FC Utrecht fell, predictably, to Ajax on Sunday. The Amsterdam giants cruised to a 3-1 win, but guess who scored Utrecht's lone goal?
That's right, the 18-year-old American Rubio Rubin.
That's a nice and tidy finish for Rubin. When he started the season, he was putting himself in good positions and making good runs, but struggled to finish or make the final pass. That's not so much the problem anymore. He has a pair of goals and is looking much more comfortable.
Rubin always figured to be a little rough to begin the season. He had never played professionally until this year and was a teenager in a pretty good league. There was going to be a real adjustment period, but he's starting to come out the other side from it.
That Rubin is being tabbed to start against a team like Ajax is a big deal. And not only that, but he went 90 minutes and got a goal. It's way too early to call Rubin a star or even to say that he needs to get many more looks with the national team, but it's clear why he was considered one of the best American prospects.