German defender Wal Fall started off 2016 looking for a chance to play in the U.S., with the defending USL champion Rochester Rhinos ultimately signing the well-rounded 24-year-old after his trials for several clubs.

One of the earlier organizations Fall trained with during the offseason was the Charlotte Independence, a team that he directly helped eliminate from the 2016 USL Cup Playoffs last week with a beautifully taken free kick strike from 30 yards out.

“He has something against Charlotte,” Rochester midfielder Kenardo Forbes said. “Charlotte gets his best game of the season.”

Fall’s early tally propelled fourth-seeded Rochester to a 3-1 win against fifth-seeded Charlotte in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the 2016 USL Cup Playoffs on Saturday. That sets the table for a conference semifinal clash against the top-seeded New York Red Bulls II on Friday (7 p.m. ET, Red Bull Arena).

“We started pretty well in the game,” Fall said of the conference quarterfinal win. “We knew that it was an important game for us and wanted to win, and you saw this from the beginning. We were hungry and ready. I think we did a great job, and this weekend we’ll try and do the same.”

With a new team, league and language thrust upon him, Fall naturally went through some significant adjustments at the start of the season in Rochester. To listen to him now and see his play as a key cog on the back line, it is clear that Fall is clicking on all fronts.

“The beginning was not easy because I didn’t speak the language so well,” Fall said. “I tried to do my best, tried to learn the language quick, but I know on the pitch, everywhere is the same language. The first weeks, Christian Volesky was picking me up from the airport and bringing me to the super-mart, Bradley Kamdem and my roommate Tomas Gomez helped me a lot, but now I don’t need so much help. I have good teammates, so that’s been nice.”

Fall’s defense is his primary responsibility, but with his panache during set piece situations, fans catch a glimpse of the background he has had as an attacking midfielder.

“I’ve played the No. 8 before, when I played in Austria, where I scored a lot of goals and made a lot of assists,” Fall said. “I can play three positions – center back, holding mid and behind the striker. So, wherever the coach needs me, I’m ready.”

As Fall continues to make an impression stateside, it is only natural that his name stays heavily connected to his older cousin, Colorado Rapids midfielder and U.S. international Jermaine Jones. Jones, who has worked his way back from a knee injury this summer and thus is not with the MNT for World Cup Qualifying, is more than a decade older than Fall. That also means there have been no family-related pick-up game soccer tales between the cousins. Jones and Fall have instead carved out their own professional paths, though when Fall was younger, he had the privilege of experiencing Jones’ career firsthand.

“Every time when he had a home game with Frankfurt, I was with him in the locker room, or most games in the stands,” Fall said. “But we don’t play together. I never played against him and I never played with him because he’s 11 years older than me. I was too young to play with him.

“There is a big dream that we’ll play against each other,” Fall said. “He told me I have two years’ time to play against him, so we’ll see what’s coming.”

The family connection with a longtime professional and FIFA World Cup player has certainly helped Fall along the way.

“I learn so much from him,” Fall said. “He’s a great player. He’s a great person. He’s a great dad for his kids. If I need help – private or on the pitch – I can ask him for everything. He’s had a great career and I’m happy for him. He’s a great person.”

Now Fall is carving a career for a historic Rochester side that is still three wins away from becoming the first repeat champion in the USL.

“I’m grateful that Rochester gave me the chance to come here for a trial and happy that they signed me,” Fall said. “I think this was my best option with the Rhinos, and we have a great style in how we play. I like it. Now, I’m trying to give my best for the team.”