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Fabian Johnson plays full game for Gladbach after U.S. injury controversy

After taking criticism from United States coach Jurgen Klinsmann, Fabian Johnson played 90 minutes in helping Borussia Moenchengladbach to a 5-1 win at Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

Johnson played the full game and hit the post in the second half following a week of mixed injury reports about his thigh.

First, Klinsmann openly criticized Johnson for taking himself off in extra time of the Unites States' 3-2 loss to Mexico in their Confederations Cup playoff last Saturday.

The American right back complained of a thigh problem and came off in the 111th minute of the playoff, seven minutes before Paul Aguilar scored Mexico's winner.

Klinsmann told Johnson to return to Germany a day before the U.S. played Costa Rica in a friendly, saying Johnson "can rethink his approach about his team."

When he returned to his German club, Gladbach said that Johnson had arrived with a thigh injury and sat out training, though it didn't stop him from playing on Saturday.

Klinsmann's stance was subsequently criticized by Schubert, who said the U.S. coach had a "responsibility" to take the player off.

"When a player feels a tightening of their thigh in added time in a game and could then be on the verge of a more serious injury, I only think it's the responsibility of the team and himself to have him subbed off," Schubert said on Thursday.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.