If they were giving out grades this weekend, Gianluca Busio and Tanner Tessmann each would receive A's. Both will be playing in Italy's Serie A next season, helping Venezia achieve promotion.
Aidan Morris and the Columbus Crew fell short of their quest to win the Concacaf Champions Cup.
In Major League Soccer, Djordje Milhailovic did his best, connecting for goals in back-to-back games, Julian Gressel came off the bench to help Inter Miami CF to a high-scoring draw, and left back John Tolkin continued to deliver on both sides of the ball for the New York Red Bulls.
MOVING ON UP
Gianluca Busio and Tanner Tessmann will be competing in Italy's Serie A next season. They made certain of that, helping Venezia record a 1-0 home win over Cremonese in the second leg of the Serie B final series on Sunday, June 2. Venezia won the series, 1-0, after playing to a scoreless tie in the opening away leg on May 30. On Sunday, Busio set up the lone goal of the match in the 24th minute. An onrushing Busio slipped a short pass to Lund Gytkja, who slotted the ball into the lower right corner past goalkeeper Gianluca Saro and two defenders. Busio played the opening 59 minutes, while Tessmann went the full 90 and stoppage time for the second consecutive game.
Tessmann and Busio will join four other USMNT pool players in Italy's top tier – AC Milan's Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah and Juventus' Weston McKennie and Tim Weah. Both Venezia players finished the campaign with seven goals apiece in 42 appearances. Busio contributed four assists, Tessmann three.
It turned out to be a big week for Venezia's American dynamic duo as both players were called into the U.S. Men's Olympic Team training camp for its friendly against Japan in Kansas City, Kansas on June 11.
BACK-TO-BACK
Midfielder Djordje Mihailovic scored in consecutive road losses for the Colorado Rapids. He tallied the lone goal in a 3-1 defeat at the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday, May 29, putting home the rebound of a saved penalty kick by Rafael Navarro past goalie Andrew Tarbell in the 49th minute. On Saturday, June 1, he took a short pass from Omir Fernandez from the left side before burying the ball past who past keeper Yohei Takaoka to equalize at 1-1. The Vancouver Whitecaps went on to a 2-1 home victory.
Mihailovic, who has made 11 goal contributions in his past 11 appearances, has accrued five goals and six assists in 16 contests this season.
SECOND BEST
Midfielder Aidan Morris and his Columbus Crew teammates lost in the Concacaf Champions Cup final at Pachuca, 3-0, at Estadio Hildago on Saturday, June 1. Morris, who played the entire game, was called up to the Olympic Team’s training camp. The reigning MLS Cup champions will next be in action when they visit New York City FC on June 14.
OFF THE BENCH
Julian Gressel came off the bench to help Inter Miami CF to a wild 3-3 home draw with St. Louis CITY on Saturday, June 1. Gressel, who replaced Matías Rojas in the 69th minute, set up the final goal in the MLS encounter at Chase Stadium. The midfielder sent a ball over defenders to Jordi Alba, who slotted a 12-yard shot past goalkeeper Roman Burki into the lower left corner for the 85th-minute equalizer. It was Gressel's sixth assist of the campaign for the MLS Eastern Conference leaders (10-3-5, 35), who also are the Supporters’ Shield leaders.
IMPRESSIVE FREE KICK
New York Red Bulls left back John Tolkin, playing in his 100th MLS match only days after he was selected to Olympic camp, continued to be a force on both sides of the ball. On Wednesday, May 29, center back Andres Reyes put away Tolkin's corner kick during a scramble in the box for the hosts' final goal in the 83rd minute in a 3-1 home win over Charlotte FC. Tolkin did not receive an assist.
On Saturday, June 1, he scored the lone goal in a 1-0 home triumph over Orlando City SC. After Lewis Morgan was fouled by Wilder Cartagena, Tolkin and team captain Emil Forsberg stood over the ball, some 26 yards out. Tolkin drilled a left-footed drive into the near right post for his first goal of the season, past goalie Pedro Gallese in the 38th minute. Tolkin was forced from the game in the 74th minute with an apparent right leg injury. The injury’s severity was not immediately known.
SOME INSURANCE
Caleb Wiley, who also was called into Olympic camp, set up the insurance tally in Atlanta United's 3-1 win at Inter Miami CF on Wednesday, May 29. After taking a pass from Thiago Almada, the 19-year-old defender sent a cross into the six-yard box to Jamal Thiare. Thiare tapped it home past keeper Drake Callender from point-blank range in the 73rd minute. It was Wiley's first assist of the year.
FULL RUNDOWN
-- Kellyn Acosta (Chicago Fire; MLS) - 76 minutes in 2-1 win vs. Los Angeles Galaxy (June 1); 72 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Orlando City SC (May 29)
-- Gianluca Busio (Venezia; Italian Serie B) – 59 minutes, ASSIST, in 1-0 win vs. Cremonese in Serie B playoffs (June 2); 60 minutes in 0-0 draw at Cremonese in Serie B playoffs (May 30)
-- Drake Callender (Inter Miami CF; MLS) - 90 minutes in 3-3 draw vs. St. Louis CITY (June 1); 90 minutes in 3-1 loss vs. Atlanta United (May 29)
- Ben Cremaschi (Inter Miami CF; MLS) - 60 minutes as a substitute in 3-3 draw vs. St. Louis CITY (June 1); In 18, DNP in 3-1 loss vs. Atlanta United (May 29)
-- Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas; MLS) - 84 minutes in 1-0 loss at Los Angeles FC (June 1); 23 minutes as a substitute in 3-1 loss at LA Galaxy (May 29)
-- Julian Gressel (Inter Miami CF; MLS) - 21 minutes as a substitute, ASSIST, in 3-3 draw vs. St. Louis CITY (June 1); 57 minutes in 3-1 loss vs. Atlanta United (May 29)
-- DeJuan Jones (New England Revolution; MLS) – 90 minutes in 2-1 win at Nashville SC (June 1)
-- Mark McKenzie (Genk; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss vs. Gent in Jupiler Pro League playoffs (June 2)
-- Djordje Mihailovic (Colorado Rapids; MLS) - 90 minutes, GOAL, in 2-1 loss at Vancouver Whitecaps (June 1); 90 minutes, GOAL, in 3-1 loss at Houston Dynamo (May 29)
-- Shaq Moore (Nashville SC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. New England Revolution (June 1); 45 minutes in 2-0 win at FC Cincinnati (May 29)
-- Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew; MLS) - 90 minutes in 3-0 loss at Pachuca in Concacaf Champions Cup (June 1)
-- Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders; MLS) - 83 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Real Salt Lake (May 29)
-- Jalen Neal (LA Galaxy; MLS) – In 18, DNP in 2-1 loss at Chicago Fire (June 1); 90 minutes in 3-1 win vs. FC Dallas (May 29)
-- Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-0 loss vs. Nashville SC (May 29)
-- James Sands (New York City FC; MLS) – 90 minutes in 5-1 win vs. San Jose Earthquakes (May 31)
-- Zack Steffen (Colorado Rapids; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at Vancouver Whitecaps (June 1); 90 minutes in 3-1 loss at Houston Dynamo (May 29)
-- Tanner Tessmann (Venezia; Italy Serie B) – 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Cremonese in Serie B playoffs (June 2); 90 minutes in 0-0 draw at Cremonese in Serie B playoffs (May 30)
-- Timmy Tillman (Los Angeles FC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. FC Dallas (June 1); 90 minutes in 2-0 win vs. Minnesota United (May 29)
-- John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls; MLS) - 74 minutes, GOAL, in 1-0 win vs. Orlando City (June 2); 90 minutes in 3-1 win vs. Charlotte FC (May 29)
-- Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United; MLS - 90 minutes in 3-2 loss vs. Charlotte FC (June 2); 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 3-1 win at Inter Miami CF (May 29)
-- DeAndre Yedlin (FC Cincinnati; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-0 loss vs. Nashville SC (May 29)
-- Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. New England Revolution (June 1); 66 minutes in 2-0 win at FC Cincinnati (May 29)
