MNT Rewind: Matt Miazga Scores, Captains Vitesse Ahead of Europa League Playoff
U.S. MNT defender Matt Miazga wore the captain's armband and scored a crucial goal for Vitesse ahead of the Eredivisie's Europa League Playoffs this week
The MNT Rewind kicks things off in Holland where Matt Miazga ended the league season on a high note. The 22-year-old center back was handed the captain’s armband and scored a 63rd minute equalizer in Vitesse’s 2-2 draw at Willem II, earning him a spot on the Eredivisie Team of the Week.
⚽ | Vitesse komt weer op gelijke hoogte. Miazga kopt de Arnhemmers weer naast Willem II: 1-1.#wilvithttps://t.co/evsXsSzeAm pic.twitter.com/Gz89YQ23xr
— FOX Sports (@FOXSportsnl) May 6, 2018
The goal was the Chelsea loanee’s third this season and helped ensure the club of a sixth place finish, setting them up for the Eredivisie’s UEFA Europa League playoffs. Vitesse takes on ADO Den Haag in the two-leg semifinal with an away trip on Wednesday, May 9, before the return match in Arnhem on Saturday, May 12.
Back in MLS, Darlington Nagbe tallied an assist and earned Man of the Match honors in Atlanta United FC’s 2-1 win at Chicago Fire. The MNT midfielder showed particular brilliance on Atlanta’s second goal, playing a great combination with Greg Garza before sliding the ball to Josef Martinez for the eventual game-winner.
WATCH: Nagbe Sets Up Josef Martinez For Winner in Chicago
Poetry 😍
— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) May 6, 2018
Unbelievable passing and @JosefMartinez17 taps home the goal pic.twitter.com/bmB5WuOi5c
Columbus Crew SC took a serious blow when midfielder Pedro Santos was sent off in the 15th minute of their match at Seattle Sounders FC on Saturday, but the side hung tough and limited the hosts to just one shot on goal in the 0-0 draw. The one significant chance called for a moment of brilliance from goalkeeper Zack Steffen, who stoned Clint Dempsey from six yards out in the 73rd minute.
WATCH: Steffen Stays Focused to Preserve Away Point for 10-Man Crew SC
Zack. Steffen. 😱 #SEAvCLB pic.twitter.com/X8TrKAvMLq
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 5, 2018
On Sunday, Dom Dwyer and Orlando City SC kept their strong run of form going by earning their sixth straight victory in a 3-1 comeback win against Real Salt Lake. Trailing 1-0 at the break, Orlando pulled back into the match when Sacha Kljestan served a beautiful cross from the left which Dwyer nodded past Nick Rimando in the 60th minute. The goal is Dwyer’s sixth in as many matches this season, leaving him tied for second in the MLS Golden Boot race and one off league-leader Josef Martinez’s pace.
WATCH: Dwyer Heads Home Sixth of the Season
.@Ddwyer14 doing what he does best. 😏 #VamosOrlando pic.twitter.com/uPCpcAq92h
— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) May 6, 2018
A few other highlights from this past week:
- Defender Tim Ream and Fulham had their 23-match unbeaten streak snapped with a 3-1 defeat to Birmingham City on the last day of the Championship regular season. That result along with Cardiff City’s 0-0 draw with Reading means Fulham missed out on automatic promotion to the English Premier League and instead sets the side up for the Championship playoffs. The two-leg Semifinal tie begins at Derby County on Friday, May 11 before the return leg at Craven Cottage on Monday, May 14.
- Tyler Adams put in a strong performance in midfield and had an impact on the final goal in New York Red Bulls’ 4-0 destruction of Hudson River Derby rivals New York City FC on Saturday.
- After a lengthy groin injury which required sports hernia surgery, midfielder Kellyn Acosta got his first action of the season, coming on as a 61st minute substitute in FC Dallas’ 1-1 draw at LAFC on Saturday.
A full rundown of how MNT players performed for their clubs this past week:
Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas) – 29 substitute minutes in 1-1 draw at LAFC (May 5)
Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls) – 90 minutes, ASSIST in 4-0 win vs. New York City FC (May 5)
Juan Agudelo (New England Revolution) – 35 minutes in 4-2 loss at Montreal Impact (May 5)
Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union) – 90 minutes in 3-0 loss at Toronto FC (May 4)
Matt Besler (Sporting KC) – 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Colorado Rapids (May 5)
Alex Bono (Toronto FC) – 90 minutes in 3-0 win vs. Philadelphia Union (May 4)
Michael Bradley (Toronto FC) – 90 minutes in 3-0 win vs. Philadelphia Union (May 4)
Cameron Carter-Vickers (Ipswich Town) – 90 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Middlesbrough (May 6)
Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt) – 17 minutes in 3-0 win vs. Hamburg (May 5)
Joe Corona (Club América) – 90 minutes in 2-1 Liga MX Playoff Quarterfinal win at Pumas UNAM (May 5)
Marky Delgado (Toronto FC) - 90 minutes in 3-0 win vs. Philadelphia Union (May 4)
Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC) – 90 minutes in 0-0 draw vs. Columbus Crew SC (May 5)
Dom Dwyer (Orlando City SC) – 90 minutes, GOAL in 3-1 win vs. Real Salt Lake (May 5)
Brad Guzan (Atlanta United FC) – 90 minutes in 2-1 win at Chicago Fire (May 5)
Julian Green (Greuther Fürth) – 66 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Duisburg (May 6)
Bill Hamid (Midtjylland) – Monday, May 7 vs. Nordsjælland - 1 p.m. ET
Matt Hedges (FC Dallas) – 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at LAFC (May 5)
Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy) – 75 minutes in 3-2 loss at Houston Dynamo (May 5)
Weston McKennie (Schalke) – 90 minutes in 2-1 win vs. Eintracht Frankfurt (May 12)
Matt Miazga (Vitesse) – 90 minutes, GOAL in 2-2 draw at Willem II (May 6)
Shaq Moore (Levante) – Monday, May 7 at Leganes – 3 p.m. ET
Darlington Nagbe (Atlanta United FC) – 90 minutes, ASSIST in 2-1 win at Chicago Fire (May 5)
Ike Opara (Sporting KC) – 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Colorado Rapids (May 5)
Michael Orozco (Club Tijuana) – 23 substitute minutes in 1-1 Liga MX Quarterfinal Playoff draw vs. Monterrey (May 2); 1 substitute minute in 2-1 Liga MX Quarterfinal Playoff win (May 5)
Erik Palmer-Brown (Kortrijk) – 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Zulte-Waregem (May 5)
Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund) – 56 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Mainz (May 5)
Tim Ream (Fulham) – 90 minutes in 3-1 loss at Birmingham City (May 6)
Antonee Robinson (Bolton) – 90 minutes in 3-2 win vs. Nottingham Forest (May 6)
Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC) – 90 minutes in 0-0 draw vs. Columbus Crew SC (May 5)
Kelyn Rowe (New England Revolution) – 20 substitute minutes in 4-2 loss at Montreal Impact (May 5)
Rubio Rubin (Club Tijuana) – 12 substitute minutes in 2-1 Liga MX Playoff Quarterfinal win at Monterrey (May 5)
CJ Sapong (Philadelphia Union) – 85 minutes in 3-0 loss at Toronto FC (May 4)
Zack Steffen (Columbus Crew SC) – 90 minutes in 0-0 draw at Seattle Sounders FC (May 5)
Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC) – 90 minutes in 0-0 draw at Seattle Sounders FC (May 5)
Jorge Villafaña (Santos Laguna) – 35 minutes in 2-0 Liga MX Quarterfinal Playoff loss at Tigres UANL (May 3)
Bobby Wood (Hamburg) – 90 minutes in 3-0 loss at Eintracht Frankfurt (May 5)
DeAndre Yedlin (Newcastle United) – 23 substitute minutes in 2-1 loss at Watford (May 5)
Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew SC) – 78 minutes in 0-0 draw at Seattle Sounders FC (May 5)
Walker Zimmerman (LAFC) – 90 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. FC Dallas (May 5)
Graham Zusi (Sporting KC) – 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Colorado Rapids (May 5)
Injured/Did Not Play
Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC) – Hamstring Strain; Not in 18 for 3-0 win vs. Philadelphia Union (May 4)
John Brooks (Wolfsburg) – In 18, DNP in 4-1 loss at RB Leipzig (May 5)
Geoff Cameron (Stoke City) – In 18, DNP in 2-1 loss vs. Crystal Palace (May 5)
Lynden Gooch (Sunderland) – Not in 18 for 3-0 win vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers (May 6)
Alejandro Guido (Club Tijuana) – In 18, DNP in 1-1 Liga MX Playoff Quarterfinal draw vs. Monterrey; Not in 18 for 2-1 Liga MX Playoff Quaterfinal win at Monterrey (May 5)
Ethan Horvath (Club Brugge) – In 18, DNP in 2-1 loss vs. Anderlecht (May 6)
Aron Johannsson (Werder Bremen) – Ankle Injury; Not in 18 for 0-0 draw vs. Bayer Leverkusen (May 5)
Eric Lichaj (Nottingham Forest) –In 18, DNP in 3-2 loss at Bolton Wanderers (May 6)
Kenny Saief (Anderlecht) – Suspended; Not in 18 for 2-1 win at Club Brugge (May 6)
Tim Weah (Paris Saint-Germain) – Not in 18 for 2-2 draw at Amiens (May 4)
Danny Williams (Huddersfield Town) – Broken Leg; Not in 18 for 0-0 draw at Manchester City (May 5)