Recent U19 callup: MIDFIELDERS (8): Amir Bashti (Stanford University; Cupertino, Calif.), Pierre Da Silva (Orlando City SC; Port Chester, N.Y.), Christian Enriquez (Nomads FC; San Diego, Calif.), Nelson Hunsinger (Leg A-Z; Mary Esther, Fla.), Kevin Lankford (FC Heidenheim; Heidenheim, Germany), Weston McKennie (FC Dallas; Little Elm, Texas), Djordje Mihailovic (Chicago Fire; Bridgeview, Ill.), Devin Vega (San Antonio, Texas) http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/201...es-22-player-roster-for-2016-cotif-tournament FCH's first team is in the B2 after winning promotion in 2013/14. I admit knowing very little about this club. Lankford: Position: Linksmittelfeld Geb.: 16.11.1998 bisherige Vereine: VfB Ulm, SSV Ulm 1846 Hobbys: Fußball beim FCH seit: 2015 http://nlz.fc-heidenheim.de/teams/u19.html There are jokes to be made about soccer being a hobby of his that I will let pass. As a late even birth year, he's young by U20 cycle terms. And Heidenheim, by the way, is kind of in the middle of the Stuttgart-Nuremberg-Munich triangle. Ulm is less than an hour's drive away, so he's still in his local area, it would seem.
He played for Heidenheim's first team in a preseason match against lower level opposition: http://www.swp.de/heidenheim/sport/fussball/regional/art1170747,3930148 If the lineup is correct, he may be an outside midfielder of some sort.
Kevin made his USYNT debut yesterday, subbing in at the 57th minute as US U-19 fell to Venezuela 2-0. http://www.cotifalcudia.com/selecci...s-unidos-0-2-seleccion-nacional-de-venezuela/
USA goal. Kevin Lankford scores his first international goal off an assist from John Nelson. USA leads 1-0 over Bahrain in the 35th minute— J.R. Eskilson (@JREskilson) August 1, 2016
Lankford started nearly every game for Heidenheim U19 last season, but has disappeared this year despite being under contract until 2017. As a 98 he's still eligible for the U19 league and Heidenheim does not field a reserve team, so perhaps he's injured.
I've realized that he probably hasn't been injured. Heidenheim's U19s were relegated from the U19 Bundesliga last season, so he's probably been playing for the U19s at the Regionalliga (second tier) level, which none of the usual database sites track. And onto the more important things - he made the first team bench for the first time in Friday's match against Stuttgart. I believe he signed his first pro contract earlier this month, a deal that lasts through 2019: http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/...eims-verhoek-fordert-einen-auswaertssieg.html http://www.swp.de/heidenheim/sport/...ert-vertraege-mit-vier-spielern-14424614.html
Pro debut today as a late sub. @bungadiri playing in the 2.Bundesliga has earned him the all-important YA promotion.
90. Minute: Kevin #Lankford gibt sein Profidebüt. Er kommt für Tim #Skarke.#NurDerFCH #FCH1846 #FCKFCH— 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 (@FCH1846) March 12, 2017
Appeared as a late sub: 87.: Dritter Wechsel beim FCH: Kevin Lankford kommt für John Verhoek.#NurDerFCH #FCH1846 #FCHBOC— 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 (@FCH1846) April 8, 2017
On the bench: Die folgende Startelf schickt Cheftrainer Frank Schmidt auf den Platz.#NurDerFCH #FCH1846 #KSCFCH pic.twitter.com/JoLO3483Hp— 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 (@FCH1846) April 16, 2017
18 years old with 100 minutes of 2BL to his name. Not bad. Imagine he's too useful to his team to be released for the u20 wc
On the bench: Mit folgender Mannschaftsaufstellung startet unser FCH gegen die @arminia.#NurDerFCH #FCH1846 #FCHDSC pic.twitter.com/uMasivsWPK— 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 (@FCH1846) April 22, 2017
The fact that he's regularly making the team is good news. I saw him play a few times during the summer with the US U-19's, he showed some flashes. Looked more like a box to box mid than winger where Friedel had him playing. I'd say Danny Williams might be an early comparable from what I saw.
On the bench: Mit folgender Elf startet der FCH um 18:30 Uhr gegen den FC St. Pauli 📃#NurDerFCH #FCH1846 #FCSPFCH pic.twitter.com/V9oUZpxnee— 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 (@FCH1846) April 28, 2017
70.: #Halloran verlässt das Feld, #Lankford kommt für die verbleibenden 20 Minuten. #FCSPFCH— 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 (@FCH1846) April 28, 2017
On the bench: Mit folgender Aufstellung startet der FCH gegen @Hannover96 !#NurDerFCH #FCH1846 #FCHH96 pic.twitter.com/oUJkCPsLbw— 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 (@FCH1846) May 5, 2017
Enters the match: 73.:Letzter Wechsel beim #FCH: Kevin #Lankford wird für Tim #Kleindienst eingewechselt.#NurDerFCH #FCH1846 #FCHH96— 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 (@FCH1846) May 5, 2017