6/12/2014 World Cup 2014: City Islanders' Robbie Derschang will be following the United States' DeAndre Yedlin, his former college teammate
World Cup 2014: City Islanders' Robbie Derschang will be following the United States' DeAndre Yedlin, his former college teammate
DeAndre Yedlin Seattle Sounders' DeAndre Yedlin stands on the field after the Sounders beat Chivas USA in a MLS soccer match, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) (Ted S. Warren) Michael Bullock | [email protected] By Michael Bullock | [email protected] Email the author | Follow on Twitter on June 11, 2014 at 9:15 AM, updated June 11, 2014 at 3:09 PM
We asked some of the star players for the Harrisburg City Islanders who they're keeping an eye on in the 2014 World Cup. All this week we'll be featuring their responses. Be sure to let us know which players or teams you'll be rooting for in the comments section.
Next up: City Islanders' winger Robbie Derschang.
Derschang's player to watch: DeAndre Yedlin, USA Yedlin in action: vs. Ghana (June 16), Portugal (June 22) and Germany (June 26)
Still making the unique transition from northern Texas to eastern Ohio's rust belt some two years back, one of the first players Robbie Derschang really got to know following his transfer from Southern Methodist to Akron was a talented sophomore defender from the Pacific Northwest named ... DeAndre Yedlin.
And a rapidly blossoming friendship between the soccerplaying teammates was inevitable since the Coloradoborn Derschang and the diminutive Yedlin wound up sharing living quarters when they weren't playing onetouch or studying game film on an upcoming opponent or finetuning their respective fitness levels.
Come Monday night, hours after Derschang concludes yet another training session with the Harrisburg City Islanders, the firstyear winger with the educated left foot will sit down in front of some television set waiting for the United States' opening match in the 2014 World Cup against a dangerous side from Ghana.
Derschang won't just be plugged in and waiting to see how the Americans fare in the first of their three group matches, he'll be looking for a familiar face.
The one belonging to Yedlin, the 20yearold outside defender with the blazing speed and the ability to track back and forth on the right flank. Particularly since the youthful Yedlin is part of the American squad selected by Jurgen Klinsmann. http://blog.pennlive.com/sports_impact/print.html?entry=/2014/06/world_cup_2014_city_islanders.html 1/3 6/12/2014 World Cup 2014: City Islanders' Robbie Derschang will be following the United States' DeAndre Yedlin, his former college teammate
"It's really exciting," admitted Derschang, who was selected by Major League Soccer's Philadelphia Union in January yet wound up signing with the USL PRO City Islanders. He's scored one goal thus far for Bill Becher's club.
PennLive Sports Podcasts World Cup Counterattack, Episode 1: Would you g… 49:48 113 Cookie policy "He was my roommate at Akron my first year there [2012], my junior year, and just knowing that he's at that level in that environment on that 23man roster shows a lot about him and a lot about the environment that Akron gave us. "It's awesome to know that DeAndre's there." Even if Yedlin is parked behind Fabian Johnson and Timmy Chandler — and not likely to log many minutes in Brazil. Robbie Derschang of the Yet there is a reason why Klinsmann decided to take Yedlin to South America. Harrisburg City Islanders. Joe Hermitt, PennLive "Since he's young, fairly new and down on the depth chart, I think he's gonna be a key player for the next World Cup squad as well," Derschang said of Yedlin, who plays for Major League Soccer's Seattle Sounders and was selected to an MLS AllStar Game in his first full season as a professional player. "What he can bring right now is his speed, his explosiveness, his athleticism," Derschang added. "He can deal with fast, tricky players and he can bring a good attacking option on the flank going forward from right back and also defensively he can get back and cover well because of his speed." And whether gets into one of the Americans' Group G games or not — the U.S. opens Monday against Ghana, then plays Portugal and Germany — just being part of the U.S. side figures to have a positive influence on the Seattleborn youngster. "It's just going to make him an even better player," Derschang said. "So he's gonna get this under his belt, so he can take that forward if he gets in or not. No matter what happens, he's gonna take that experience with him. "I think he can be one of the best right backs in the game, so I think he's just going to progress forward with his career." United States' Deandre Yedlin kicks ball during the Under20 World http://blog.pennlive.com/sports_impact/print.html?entry=/2014/06/world_cup_2014_city_islanders.html 2/3 6/12/2014 World Cup 2014: City Islanders' Robbie Derschang will be following the United States' DeAndre Yedlin, his former college teammate Cup Group A soccer match between the U.S. and Spain, in Istanbul, Should Klinsmann call on the confident Turkey, Friday, June 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Gero Breloer) Gero Breloer youngster and plug him into the U.S. lineup, Derschang doesn't believe Yedlin will be psyched out by the moment. Even if he's forced to go oneonone with Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo or Germany's Lukas Podolski, one fabulous left wing and another who's pretty darn good. "It is the biggest stage in the world, it would get me for sure," Derschang said of being overcome by the Wow factor. So it would be different than [playing in front of a large crowd in] Seattle or an MLS AllStar Game or whatnot, but he's been in the environment where he can stay sharp and stay focused. "So I think he can do all right." Playing against and alongside some of the best players on the planet. "It's crazy that just two years ago I was sharing the same place with him," Derschang recalled. "And now he's there." In Brazil. BULLOCK ON TWITTER: @thebullp_n © 2014 PennLive.com. All rights reserved. http://blog.pennlive.com/sports_impact/print.html?entry=/2014/06/world_cup_2014_city_islanders.html 3/3