On his way from California to Germany last summer, Joe-Max Moore told himself he aimed to score 10 goals for his new club, Second Division Saarbruecken.
On May 27, he exceeded his mark by two, and his hat trick in a 4-0 win over Waldhof Mannheim should promise more benefits than the mere satisfaction of attaining a personal goal.
“The timing was pretty good,” Moore said.
Since the season’s halfway point, Saarbruecken moved from 13th to seventh place, but its administrators failed to iron out financial problems and the German soccer federation rescinded the club’s professional license.
So Moore, whose rights Saarbruecken purchased from U.S. Soccer in March, needs a new club. Interest in Moore has increased since his three goals against Mannheim, which was in first place but moved to third with the loss. The hat trick gave Moore 10 goals in his last 15 games and 12 for the season, tying him for fifth in the league. Twelve also matches Eric Wynalda’s mark at Saarbruecken in the 1993-94 season, before he transferred to Bochum.
“The key was that I had a lot more chances than in the first half of the season,” Moore said, “and the coach didn’t bench me if I went two games without a goal. He just said, ‘Don’t worry, you’ll score in the next game.'”
Moore’s first goal against Mannheim came on a diving header, his second after rounding the keeper on a breakaway, and the third off an eight-yard shot after a low cross.
Saarbruecken has two more league games and a friendly against First Division Borussia Moenchengladbach before season’s end June 18. Then Saarbruecken moves to the Third Division and Moore hopes to move to another German club.
“I want to stay in Germany,” said Moore. “I need to keep performing well, so I need to play all the rest of the games. That means I’m doubtful for the U.S. Cup, but I hope to be play in the Copa America.”
by Soccer America Senior Editor Mike Woitalla