Gio Reyna scored the winning goal in his first game since the World Cup and signaled he’s blocking out the controversy surrounding him, his parents and the US national team coach.
Reyna came off the bench to decide a thrilling game as Borussia Dortmund beat Augsburg 4-3 in the Bundesliga on Sunday, a game that also saw Reyna’s teammate Sébastien Haller return after treatment for testicular cancer.
Reyna came on in the 70th minute in his first competitive match since the World Cup, where he was limited to a pair of substitute appearances.
The lack of playing time, and later critical comments by US coach Gregg Berhalter about an unnamed player subsequently identified as Reyna, led Reyna’s parents, former USA players Claudio Reyna and Danielle Egan, to contact the US Soccer Federation about a 1991 domestic-violence incident involving Berhalter. The USSF has appointed an interim coach while a law firm investigates Berhalter.
GIO REYNA STUNNING MOMENT OF WONDER. 8 minutes after subbing into first game post World Cup, the 20 Year Old hammers ball home and does the “I am not listening to your criticism” celebration. More than a goal. A statement of Skill louder than Bombs 🙌 🇺🇸pic.twitter.com/tZ9fqQPA2Q
— roger bennett (@rogbennett) January 22, 2023
Eight minutes after coming on on Sunday, Reyna was left in space outside the penalty area. He controlled the ball before flicking it up and over goalkeeper Rafal Gikiewicz.
The 20-year-old marked his goal with a series of gestures that appeared to signal he was blocking out the furor. He first placed his finger to his lips, then open and closed his right hand in a chattering motion, cupped his right hand to his hear, then plugged both his ears with his index fingers.
Gio Reyna really hit the superfecta of defiant celebrations:
— Henry Bushnell (@HenryBushnell) January 22, 2023
1. shush
2. chatter/talking
3. cupping hand to ear
4. fingers in ears
(Photos: Getty & AP) pic.twitter.com/RoqZzCbISW
He later posted on Instagram a photo of himself with his finger to his lips and the matter-of-fact message: “Crazy game, 3 points, on to the next.”
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Reyna could have scored a second goal five minutes later but failed in an audacious bid to round Gikiewicz, which would have left him with an empty net to aim at.
Frail in defense all season, Dortmund were bailed out by their substitutes. First-half goals from Jude Bellingham and Nico Schlotterbeck were answered by Augsburg’s Arne Maier and Ermedin Demirović to leave the game at 2-2 at halftime. English youngster Jamie Bynoe-Gittens hit a curling shot from distance to restore Dortmund’s lead in the 75th, but David Colina leveled the score again for Augsburg, only for Reyna to score his team’s fourth.