da leao: Gio Reyna came on in the second half of Nottingham Forest's draw with Crystal Palace after shining for the U.S. Men's National team last week.
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Reyan comes off bench for ForestMidfielder dazzled for U.S. during breakPremier League match finishes 1-1WHAT HAPPENED?
Reyna came off the bench in the second half and, at the time, Forest were down 1-0 at home against opponents Crystal Palace.
The game's opening goal came 11 minutes in, with Jean-Philippe Mateta providing the finish. The striker's finish was a relatively simple one, as Eberechi Eze squared the ball to Mateta to help Palace seize the lead.
With Forest trailing, Reyna was thrown on in the 60th minute, and, less than a minute later, the hosts were level. It came via a lovely header from Chris Wood, who rose to meet a Morgan Gibbs-White cross to tie the score at one apiece.
Reyna went on to have a solid chance a few minutes later, only to be thwarted by Dean Henderson as the match finished level.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
At this point, any result is helpful for Forest. They'd have liked more than one point, but they'll surely take the one considering the fact that they trailed for most of the match. With the point, Forest remain in 18th, one point behind Luton Town and three points behind Everton, who have a game in hand.
USA TodayUSMNT IMPACT
Reyna's solid performance off the bench came after a massive international break that saw him steal the show for the USMNT. Ryan provided two assists for Haji Wright in the CONCACAF Nations League semifinal, helping save the U.S. in a 2-1 win over Jamaica. He then went on to score in the final, leading the way in another 2-0 triumph over Mexico.
When asked if the international break convinced him to give Reyna more time, Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo was noncommittal, but the American's performance off the bench will only help his case going forward.
Saturday's substitute appearance was just Reyna's fourth in the Premier League since joining Forest, totally just about 70 minutes.
On the other side, Chris Richards started and went all 90 for Palace, putting in a solid shift once again as he remains a regular starter for the club.
GettyGOAL'S RATINGS
Gio Reyna (7/10):
Came on and certainly made his presence felt. Had one good chance at goal, but fired it right at Henderson, unfortunately. Even so, was lively enough to justify more time.
Chris Richards (7/10):
Passing was a bit wayward, but he did his job defensively. A good effort following a solid international break with the U.S