It was yet another week full of goals scored around the globe for members of the U.S. Men’s National Team.
In Mexico, Alejandro Zendejas came off the bench and produced 18 minutes of magic for Club América, scoring twice and setting up a third goal.
In England, Josh Sargent continued his hot streak with yet another goal.
Elsewhere in Europe, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Malik Tillman did their damage with goals early in the match, and Haji Wright found the net in a losing effort.
On the home front, Miles Robinson made sure his first goal for FC Cincinnati would be a memorable one,
They were among the USMNT players who were among the movers and shakers this past week.
SUDDEN IMPACT
Alejandro Zendejas, who hadn't scored a goal since Nov. 6, ended his personal drought in spectacular fashion during an amazing 14 minutes in Club America's 5-1 away win over Atlas in Liga MX play on Saturday, March 2. He scored twice and assisted on a third goal as Club América pulled away.
It took only four minutes after entering the match for the 26-year-old to make his presence felt, running on to a loose ball in the penalty area and scoring from the top of the box for a 3-1 margin. Zendejas then put away Diego Valdes' corner kick, scoring from six yards on the right side in the 82nd minute. The corner bounced twice to Zendejas on the right side of the area With two defenders converging on Zendejas, he buried the ball into the far corner past goalkeeper Camilo Vargas for the visitors' fourth goal.
Zendejas turned playmaker in the 86th minute, setting up Henry Martin for the final goal of the match. He has seven goals this season.
América (6-1-3, 21 points) is in fourth place in the Clausura.
STAYING HOT
After he was named Norwich City’s Player of the Month of February, Josh Sargent put his best foot forward to secure the honor for March. The 23-year-old striker continued to torment opposing goalkeepers, scoring for the eighth time this season to lift the Canaries to a 1-0 victory over Sunderland in the English Championship on Saturday, March 2.
Sargent struck for the decisive score in the 81st minute in a game that was played in less-than-ideal weather conditions. He headed a left-wing cross from Benjamin Gibson down in the box, settled it, and rifled home a five-yard shot with his right foot past goalkeeper Anthony Patterson.
Sargent has scored 11 goals in 977 minutes over 15 matches and 13 starts this season. That is at a goal-a-game pace.
VAZQUEZ AGAIN
Brandon Vazquez's debut season with Monterrey continued to be an explosive one, as he scored the first goal in a 3-0 victory over Pumas UNAM in Liga MX on Sunday night, March 3. After a nice build-up by his teammates, Vazquez took possession of a deflected pass and drilled a shot from the penalty spot past keeper Julio Gonzalez to lift the hosts into a 1-0 lead in the 52nd minute. Vazquez has scored five goals in only 486 minutes in the league, six across all competitions for first-place Monterrey (6-0-4, 22).
EARLY BIRD - PART I
Only four minutes after the opening kickoff, Malik Tillman scored PSV Eindhoven's first goal of its 2-2 home draw with Feyenoord in the Dutch Eredivisie on Sunday, March 3. Tillman latched onto a Luuk de Jong's feed and ran through the defense before depositing the ball from 12 yards past goalkeeper Tim Wellenreuther into the lower left corner for his sixth goal of the league season. First-place PSV (23-0-3, 66) maintained its 10-point lead over Feyenoord (17-2-5, 56) as it zeroes in on the league title.
EARLY BIRD - PART II
Defender Cameron Carter-Vickers scored in the seventh minute to ignite Celtic to a 7-1 romp over Dundee in the Scottish Championship on Wednesday, Feb. 28. Carter-Vickers headed home Matthew O'Riley's free kick past keeper for a 1-0 lead. Celtic (21-3-5, 68), which trails archrival Rangers (23-5-1, 70) by two points, enjoyed a 6-0 halftime advantage.
GAME-WINNER
Center back Miles Robinson's first goal for FC Cincinnati lifted the MLS side to a 2-1 victory at the Chicago Fire on Saturday, March 2. Robinson slipped Luciano Acosta's corner kick past goalkeeper Christopher Brady from six yards to break a 1-1 deadlock. It was only Robinson's fourth goal in 125 MLS regular season appearances.
IN DEFEAT
Haji Wright, a halftime substitute, pulled one back for Coventry City in its 2-1 defeat at West Bromwich Albion in the English Championship on Friday, March 1. After Kasey Palmer was taken down in the box, Wright converted a penalty kick in the 73rd minute, sending keeper Alex Palmer the wrong way. Wright has scored 11 goals for ninth-place Coventry (13-10-12, 51).
SET UP MEN
Julian Gressel got Inter Miami CF to a fine start with his first two assists for the side in its 5-0 home triumph Orlando City SC on Saturday, March 2. He set up both Luis Suarez goals in the opening 11 minutes. In the seventh minute, the midfielder's feed set up the Uruguayan, who scored at the near post past goalkeeper Pedro Gallese. Four minutes later, the duo was at it again. This time Suarez found Gressel outside of the box. Gressel flicked a ball into the left side of the area to Suarez, who finished with a left-footed volley to the far post.
Johnny Cardoso assisted on Real Betis' lone goal in its 2-1 loss at Atletico Madrid in Spain's La Liga on Sunday, March 3. The midfielder set up William Carvalho's 62nd-minute tally that sliced Betis' deficit in half.
GOOD HANDS
Goalkeeper Drake Callender recorded his second shutout in his third game of the season in Inter Miami CF's 5-0 home win over Orlando City SC on Saturday, March 2. He made three saves.
Across the pond, Ethan Horvath also kept a clean sheet for the second time in three matches as Cardiff City blanked Bristol City in the English Championship, 1-0, on Saturday, March 2.
BACK IN TRAINING
Tyler Adams did not play a game last week, but he made some news nonetheless. The USMNT midfielder returned to training for Bournemouth for the first time since he injured his hamstring. Adams has made one appearance for the English Premier League club, in a 2-0 win over Stoke City in the Carabao Cup on Sept. 27, 2023.
FULL RUNDOWN
- Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin; Bundesliga) - 21 minutes as a substitute in 2-0 loss vs. Borussia Dortmund (March 2)
- Paxten Aaronson (Vitesse; Dutch Eredivisie) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Twente (March 2)
- Kellyn Acosta (Chicago Fire; MLS) - 75 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. FC Cincinnati (March 2)
- Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth; English Premier League) - Injured, DNP in 2-0 win at Burnley (March 3)
- Folarin Balogun (Monaco; French Ligue 1) - 90 minutes in 0-0 draw vs. PSG (March 1)
- Taylor Booth (Utrecht; Dutch Eredivisie) - Injured, DNP in 2-0 loss at Ajax (March 3)
- Gianluca Busio (Venezia; Italian Serie B) – 76 minutes in 2-1 loss at Como (March 3); 59 minutes in 2-0 win vs. Cittadella (Feb. 28)
- Drake Callender (Inter Miami CF; MLS) 90 minutes, SHUTOUT, in 5-0 win vs. Orlando City SC (March 2)
- Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis; Spain La Liga) - 89 minutes, ASSIST, in 2-1 loss at Atletico Madrid (March 3)
- Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic; Scottish Premiership) - 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at Hearts (March 3); 59 minutes, GOAL, in 7-1 win vs. Dundee (Feb. 28)
- Cade Cowell (Guadalajara; Liga MX) - 76 minutes in 3-0 loss at Cruz Azul (March 2)
- Ben Cremaschi (Inter Miami CF; MLS) Injured, DNP in 5-0 win vs. Orlando City SC (March 2)
- Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - 90 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Feyenoord (March 3)
- Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo, Spain La Liga) - 89 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Almeria (March 1)
- Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas; MLS) - 29 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 loss vs. CF Montreal (March 2)
- Julian Gressel (Inter Miami CF; MLS) - 67 minutes, TWO ASSISTS, in 5-0 win vs. Orlando City SC (March 2)
- Ethan Horvath (Cardiff City; English Championship) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win at Bristol City (March 2)
- DeJuan Jones (New England Revolution; MLS) - 90 minutes in 3-0 win vs. Independiente in Concacaf Champions Cup (Feb. 29)
- Kristoffer Lund (Palmero; Italy Serie B) - 90 minutes in 4-2 loss at Brescia (March 2)
- Lennard Maloney (Heidenheim; Bundesliga) - Injured, DNP in 2-1 loss vs. Eintracht Frankfurt (March 2)
- Weston McKennie (Juventus; Italy Serie A) - Injured, DNP in 2-1 loss at Napoli (March 3)
- Mark McKenzie (Genk; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 3-0 loss vs. Club Brugge (March 3)
- Djordje Mihailovic (Colorado Rapids; MLS) - 86 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Nashville SC (March 2)
- Shaq Moore (Nashville SC; MLS) - 90 minutes, OWN GOAL, in 1-1 draw at Colorado Rapids (March 2); In 18, DNP in 4-0 win at Moca in Concacaf Champions Cup (Feb. 28)
- Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Minnesota United (March 2)
- Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders; MLS) - 90 minutes in 0-0 draw vs. Austin FC (March 2)
- Yunus Musah (A.C. Milan; Italy Serie A) - In 18, DNP in 1-0 win at Lazio (March 1)
- Jalen Neal (LA Galaxy; MLS) - Injured, DNP in 3-1 win at San Jose Earthquakes (March 2)
- Erik Palmer-Brown (Panathinaikos; Greek Super League) - Injured, DNP in 2-2 draw at OFI (Marcch 3); Injured, DNP in 2-0 win vs. Aris (Feb. 28)
- Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg; Bundesliga) - 81 minutes in 3-2 loss vs. Stuttgart (March 2)
- Jordan Pefok (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) – 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Mainz (March 2)
- Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - In 18, DNP minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Feyenoord (March 3)
- Christian Pulisic (A.C. Milan; Italy Serie A) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win at Lazio (March 1)
- Tim Ream (Fulham; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 3-0 win vs. Brighton & Hove Albion (March 2)
- Gio Reyna (Nottingham Forest; English Premier League) - Injured, DNP in 1-0 loss vs. Liverpool (March 2); 1 minute as a substitute in 1-0 loss vs. Manchester United (Feb. 28)
- Bryan Reynolds (Westerlo; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss vs. Sporting Charleroi (March 1)
- Chris Richards (Crystal Palace; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 3-0 loss at Tottenham (March 2)
- Antonee Robinson (Fulham; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 3-0 win vs. Brighton & Hove Albion (March 2)
- Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; MLS) - 90 minutes, GOAL, in 2-1 win at Chicago Fire (March 2)
- James Sands (New York City FC; MLS) – 83 minutes, RED CARD, in 2-0 loss at St. Louis CITY SC (March 2)
- Josh Sargent (Norwich City; Championship) - 89 minutes, GOAL, in 1-0 win vs. Sunderland (March 2)
- Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) - In 18, DNP in 1-1 draw at Mainz (March 2)
- Gaga Slonina (Eupen; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at Anderlecht (March 3)
- Zack Steffen (Colorado Rapids; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Nashville SC (March 2)
- Tanner Tessmann (Venezia; Italy Serie B) – 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at Como (March 3); 90 minutes in 2-0 win vs. Cittadella (Feb. 28)
- Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - 90 minutes, GOAL, in 2-2 draw vs. Feyenoord (March 3)
- Timmy Tillman (Los Angeles FC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 3-0 loss at Real Salt Lake (March 2)
- John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 win at Houston Dynamo (March 2)
- Auston Trusty (Sheffield; English Premier League) - Vs. Arsenal (Monday, 3 p.m. ET)
- Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest; English Premier League) - Not in 18, DNP in 1-0 loss vs. Liverpool (March 2); 90 minutes in 1-0 loss vs. Manchester United (Feb. 28)
- Brandon Vazquez (Monterrey; Liga MX) – 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Tijuana (Feb. 28)
- Tim Weah (Juventus; Italy Serie A) - 24 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 loss at Napoli (March 3)
- Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United; MLS) - No games
- Haji Wright (Coventry City; English Championship) - 45 minutes as a substitute, GOAL IN 2-1 loss at West Bromwich Albion (March 1); 45 minutes in 5-0 win vs. Maidstone United in FA Cup (Feb. 26)
- DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami CF; MLS) - 90 minutes in 5-0 win vs. Orlando City SC (March 2)
- Alejandro Zendejas (Club America; Liga MX) - 18 minutes, TWO GOALS, ONE ASSIST, in 5-1 win at Atlas (March 2)
- Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; MLS) - 60 minutes in 1-1 draw at Colorado Rapids (March 2); 62 minutes in 4-0 win vs. Moca in Concacaf Champions League (Feb. 28)