 2-1 win is an enormous result for Steffen and Dusseldorf, breaking a lengthy winless skid as they try to climb out of the BuLi’s bottom three. The former Columbus Crew SC man is in the midst of a year-long loan from Manchester City; his fellow USMNTer Alfredo Morales also went the full 90 in midfield for Die Flingeraner on Sunday.
