HANOVER, N.J. – Just as it looked as if his national team days were behind him, Sacha Kljestan got the call he had been hoping for.
Injuries and suspensions to some key members of the U.S. national team opened the door for Kljestan’s return as head coach Jürgen Klinsmann welcomed the California native back into the squad.
Two years removed from his most recent cap, Kljestan was aiming to make an impact on the international stage once again in some crucial World Cup qualifying matches. Suffice it to say, he did that and a bit more.
“I’m just thankful that I got two chances to play in the games to really prove myself,” Kljestan told reporters on Friday afternoon. “I come away happy with my performances because I think left a good impression. Overall, I couldn’t be happier that I got a chance and that I made the most of it.”
Coming off the bench in their matchup with St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Kljestan played the role of super sub by bagging a goal and two assists on the day en route to a convincing 6-0 win.
He parlayed that stellar showing into a place in Klinsmann’s starting XI days later against Trinidad and Tobago and did not disappoint. By and large, Kljestan was amongst the most influential players on the pitch, scoring the game-winning goal in the first half and consistently linking up with American starlet Christian Pulisic to terrorize the T&T defense.
“He’s been awesome,” goalkeeper Luis Robles said. “He and Pulisic came in and really turned things around and put their stamp on those games. All of us here are excited to see him succeed.”
Despite a logjam of talent in central midfield with players like Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, Alejandro Bedoya, and Kyle Beckerman, Kljestan managed to break into the national team setup and made a lasting impression on his teammates and coaches.
For Kljestan, it’s been a long time coming, and his Red Bulls teammates expressed their joy in seeing his success on the international stage.
“When you represent your country, you have more motivation to show everybody how good you are,” defender Aurelien Collin. “It had been a long time since he had been with the national team, but he showed everybody that he can play at that level. I’m very happy for him and I think he deserves it. He’s always dangerous with a final pass and he’s shown the whole league. Now he’s shown the United States team that he’s not finished. I would say he’s even better than before because he has more experience and you saw that in both games.”
Since being tasked with a more creative role since joining the Red Bulls ahead of the 2015 season, Kljestan has undergone something of a renaissance to become a more complete player. New York head coach Jesse Marsch turned more than a few heads after deploying Kljestan in the #10 role, but the adjustment has reaped its rewards.
After matching Thierry Henry’s club-record 15-assist mark in 2015, Kljestan has been even better in 2016. With six games to play, Kljestan has already topped last year’s mark and will be looking to add to his league-leading 16 assists this weekend.
“We’re all happy for him, but I don’t think any of us are surprised; we all expected him to look like that,” Marsch said. “He made a big statement for himself and the progress that he’s made here. He’s earned the right to be included from here on out. You have to take your chances each time, but I think he showed that he’s a big player.
“He helped the team in big ways and in ways that I think were needed. It was good to see him fit in so well.”
