Former Chivas USA Player Bags German Hat Trick

While other more well-known American players failed to see playing time with their respective European clubs this weekend, Southern California native Matt Taylor was having a game to remember in 2. Bundesliga, bagging a hat trick for TuS Koblenz in their 5-0 derby victory over FC Kaiserslautern on Sunday. Taylor, 26, scored twice in a 10-minute span in the first half to stake Koblenz to a 2-0 lead, and also scored the team's final goal in the decisive victory, played in front of a sell-out crowd of 15,000 at Stadion Oberwerth.Taylor spent four seasons in Major League Soccer after being drafted fourth overall by the Kansas City Wizards in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft. He was left unprotected in the 2004 MLS Expansion Draft, allowing Chivas USA to pick up the UCLA alum; Taylor went on to make 47 appearances for the club from 2005-2007, tallying three goals and three assists in that time.

After the 2007 season, Taylor opted to leave Chivas USA due to a contract dispute with head coach Preki. He briefly played for amateur side Hollywood United FC, helping them to a surprise win over the Portland Timbers in the first round of the 2008 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, before making the move to Koblenz just three days before the start of their season. He was an immediate success with his new club, scoring a left-footed volley in his first official German match.