U.S. Men's National Team players provided heroics for their club teams in many ways last week.
Christian Pulisic might have played only a half, but he demonstrated that he doesn’t need much time to make an impact with two vital assists in an AC Milan win.
Josh Sargent continued to be a headache for opposing defenders and goalkeepers, striking yet again for Norwich City.
Alejandro Zendejas celebrated his birthday with a goal for Club América.
Aidan Morris and John Tolkin registered their first assists for Middlesbrough and Holstein Kiel, respectively.
In net, goalkeeper Ethan Horvath’s ability to stop penalty kicks in pressure situations was on display for Cardiff City in the English F.A. Cup.
PULISIC THE PLAYMAKER
Christian Pulisic is not just a scoring machine. He’s pretty good in setting up teammates for goals as well. The U.S. Men’s National Team standout assisted on both of AC Milan’s goals in its 2-0 win at Empoli in Italian Serie A on Saturday, Feb. 8. Pulisic is tied for the league’s assist lead with eight.
Pulisic’s latest magic came after entering as a substitute at the start of the second half, replacing Youssouf Fofana. USMNT teammate Yunus Musah sent Pulisic the ball on the right flank. Pulisic dribbled toward the end line before crossing to Rafael Leao at the far post. Rafael Leao headed it home past goalkeeper Devis Vazquez in the 68th minute. Eight minutes later, the 26-year-old forward was at it again. After a long goal kick by keeper Mike Maignan, Pulisic found Santiago Gimenez with a short pass and the newcomer buried a shot from the top of the box into the upper left corner to become the first Mexican to score for Milan, in the 76th minute.
Across all competitions, Pulisic has recorded 12 goals and nine assists this season.
Milan (10-5-8, 38 points) moved into seventh place, four points from a spot in next year’s European competition.
ONE HOT STRIKER
Josh Sargent continued his comeback from a groin injury in style, registering his fourth goal in three games for Norwich City on Saturday, Feb. 8. He scored the hosts’ first goal on a nice give-and-go with Emiliano Marcondes in the 68th minute, slotting the ball past goalkeeper Widell Zetterström to give the Canaries a 1-0 lead. Jerry Yates, however, equalized with a penalty kick two minutes into stoppage time. Sargent, 24, has found the net for the eighth time in 18 appearances this season. The tie left the Canaries (11-10-10, 41) in eighth place.
BIRTHDAY BOY
Midfielder Alejandro Zendejas celebrated his 27th birthday in the best way possible on Friday, Feb. 7. He scored his seventh goal of the Liga MX campaign in Club América's 2-1 away win over Puebla. After Victor Davila rammed a shot off the left post, Zendejas powered a 12-yard shot from the left side of the box into the left corner, past goalkeeper Miguel Jimenez for a 1-0 lead in the 13th minute. Club América (5-0-1, 16) tops the Clausura table, ahead of Leon (5-0-1, 16), thanks to goal differential.
FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
Aidan Morris recorded his first assist for Middlesbrough in its 3-2 home loss to Sunderland on Monday, Feb. 3. The 23-year-old midfielder won the ball in the midfield and laid it off to Hayden Hackney, whose drilled a 25-yard shot into the bottom corner of the net past keeper Anthony Patterson to knot the English Championship League game at 2-2 in the 59th minute. Middlesbrough (12-10-8, 44) is in seventh place, a point behind Blackburn Rovers (13-12-6, 45) and a spot in the English Premier League promotion playoffs.
EQUALIZING ASSIST
It didn’t take long for John Tolkin to make an impact in the Bundesliga. In his second start and third game for Holstein Kiel, the former New York Red Bulls left back set up the hosts’ equalizing goal in its 1-1 draw with Bochum on Sunday, Feb. 9. The 22-year-old Tolkin lofted a 45-yard free kick from the center of the pitch that David Zec headed home from six yards past goalkeeper Patrick Drewes in the 50th minute. That lifted his side into a 2-2 deadlock. The U.S. Olympian played the full 90 minutes and stoppage time. Despite Tolkin’s heroics, 17th-place Holstein Kiel (3-14-4, 13) still is in the relegation zone, five points from safety and 15th-place Hoffenheim (4-11-6, 18)
THE SAVIOR
Goalkeeper Ethan Horvath knows something about saving penalty kicks in a shootout. In 2021, he came off the bench to save a late penalty for the USMNT in its 3-2 win over Mexico in the Concacaf Nations League final. On Saturday, he faced another pressure situation after Cardiff City played Stoke City to a 3-3 draw after 120 minutes in the fourth round of the English F.A. Cup on Saturday, Feb. 8. Horvath saved Michael Rose's PK, Stoke City's third attempt, and helped Cardiff win the tie-breaker, 4-2. The Bluebirds reached the fifth round for the first time in 11 years.
ON THE MOVE
Three players, Caleb Wiley, Taylor Booth and Jordan Pefok, have new teams. In chronological order:
* Wiley, a left back, joined Watford on loan from Chelsea for the rest of the English Championship season on Monday, Feb. 3. He had been on loan to Strasbourg in French Ligue 1 earlier this campaign.
* Booth was transferred from FC Utrecht to Twente FC in the Dutch Eredivisie on Tuesday, Feb. 4, signing a contract through the middle of 2028. The midfielder performed in 53 match matches, scoring seven goals since joining the club from Bayern Munich during the 2022-23 season. Booth made his Twente debut, coming on as a substitute in a 3-3 draw at Heerenveen on Sunday, Feb. 9.
* Pefok returned to his former French Ligue 1 club, Reims, after he was transferred from Union Berlin (Bundesliga) on Wednesday Feb. 5. The 28-year-old striker had tallied 25 goals in 75 contests at Reims. But he wasn't as productive at Union Berlin (four goals in 51 matches).
FULL RUNDOWN
-- Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United; English Championship) - In 18, DNP in 2-0 loss vs. Millwall in FA Cup (Feb. 8); 89 minutes in 2-0 win at Coventry City (Feb. 5)
-- Paxten Aaronson (Utrecht; Dutch Eredivisie) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss vs. Almere City (Feb. 9); 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at Heracles in KNVB Beker (Feb. 4)
-- Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth; English Premier League) – 90 minutes in 2-0 win at Everton in FA Cup (Feb. 8)
-- Folarin Balogun (Monaco; French Ligue 1) – Injured, DNP in 4-1 loss at Paris St-Germain (Feb. 7)
-- Taylor Booth (Twente; Dutch Eredivisie) - 12 minutes as a substitute in 3-3 draw at Heerenveen (Feb. 9)
-- Gianluca Busio (Venezia; Italian Serie A) – 90 minutes in 1-0 loss vs. Roma (Feb. 9)
-- Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis; Spain La Liga) - 90 minutes in 3-2 loss at Celta Vigo (Feb. 8)
-- Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic; Scottish Premiership) - Not in 18, DNP in 5-0 win vs. Raith Rovers in Scottish Cup (Feb. 8); 90 minutes in 6-0 win vs. Dundee (Feb. 5)
-- Cade Cowell (Guadalajara; Liga MX) – 32 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 win vs. Tijuana (Feb. 9); Not in 18, DNP in 1-1 draw at Cibao in Concacaf Champions Cup (Feb.5)
-- Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - Injured, DNP in 1-1 draw vs. Willem II (Feb. 8); Injured, DNP in 2-0 win vs. Feyenoord in KNVB Beker (Feb. 5)
-- Marlon Fossey (Standard Liege; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 4-2 loss at Westerlo (Feb. 9)
-- Ethan Horvath (Cardiff City; Championship) - 120 minutes in 3-3 draw (4-2 PK winners) at Stoke City in FA Cup (Feb. 8)
-- Richy Ledezma (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - Injured, DNP in 1-1 draw vs. Willem II (Feb. 8); Injured, DNP in 2-0 win vs. Feyenoord in KNVB Beker (Feb. 5)
-- Kristoffer Lund (Palermo; Italy Serie B) - 62 minutes in 2-2 draw at Spezia (Feb. 9)
-- Lennard Maloney (Mainz; Bundesliga) - In 18, DNP in 0-0 vs. Augsburg (Feb. 8)
-- Weston McKennie (Juventus; Italy Serie A) - 90 minutes in 2-0 win at Como (Feb. 7)
-- Mark McKenzie (Toulouse; French Ligue 1) - 45 minutes in 2-2 draw at Auxerre (Feb. 9); 90 minutes in 2-0 loss vs. Guingamp in Coupe de France (Feb. Feb. 5)
-- Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough; Championship) - 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 3-2 loss vs. Sunderland (Feb. 3)
-- Yunus Musah (AC Milan; Italy Serie A) - 90 minutes in 2-0 win at Empoli (Feb. 8); 89 minutes in 3-1 win vs. Roma in Coppa Italia (Feb. 5)
-- Erik Palmer-Brown (Panathinaikos; Greek Super League) - 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at Aris (Feb. 9); 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at Olympiakos in Greek Cup (Feb. 5)
-- Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg; Bundesliga) - Injured, DNP in 0-0 draw vs. Bayer Leverkusen (Feb. 8)
-- Jordan Pefok (Reims; France Ligue 1) - 45 minutes as a substitute in 0-0 draw (3-2 PK winners) at Bourgoin-Jallieu in Coupe de France (Feb. 6)
-- Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - Injured, DNP in 1-1 draw vs. Willem II (Feb. 8); Injured, DNP in 2-0 win vs. Feyenoord in KNVB Beker (Feb. 5)
-- Christian Pulisic (AC Milan; Italy Serie A) - 45 minutes, TWO ASSISTS, as a substitute in 2-0 win at Empoli (Feb. 8); 59 minutes in 3-1 win vs. Roma in Coppa Italia (Feb. 5)
-- Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund; Bundesliga) - 5 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 loss vs. Stuttgart (Feb. 8)
-- Bryan Reynolds (Westerlo; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 4-2 win vs. Standard Liege (Feb. 9)
-- Chris Richards (Crystal Palace; English Premier League) - At Doncaster Rovers in FA Cup (Monday, 2:45 p.m.)
-- Antonee Robinson (Fulham; English Premier League) - Not in 18, DNP in 2-1 win at Wigan Athletic in FA Cup (Feb. 8)
-- James Sands (St. Pauli; Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at RB Leipzig (Feb. 9)
-- Josh Sargent (Norwich City; English Championship) - 90 minutes, GOAL, in 1-1 draw vs. Derby County (Feb. 8)
-- Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Eintracht Frankfurt (Feb. 8)
-- Gaga Slonina (Chelsea U-21; English Premier League 2) - Not in 18, DNP in 1-1 draw vs. Leeds United (Feb. 7)
-- Tanner Tessmann (Lyon; French Ligue 1) – 81 minutes in 4-0 win vs. Reims (Feb. 9)
-- Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - Injured, DNP in 1-1 draw vs. Willem II (Feb. 8); Injured, DNP in 2-0 win vs. Feyenoord in KNVB Beker (Feb. 5)
-- John Tolkin (Holstein Kiel; Bundesliga) - 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 2-2 draw vs. Bochum (Feb. 9)
-- Auston Trusty (Celtic; Scottish Premiership) - Not in 18, DNP in 5-0 win vs. Raith Rovers in Scottish Cup (Feb. 8); 90 minutes in 6-0 win vs. Dundee (Feb. 5)
-- Matt Turner (Crystal Palace; English Premier League) - At Doncaster Rovers in FA Cup (Monday, 2:45 p.m.)
-- Tim Weah (Juventus; Italy Serie A) - 90 minutes in 2-0 win at Como (Feb. 7)
-- Caleb Wiley (Watford; English Championship) - Injured, DNP in 2-2 draw at Sunderland (Feb. 8)
-- Haji Wright (Coventry City; Championship) - Injured, DNP in 4-1 loss vs. Ipswich Town in FA Cup (Feb. 9); Injured, DNP in 2-0 loss vs. Leeds United (Feb. 9)
-- Alejandro Zendejas (Club America; Liga MX) - 90 minutes, GOAL, in 2-1 win at Puebla (Feb. 7)
