American defender John Brooks signs with Portugal’s Benfica
By The Associated Press
American defender John Brooks signed a one-year contract with the Portuguese club Benfica. The 29-year-old, who left Germany’s Wolfsburg at the end of last season, hopes to play his way back into contention for a spot on the U.S. World Cup roster. After appearing in two of the first three qualifiers last September, he was dropped by coach Gregg Berhalter and has not been selected for the national team since. Berhalter said the U.S. employed a high defensive line that Brooks was unfamiliar with at Wolfsburg. Brooks scored against Ghana at the 2014 World Cup.