It was a good week for several members of the U.S. Men’s National team, especially for two players who were called into the squad for this week's Concacaf Nations Cup matches.
Set to return to Orlando this week, striker Daryl Dike struck hit home a highlight reel goal and goalkeeper Ethan Horvath added yet another clean sheet to his collection.
The USA will visit Grenada in a Group D encounter on Friday, March 24 (8 p.m. ET; TNT, Universo, Peacock) and then will host El Salvador in Orlando, Fla. on Monday, March 27 (8 p.m. ET, TNT, Universo, Peacock).
BRILLIANT FINISH
Only hours after he was recalled to the U.S. Men's National Team for this week's Concacaf Nations League matches, Dike found the back of the net in West Bromwich Albion's 1-1 draw with host Cardiff City in the English Championship on Wednesday, March 15. Dike volleyed home Jed Wallace's cross past goalkeeper Ryan Allsop from close range for the first goal of the match in the 17th minute.
Dike, who has seven goals in 19 league matches this campaign, has been heating up recently. He bagged a brace in a 2-0 victory over Middlesbrough on Feb. 25 and connected for the game-winner in a 1-0 win over Wigan Athletic on March 7.
WBA (14-11-13, 55 points) is in ninth place, with nine matches remaining in the season. The top two teams are promoted to the Premier League and the third- through sixth-place teams will compete in the EFL Championship Playoffs, with the winner also earning promotion to the English top-flight.
SWEET 16 FOR HORVATH
Goalkeeper Ethan Horvath recorded his league-leading 16th clean sheet of the English Championship season for Luton Town in its 1-0 home win over Bristol City on Wednesday, March 15.
Horvath, one of three goalkeepers called in for the Nations League matches, made three saves. He collected Andi Weimann's low shot in the 49th minute, caught Harry Cornick's attempt in the 72nd minute and stopped Alex Scott's 25-yard free kick a few minutes later.
Elsewhere in the Championship, Zack Steffen also made three saves to earn his ninth shutout of the season in Middlesbrough’s 4-0 win against Preston North End. Steffen is taking part in his first USMNT camp since helping the team qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup last March.
Sean Johnson collected his first shutout of the MLS season in Toronto FC's 1-0 home victory over Inter Miami CF on Saturday, March 18. He made three saves.
LEED-ING THE WAY
With teammate and USMNT captain Tyler Adams out with a strained hamstring, midfielders Brenden Aaronson and Weston McKennie started and helped Leeds United to a 4-2 away win at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, March 18.
McKennie went the entire way and Aaronson played 81 minutes. The victory boosted Leeds (6-13-8, 26) out of the English Premier League's relegation zone and into 14th place, out of 20 teams. Aaronson and McKennie are on the CNL roster.
THE CENTURY CLUB
The sole MLS player on this week’s USMNT roster, defender Miles Robinson became the fourth player in Atlanta United history to appear in 100 MLS regular season games in the team's 5-1 home triumph over the Portland Timbers on Saturday, March 18.
Robinson returns to the National Team this week for the first time since tearing his achilles tendon in a league match for Atlanta United last May.
NOT MOVING ON
The hopes of defenders Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson reaching the FA Cup semifinals were dashed as Fulham fell to host Manchester United, 3-1, in the quarterfinals on Sunday, March 19.
The visitors enjoyed a 1-0 lead before the match drastically changed momentum in the 72nd minute. Willian was charged with a controversial hand ball and was red carded. So was manager Marco Silva. Aleksander Mitrovic, who had scored Fulham's goal, was given his marching orders for violently pushing the arm of referee Chris Kavanagh while disputing the decision. That left the Cottagers with nine players.
Bruno Fernandes converted a penalty kick to tie it, the first of his two goals. Marcel Sabitzer put home the winner. Robinson and Ream are on the roster for the Nations League matches.
SOME INSURANCE
Elsewhere around the USMNT player pool…
Only four minutes after coming on, Malik Tillman struck for an insurance tally in the 69th minute to help Rangers secure a 4-2 triumph over Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday, March 18. Tillman had replaced Fashion Sakala in the 65th minute.
Ryan Kent started the scoring sequence by sending the ball to Alfredo Morelos. Morelos held the ball up at the byline, before passing to Tillman, who put high into the top corner past keeper Liam Kelly for the final goal of the encounter. Tillman has eight goals in 24 league appearances this season.
REBOUNDING WELL
Jesús Ferreira capped off a comeback by FC Dallas, slotting home a rebound of his saved shot in the 84th minute to lift his MLS side to a 2-1 home win over Sporting Kansas City on Saturday, March 18.
Right back Geovane Jesus sent in a right-wing cross that Ferreira rifled toward the net, but was saved by goalkeeper John Pulskamp. The ball came back to the striker and Ferreira maneuvered to the left of Andreu Fontas and knocked in the rebound from close range past to snap a 1-1 deadlock for his third goal of the young season.
With the tally over the weekend, Ferreira now has 61 career goal contributions for FC Dallas (39 goals and 22 assists), tying Landon Donovan for the third-most among players 22 and under all-time in Major League Soccer.
SOME EARLY HELPERS
- Bryan Reynolds, who is back on the USMNT roster for the first time since December 2021, set up Kyan Vaesen's 11th-minute goal in Westerlo's 2-1 win at Oostende in the Belgian Pro League on Saturday, March 18.
- Brandon Vazquez assisted on FC Cincinnati's first goal in its 3-3 draw at the Chicago Fire on Saturday, March 18. Vazquez Junior Moreno's tally, which deflected off Miguel Navarro and into the net, in the eighth minute of the MLS match.
FULL RUNDOWN
- Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United; English Premier League) - 81 minutes in 4-2 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers (March 18)
- Paxton Aaronson (Eintracht Frankfurt; Bundesliga) - 7 minutes as a substitute in 2-0 loss at Union Berlin (March 19)
- Kellyn Acosta (Los Angeles FC; MLS) - 82 minutes in 0-0 draw at Seattle Sounders (March 18); 21 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 loss vs. Alajuelense in CCL (March 15)
- Tyler Adams (Leeds United; MLS) - Injured, DNP in 4-2 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers (March 18)
- Paul Arriola (FC Dallas; MLS) - 89 minutes in 2-1 win vs. Sporting Kansas City (March 18)
- George Bello (Arminia Bielefeld; 2. Bundesliga) - Not in 18, DNP in 2-2 draw vs. Nürnberg (March 17)
- Taylor Booth (Utrecht; Dutch Eredivisie) - 29 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 loss vs. Go Ahead Eagles (March 18)
- John Brooks (Hoffenheim; Bundesliga) – 90 minutes in 3-1 win at Hertha Berlin (March 18)
- Gianluca Busio (Venezia; Italian Serie B) - Not in 18, DNP in 1-0 win at Ascoli (March 18)
- Reggie Cannon (Boavista; Portuguese Primeira) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Famalicao (March 19)
- Johnny Cardoso (Internacional; Brazilian Serie A) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Caxias in Gaucho (March 18)
- Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic; Scottish Premiership) - 90 minutes, GOAL, in 3-1 win vs. Hibernian (March 18)
- Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes; MLS) -83 minutes in 3-0 loss at St. Louis City SC (March 18)
- Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo, Spain La Liga) - 69 minutes sin 3-1 win at Espanyol (March 18)
- Sergiño Dest (AC Milan; Italy Serie A) - Not in 18, DNP in 3-1 loss at Udinese (March 18); Not in 18, DNP in 1-1 draw vs. Salernitana (March 13)
- Daryl Dike (West Bromwich Albion; English Championship) - 58 minutes, GOAL, in 1-1 draw at Cardiff City (March 15)
- Jesus Ferreira (FC Dallas; MLS) - 90 minutes, GOAL, in 2-1 win vs. Sporting Kansas City (March 18)
- Matthew Hoppe (Hibernian; Scottish Premiership) - 21 minutes as a substitute in 3-1 loss at Celtic (March 18)
- Ethan Horvath (Luton Town; English Championship) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Sunderland (March 18); 90 minutes, SHUTOUT, in 1-0 win vs. Bristol City (March 15)
- Sean Johnson (Toronto FC; MLS) - 90 minutes, SHUTOUT, in 1-0 win vs. Inter Miami CF (March 18)
- Richy Ledezma (PSV; Dutch Eredivisie) - Not in 18, DNP in 1-1 draw at Vitesse (March 19)
- Aaron Long (Los Angeles FC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 0-0 draw at Seattle Sounders (March 18); 69 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Alajuelense in CCL (March 15)
- Weston McKennie (Leeds United; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 4-2 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers (March 18)
- Mark McKenzie (Genk; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Cercle Brugge (March 17)
- Matt Miagza (FC Cincinnati; MLS) - 90 minutes in 3-3 draw at Chicago Fire (March 18)
- Djordje Mihailovic (AZ Alkmaar; Dutch Eredivisie) - 12 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 loss at Twente (March 19); Not in 18, DNP in 2-1 win vs. Lazio in Europa League (March 16)
- Shaq Moore (Nashville SC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at New England Revolution (March 18)
- Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders; MLS) - 90 minutes in 0-0 draw vs. Los Angeles Fc (March 18)
- Yunus Musah (Valencia; Spain La Liga) - 63 minutes in 3-0 loss at Atletico Madrid (March 18)
- Erik Palmer-Brown (Troyes; French Ligue 1) - 90 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Brest (March 19)
- Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg; Bundesliga) - 32 minutes as a substitute, ASSIST, in 1-0 win at Stuttgart (March 18)
- Jordan Pefok (Union Berlin; Bundesliga) - 67 minutes in 2-0 win vs. Eintracht Frankfurt (March 19)
- Ricardo Pepi (Groningen; Dutch Eredivisie) - 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at Heerenveen (March 19)
- Christian Pulisic (Chelsea; Premier League) - 62 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Everton (March 18)
- Tim Ream (Fulham; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 3-1 loss at Manchester United in FA Cup (March 19)
- Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund; Bundesliga) - 18 minutes as a substitute in 6-1 win vs. Köln (March 18)
- Bryan Reynolds (Westerlo; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 2-1 win at Oostende (March 18)
- Chris Richards (Crystal Palace; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 4-1 loss at Arsenal (March 19); In 18, DNP in 1-0 loss at Brighton & Hove Albion (March 15)
- Antonee Robinson (Fulham; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 3-1 loss at Manchester United in FA Cup (March 19)
- Miles Robinson (Atlanta United; MLS) - 90 minutes in 5-1 win vs. Portland Timbers (March 18)
- Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders; MLS) - 90 minutes in 0-0 draw vs. Los Angeles Fc (March 18)
- James Sands (Rangers; Scottish Premiership) – 90 minutes in 3-2 win vs. D.C. United (March 18)
- Josh Sargent (Norwich City; English Championship) - 90 minutes in 0-0 draw at Stoke City (March 18); 77 minutes in 1-1 draw at Huddersfield Town (March 15)
- Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Werder Bremen (March 17)
- Alan Sonora (FC Juarez; Liga MX) – 24 minutes as a substitute in 2-2 draw at Querétaro (March 19)
- Zack Steffen (Middlesbrough; English Championship) - 90 minutes, SHUTOUT, in 4-0 win vs. Preston North End (March 18); 90 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Stoke City (March 14)
- Tanner Tessmann (Venezia; Italian Serie B) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win at Ascoli (March 18)
- Malik Tillman (Rangers; Scottish Premiership) - 25 minutes as a substitute, GOAL, in 4-2 win at Motherwell (March 18)
- John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 win vs. Columbus Crew (March 18)
- Auston Trusty (Birmingham City; English Championship) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win at Queens Park Rangers (March 18); 90 minutes in 3-0 loss at Watford (March 14)
- Matt Turner (Arsenal; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 4-1 win vs. Crystal Palace (March 19); In 18, DNP in 1-1 draw (5-3 loss on PKs) vs. Sporting Lisbon in Europa League (March 16)
- Brandon Vazquez (FC Cincinnati; MLS) - 79 minutes, ASSIST, in 3-3 draw at Chicago Fire (March 18)
- Tim Weah (Lille; French Ligue 1) – 89 minutes in 2-0 win at Toulouse (March 18)
- Eryk Williamson (Portland Timbers; MLS) - 90 minutes in 5-1 loss at Atlanta United (March 18)
- Haji Wright (Antalyaspor; Turkey Super Lig) - 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at Adana Demirspor (March 18)
- DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami CF; MLS) - Not in 18, DNP in 1-0 loss at Toronto FC (March 18)
- Alex Zendejas (Club America; Liga MX) - 27 minutes as a substitute in 4-2 win at Guadalajara (March 18)
- Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at New England Revolution (March 18)
