Johnson's Brace in the Greek Playoff

On This Day in 2010, the Striker Nabbed Two Goals in a Final Push to Earn a World Cup Roster Spot

When Eddie Johnson landed in Thessaloniki on New Year's Day 2010, he was a man with everything to prove. After struggling to make an impact at Fulham and returning from a loan spell at Cardiff City, the American striker sought a fresh opportunity to revive his career and secure a place in Bob Bradley's World Cup squad for South Africa. Greece's Aris FC offered that lifeline.

Johnson's journey at Aris began gradually. After finalizing his loan move from Fulham on December 31, 2009, he debuted on January 13 as a 79th-minute substitute in a 2-0 Greek Cup victory over Asteras Tripoli. His Greek Super League debut followed four days later against PAS Giannina, again as a substitute. These early cameos gave little indication of the impact he would eventually make.

As spring arrived in Greece, Johnson gradually integrated into the team alongside fellow American loanee Freddy Adu. Aris was in a critical position by late April, participating in the Greek Super League playoffs with European qualification at stake. Their April 28 match against powerhouse Olympiacos at Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium represented a pivotal moment in their campaign.

The Greek playoff system that year featured a unique format. Rather than starting all teams with zero points, a weighted system was applied based on regular season standings. Olympiacos began with 4 points, PAOK with 3, AEK Athens with 1, while Aris, having finished fifth, started with 0 points. This disadvantage meant Aris needed exceptional performances in the home-and-away round-robin to remain competitive.

Against this backdrop, Johnson was about to deliver his most emphatic performance in Greek football. With the match delicately poised in the first half, Johnson broke the deadlock in the 39th minute. Compatriot Freddy Adu, showcasing his technical ability even while losing his footing, curled a precise left-footed cross near the byline. Johnson, timing his run perfectly, rose unmarked at the six-yard box and directed a powerful header back across goal beyond the Olympiacos goalkeeper. The stadium erupted as Aris led against Greece's most decorated club.

Olympiacos pressed for an equalizer throughout the second half, but the Aris defense held firm. Then, with seconds remaining before the final whistle, Johnson delivered the coup de grace. Capitalizing on a defensive error, he intercepted a wayward back pass, rounded the advancing goalkeeper with composure, and slotted the ball into the empty net. His brace secured a stunning 2-0 victory, giving Aris three crucial points to begin their playoff campaign.

Despite their disadvantaged starting position, Aris would ultimately finish the playoff mini-league in a respectable third place with 8 points, earning qualification for the Europa League third qualifying round. PAOK claimed the coveted Champions League spot with 16 points, while AEK Athens finished second with 9 points. Remarkably, Olympiacos—who had begun with a 4-point advantage—ended the playoffs in last place, managing only 8 points and settling for Europa League second qualifying round entry.

Johnson's performance throughout the playoffs was instrumental. He scored three goals in these crucial matches, becoming one of the top scorers in the playoff mini-league. His contributions helped transform Aris from playoff underdogs to European qualifiers, fulfilling the club's continental ambitions.

Despite this late-season flourish and his previous contributions to the national team, Johnson's World Cup dreams were ultimately dashed. Despite playing in the defeat to the Czech Republic the day before, when Bob Bradley announced his 23-man squad for South Africa on May 26, Johnson's name was absent. The coach had opted for other attacking options, including surprise inclusions Herculez Gomez and Edson Buddle, who had impressed the national team in recent matches.

As Gomez and Buddle celebrated their selection at ESPN University that Wednesday afternoon, with the squad being introduced on national television for the first time in U.S. Soccer history, Johnson was left to contemplate what might have been. His goals in Greece had come too late to change Bradley's thinking. 

Having represented his country at the 2006 World Cup and scoring essential goals in qualifying campaigns, missing out on soccer's most significant stage was a bitter pill. His Greek renaissance had showcased his abilities but hadn't convinced Bradley that he deserved one of the coveted striker positions on the plane to South Africa.

Johnson's Aris experience demonstrated both the capricious nature of soccer and the brutal arithmetic of World Cup selection. His performance against Olympiacos is a testament to his quality—a brilliant night under the lights in Thessaloniki that ultimately served as a bittersweet reminder of what might have been on the global stage that summer as the United States struggled to score goals at the World Cup.