In England, Josh Sargent made the most of his first start for Norwich City in nearly three months by scoring twice in a big win. Tyler Adams recorded another type of brace, a rare two-assist game, in AFC Bournemouth's victory.
In The Netherlands, Ricardo Pepi didn't score twice but once was enough in stoppage time for another PSV Eindhoven victory.
In Italy, Christian Pulisic continued to demonstrate how lethal he is on penalty kicks for AC Milan and Yunus Musah chipped in with a vital assist in a win.
And, in Mexico, Alejandro Zendejas started the Torneo Clausura in style, striking twice in Club América’s triumph.
NICE BRACE
In his first start in almost three months, Josh Sargent's relentless play turned into a two-goal performance in Norwich City's 5-1 thrashing of Swansea City on Saturday, Jan. 25. Sargent, who hadn't been in the Starting XI since a 3-3 draw against Middlesbrough on Oct. 27, tallied his first goal in the 44th minute. He turned an Emiliano Marcondes feed into a goal past goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux. Only two minutes after Liam Cullen equalized, the 24-year-old forward scored again in the 64th minute. This time Sargent put away a feed from Ante Crnac to give the Canaries a 2-1 lead they would not relinquish.
Sargent, who last found the net in a 4-0 triumph over Hull City on Oct. 5, has scored six times in 15 games. Norwich (10-10-9, 39 points) is in 11th place in the English Championship.
DOUBLING UP
Tyler Adams, generally more known for his defensive work than his attacking prowess, has three assists in his last two matches for AFC Bournemouth. After recording his first English Premier League assist last week, the defensive midfielder set up two goals in a 5-0 romp over third-place Nottingham Forest on Saturday, Jan. 25. He fed Justin Kluivert for his 11th league goal of the season to lift the hosts into a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute as the forward beat goalkeeper Matz Sels from 25 yards. In the 61st minute, Adams turned playmaker again, assisting on the second goal of Dango Ouattara’s hat-trick.
On Jan. 18, Adams recorded his first EPL assist in a 4-1 victory over Newcastle United.
The Cherries (11-5-7, 40 points), who extended their unbeaten streak to 12 matches, sit in seventh place.
PEPI DOES IT AGAIN
Ricardo Pepi’s stock continued to soar as he connected for a stoppage-time winner for PSV Eindhoven on Saturday, Jan. 25. He tallied four minutes into stoppage time to give the Dutch Eredivisie leaders a two-goal lead over NAC Breda. They needed that goal, because the visitors’ Kacper Kostorz pulled one back two minutes later in what turned into a 3-2 victory. Pepi, who replaced Luuk de Jong in the 79th minute, scored his 11th goal of the Eredivisie season. After taking a pass from Ismael Saibari pass, he made a perfectly timed run through the backline before beating goalkeeper Daniel Bielica.
The 22-year-old forward moved into sole possession of second place in the league’s Golden Boot race. FC Twente’s Sem Steijn has scored 15 goals in 1,472 minutes, while Pepi has netted his 11 in 683 minutes. Pepi also has scored four times in the KNVB Beker and another goal in the UEFA Champions League this season.
PSV (16-3-1, 49) remained atop the Dutch league, four points over second-place Ajax (14-2-3, 45).
A DANDY DOZEN
Christian Pulisic converted a penalty kick and Yunus Musah set up an important goal for AC Milan in its 3-2 comeback triumph over Parma in Italy's Serie A at San Siro on Sunday, Jan. 26.
Pulisic buried an emphatic penalty kick as he improved to 12-for-12 from the spot in his career. After teammate Strahinja Pavlović was taken down in the area by goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, Pulisic drilled his attempt to the lower left corner past the diving keeper to knot things up at 1-1 in the 38th minute. It was Pulisic’s first Serie A goal since a 2-1 defeat to Fiorentina on Oct. 6. Pulisic, who has six league goals, has tallied 11 goals and provided seven assists in 25 matches across all competitions this season.
Two minutes into stoppage time, Musah’s pass to Tijjani Reijnders from deep in the midfield set up the equalizer before Samuel Chukwueze struck for the game-winner three minutes later.
Milan (9-5-7, 34 points), which won at home for the first time since Nov. 30, is in sixth place.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Alejandro Zendejas earned man of the match honors after scoring twice during a seven-minute span in Club América's 4-1 win at Santos Laguna in Liga MX's Torneo Clausura on Saturday, Jan. 25. He put away Alvaro Fidalgo's feed to boost the visitors into a 3-0 advantage in the 62nd minute before recording an unassisted goal in the 69th minute.
FIRST STEPS
Left back John Tolkin, who was transferred by the New York Red Bulls to Holstein Kiel on Jan. 16, made his Bundesliga debut in a 2-2 draw at Wolfsburg on Friday, Jan. 24. Tolkin, 22, played the final 11 minutes or regulation and injury time after replacing Dominik Javorček in the 79th minute. Holstein (3-13-3, 12 points) sits in the relegation zone in 17th place out of 18 teams. The last three teams are in the zone.
ON THE MOVE
* In a transfer between two Bundesliga clubs, Heidenheim midfielder Lennard Maloney joined Mainz on a transfer on Wednesday, Jan. 27. He was on the Mainz bench for its 2-0 home victory over Stuttgart on Saturday, Jan. 25.
* Midfielder Luca de la Torre will be able to play for his hometown team as Celta Vigo of Spain's La Liga loaned him to MLS transfer team San Diego FC.
FULL RUNDOWN
-- Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United; English Championship) - At Burnley (Monday, 3 p.m. ET); 90 minutes in 2-0 win vs. Norwich City (Jan. 22)
-- Paxten Aaronson (Utrecht; Dutch Eredivisie) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Heracles (Jan. 24)
-- Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth; English Premier League) – 90 minutes, TWO ASSISTS, in 5-0 win vs. Nottingham Forest (Jan. 25)
-- Folarin Balogun (Monaco; French Ligue 1) – Injured, DNP in 3-2 win vs. Rennes (Jan. 25); Injured, DNP in 1-0 win vs. Aston Villa in UCL (Jan. 21)
-- Taylor Booth (Utrecht; Dutch Eredivisie) - Not in 18, DNP in 1-1 draw at Heracles (Jan. 24)
-- Gianluca Busio (Venezia; Italian Serie A) – Vs. Verona (Monday, 12:30 p.m. ET)
-- Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis; Spain La Liga) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win at Mallorca (Jan. 25)
-- Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic; Scottish Premiership) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Young Boys in UCL (Jan. 22)
-- Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - Injured, DNP in 3-2 win vs. NAC Breda (Jan. 25); Injured, DNP in 3-2 win at Red Star Belgrade in UCL (Jan. 21)
-- Marlon Fossey (Standard Liege; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Dender (Jan. 26)
-- Ethan Horvath (Cardiff City; Championship) - In 18, DNP in 2-1 win vs. Derby County (Jan. 25); In 18, DNP in 2-2 draw at Millwall (Jan. 21)
-- Richy Ledezma (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - 90 minutes in 3-2 win vs. NAC Breda (Jan. 25); 87 minutes in 3-2 win at Red Star Belgrade in UCL (Jan. 21)
-- Kristoffer Lund (Palermo; Italy Serie B) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at Reggiana (Jan. 26)
-- Lennard Maloney (Mainz; Bundesliga) - In 18, DNP in 2-0 win vs. Stuttgart (Jan. 25)
-- Weston McKennie (Juventus; Italy Serie A) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at Napoli (Jan. 25); 14 minutes as a substitute in 0-0 draw at Club Brugge in UCL (Jan. 21)
-- Mark McKenzie (Toulouse; French Ligue 1) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Montpellier (Jan. 26)
-- Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough; Championship) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at Preston North End (Jan. 25); 90 minutes in 2-0 win vs. West Bromwich Albion (Jan. 21)
-- Yunus Musah (AC Milan; Italy Serie A) - 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 3-2 win vs. Parma (Jan. 26); 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Girona in UCL (Jan. 21)
-- Erik Palmer-Brown (Panathinaikos; Greek Super League) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Olympiakos (Jan. 26)
-- Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg; Bundesliga) - Injured, DNP in 2-2 draw vs. Holstein Kiel (Jan. 24)
-- Jordan Pefok (Union Berlin; Bundesliga) - 60 minutes in 3-0 loss at St. Pauli (Jan. 26)
-- Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - 11 minutes as a substitute, GOAL, in 3-2 win vs. NAC Breda (Jan. 25); 4 minutes as a substitute in 3-2 win at Red Star Belgrade in UCL (Jan. 21)
-- Christian Pulisic (AC Milan; Italy Serie A) - 90 minutes, GOAL, in 3-2 win vs. Parma (Jan. 26); 15 minutes as a substitute in 1-0 win vs. Girona in UCL (Jan. 21)
-- Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund; Bundesliga) - In 18, DNP in 2-2 draw vs. Werder Bremen (Jan. 25); 64 minutes in 2-1 loss at Bologna in UCL (Jan. 21)
-- Bryan Reynolds (Westerlo; Belgian Pro League) - Not in 18, DNP, SUSPENDED, in 2-1 loss vs. Genk (Jan. 25)
-- Chris Richards (Crystal Palace; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Brentford (Jan. 26)
-- Antonee Robinson (Fulham; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss to Manchester United (Jan. 26)
-- James Sands (St. Pauli, Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 3-0 win vs. Union Berlin (Jan. 26)
-- Josh Sargent (Norwich City; English Championship) - 65 minutes, TWO GOALS, in 5-1 win vs. Swansea City (Jan. 25); 31 minutes as a substitute in 2-0 loss at Leeds United (Jan. 22)
-- Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 3-0 win vs. Bochum (Jan. 25)
-- Gaga Slonina (Chelsea U-21; English Premier League 2) - At Brentford (Monday, 2 p.. ET); Not in 18, DNP in 2-0 loss vs. Southampton (Jan. 24)
-- Tanner Tessmann (Lyon; French Ligue 1) – In 18, DNP in 1-1 draw at Nantes (Jan. 26); In 18, DNP in 0-0 draw at Fenerbahce in UEFA Europa League (Jan. 26)
-- Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - Injured, DNP in 3-2 win vs. NAC Breda (Jan. 25); Injured, DNP in 3-2 win at Red Star Belgrade in UCL (Jan. 21)
-- John Tolkin (Holstein Kiel; Bundesliga) - 11 minutes as a substitute in 2-2 draw at Wolfsburg (Jan. 24)
-- Auston Trusty (Celtic; Scottish Premiership) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Young Boys in UCL (Jan. 22)
-- Matt Turner (Crystal Palace; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 2-1 loss vs. Brentford (Jan. 26)
-- Tim Weah (Juventus; Italy Serie A) - In 18, DNP in 2-1 loss at Napoli (Jan. 25); 66 minutes in 0-0 draw at Club Brugge in UCL (Jan. 21)
-- Caleb Wiley (Strasbourg; French Ligue 1) - Injured, DNP in 2-1 loss vs. Lille (Jan. 26)
-- Haji Wright (Coventry City; Championship) - Injured, DNP in 2-1 win vs. Watford (Jan. 21); Injured, DNP in 2-1 win vs. Blackburn Rovers (Jan. 21)
-- Alejandro Zendejas (Club America; Liga MX) - 73 minutes, TWO GOALS, in 4-1 win at Santos Laguna (Jan. 25)
