DeAndre Yedlin scores first EPL goal, ends remarkable American drought (Video)
When Newcastle arrived at the Etihad on Saturday for a shot at Manchester City – and for what many assumed would be a beatdown – DeAndre Yedlin had never scored a Premier League goal.
He had played 60 EPL games since 2014. He had found the back of his own net infinitely more times than an opponent’s net.
Heck, since Yedlin made his Premier League debut for Tottenham, several Americans had collectively had an identical record. USMNT players had appeared in well over 100 games between them since August of 2014. None had scored a goal.
And that drought surely wasn’t going to end at the home of the Premier League champions, right?
Well, Yedlin had other ideas.
DeAndre Yedlin scores his first Premier League goal and it's a nice one! pic.twitter.com/kyyluClVdp
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) September 1, 2018
It was the first goal of Yedlin’s EPL career. It was the first by an American in the world’s most popular league since Geoff Cameron scored for Stoke City in March of 2014.
The 1,623 days since the previous U.S. goal were the second-longest drought in the Premier League era.
There were 1,799 days from Cobi Jones' 1995 goal for Coventry to Joe-Max Moore's 2000 goal for Everton.
— Paul Carr (@PaulCarr) September 1, 2018
The goal brought Newcastle level with Man City, and brought Yedlin level with the likes of Brad Friedel and Tim Howard on American EPL goalscoring charts.
However, Yedlin’s opposite number – and fellow former Tottenham right back, and fellow rare goalscorer – won the game for City in the second half with a long-range pile-driver.
