Johnson Builds on remarkable 2015

Patience has been the key for Fabian Johnson. After signing with Borussia Monchengladbach last summer, Johnson struggled for playing time in the first few months of the season and ended 2014 on a down note.

Since the winter break, however, he has emerged as a starter in 2015. And when Johnson starts, Gladbach wins.

On Saturday, Monchengladbach defeated second place Wolfsburg 1-0 and Johnson delivered the crucial assist in the 90th minute. The win moved Monchengladbach into third place and it clinched at least a spot in the Champions League qualifying rounds. If the team holds onto third place, it will advance straight into the group stages.

Johnson has now made 12 Bundesliga starts this season and Monchengladbach is undefeated when he starts with a record of eight wins, four draws, no losses. What is even more remarkable is the quality of the wins—including road victories against the two best teams in the Bundesliga.

Bedoya hits a late equalizer

Johnson wasn’t the only American supplying late heroics. Alejandro Bedoya’s 88th-minute header gave Nantes a 1-1 draw with Toulouse. It was Bedoya's 30th career club goal in all competitions.

Nantes is now safely ensconced in the Ligue 1 midtable and next week will host a powerful Paris St. Germain side.

Howard Stones His Former Club

Everton its best game of the season on Sunday, defeating Manchester United 3-0 at Goodison Park. While none of his five saves were extremely difficult, Howard was still efficient and answered all challenges to ensure a convincing clean sheet win for the Toffees.

With the win, Everton moved into 10th place in the Premier League—and Howard got a small measure of revenge against the team that cast him aside a decade ago.

John Brooks solid in loss

Playing Bayern Munich on the road is a serious challenge and for 80 minutes on Saturday it looked like Hertha Bertha might escape with a result. Bastian Schweinsteiger’s 80th-minute goal, however, sealed a 1-0 win for the home team.

John Brooks put on a solid display in the loss and helped to successfully defend many Bayern attacks. The U.S. international struggled early in the season but has responded well since the Bundesliga winter break where he has played the best soccer of his career.

While the loss was expected, Hertha still has some work to do in order to avoid relegation. The club is six points clear with four games remaining.

Rough day at the office for Guzan

Playing away at Manchester City is always going to be a challenge but Brad Guzan cost Aston Villa a chance at a result in its 3-2 loss. In the third minute, Guzan coughed up the ball and allowed Sergio Aguero to score the opening goal.

Appearing unsettled as a result of this unforced error, Guzan was shaky throughout and was beaten on a long free kick later in the contest. Manchester City's 89th-minute game-winner was not Guzan’s fault but it did put an exclamation point on an ugly game for the 30-year-old Evergreen Park, Ill., native.

Johannsson a “Fox in the Box”

Aron Johannsson reads the game very well and his 35th-minute goal on Sunday against Twente demonstrates his crafty finishing ability. The nifty display gave AZ Alkmaar a 2-0 lead which would be the final score.

The goal was Johannsson’s sixth of the season and it helped moved AZ into fourth place in the Eredivisie with two games left. It has been an injury-plagued season for Johannsson but he has been playing like his old self lately.

Brian Sciaretta is an American Soccer Now columnist and an ASN 100 panelist. Follow him on Twitter.