On the Pitch

USMNT REWIND: Yunus Musah, Jordan Pefok Find Back of the Net; Sean Johnson, James Sands and NYCFC Advance to MLS Cup Final

By: Michael Lewis

Yunus Musah scored his first goal in almost a year while enjoying his most productive game of season on Thursday.

 

The U.S. Men's National Team midfielder assisted on the opening goal and added an insurance tally for Valencia, which downed host Utrillas, 3-0, in the Copa del Rey in Spain on Thursday.

 

 

  

 

Musah last found the net for the La Liga side in a 4-2 win over Terrassa in Copa del Rey on Dec. 12, 2020.

 

The 19-year-old midfielder won the ball, ran toward the goal line before crossing to Marcos Andre, who scored in the 27th minute. Musah found himself in the right place at the right time in the 52nd minute, as he slotted home a rebound after Denis Cheryshev's penalty kick was saved.

 

TWO STRAIGHT WEEKS

 

For the second consecutive week, Jordan Pefok scored in a midweek game for Young Boys. On Wednesday, Dec. 1 the striker tallied from the penalty spot in the 63rd minute to spark Young Boys' 3-1 comeback win over Lugano in the Swiss Super League. 

  

 

 

 

 

 

On Tuesday, Nov. 23 Pefok scored Young Boys' first goal in a 3-3 draw with Atalanta in the UEFA Champions League. Pefok has recorded seven goals in the league and 12 across all competitions this season.

 

MLS CUP BOUND

 

New York City FC goalkeeper Sean Johnson and midfielder/defender James Sands have one more game remaining in their season - the MLS Cup final at the Portland Timbers on Saturday, Dec. 11.

 

NYCFC survived two tight matches to reach the championship game for the first time. In the Eastern Conference semifinals at the New England Revolution on Tuesday, Nov. 30, Johnson made a vital save on Adam Buska's penalty kick as NYCFC prevailed in the shootout, 5-3, after playing to a 2-2 draw after 120 minutes.

 

He then backstopped the 2-1 win at the Philadelphia Union in the conference final on Sunday. Sands went 82 minutes in the midweek clash with New England before going the distance in Sunday’s Eastern Conference Final win.

 

SET-UP MEN

 

Tim Weah also assisted on the first goal for Lille in its 2-1 away victory over Rennes in French Ligue 1 on Wednesday, setting up Xeka’s goal in the 31st minute.

 

Unfortunately, Weah will be out in the short term after the winger picked up a quad injury at the end of a training session on Friday, leaving him unavailable for Lille’s Saturday league match against Troyes.

 

Center back Cameron Carter-Vickers assisted on Tomas' Rogic's goal to give Celtic a 1-0 lead en route to a 3-0 victory at Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.

 

 

FULL RUNDOWN

 

  • Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig; German Bundesliga) – 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at Union Berlin (Dec. 3)
  • Brenden Aaronson (Red Bull Salzburg; Austria Bundesliga) - 28 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 win vs. Hartberg (Dec. 4)
  • Tyler Boyd (Rizespor; Turkish Super Lig) - 66 minutes in a 4-0 loss at Fenerbahce (Dec. 5); In 18, DNP in 1-0 loss vs. Ankaraspor (Dec. 1)
  • John Brooks (Wolfsburg; Germany Bundesliga) - 45 minutes in 3-0 loss at Mainz (Dec. 4)
  • Gianluca Busio (Venezia; Italy Serie A) - 24 minutes as a substitute in 4-3 loss vs. Verona (Dec. 5); 58 minutes in 4-0 loss at Atalanta (Nov. 30)

  • Reggie Cannon (Boavista; Portuguese Primeira) - In 18, DNP in 1-1 draw vs. Maritimo (Dec. 4)

  • Christian Cappis (Brøndby; Danish Superliga) - 13 minutes as a substitute in 2-0 loss at Midtjylland (Dec. 5)

  • Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic; Scottish Premiership) - 90 minutes and an ASSIST in 3-0 win at Dundee United (Dec. 5); Not in 18, DNP in 1-0 win at Hearts (Dec. 2)

  • Johnny Cardoso (Internacional; Brazilian Serie A) - vs. Atletico Goianiense (Monday, 6 p.m. ET)

  • Konrad de la Fuente (Marseille; French Ligue 1) - 57 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Brest (Dec. 4); 66 minutes in 1-0 win at Nantes (Dec. 1)
  • Luca de la Torre (Heracles; Dutch Eredivisie) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss vs. Heerenveen (Dec. 4); 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at Feyenoord (Dec. 1)
  • Sergiño Dest (Barcelona; Spain La Liga) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss vs. Real Betis (Dec. 4)

  • Nicholas Gioacchini (Montpellier; French Ligue 1) - 22 minutes as a substitute in 1-0 win vs. Clermont (Dec. 5); 4 minutes as a substitute in 3-1 win at Metz (Dec. 1)

  • Julian Green (Greuther Fürth; German Bundesliga) - In 18, DNP in 7-1 loss at Bayer Leverkusen (Dec. 4)

  • Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest; English Championship) - In 18, DNP in 2-0 win vs. Peterborough United (Dec. 4)

  • Sean Johnson (New York City FC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 win at Philadelphia Union in MLS Cup Playoffs (Dec. 5); 120 minutes in 2-2 draw, 5-3 PK win at New England Revolution in MLS Cup Playoffs (Nov. 30)

  • Weston McKennie (Juventus; Italian Serie A) – Injured, DNP in 2-0 win vs. Genoa (Dec. 5): Injured, DNP in 2-0 win at Salernitana (Nov. 30)
  • Mark McKenzie (Genk; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Mechelen (Dec. 5); 90 minutes in 3-3 draw vs. Club Brugge, a 5-3 PK loss in Belgian Cup (Dec. 1)
  • Matt Miazga (Alaves; Spanish Primera) - In 18, DNP in 2-1 loss at Granada (Dec. 3); 90 minutes in 3-0 win at Uniami in Copa del Rey (Nov. 30)

  • Shaq Moore (Tenerife; Spain Segunda Division) - 90 minutes in 2-1 win at Ibiza Islas Pitiusas in Copa del Rey (Dec. 2); At Cartagena (Monday, 12:15 p.m. ET)

  • Yunus Musah (Valencia; Spain La Liga) - 6 minutes as a substitute in a 2-1 win at Celta Vigo (Dec. 5); 90 minutes and a GOAL and ASSIST in 3-0 win at Utrillas in Copa del Rey (Dec. 2)

  • Erik Palmer-Brown (Troyes; French Ligue 1) - Not in 18, DNP in 2-1 loss at Lille (Dec. 4); Not in 18, DNP in 2-0 win vs. Lorient (Dec. 1)

  • Jordan Pefok (Young Boys; Swiss Super League) - 45 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Servette (Dec. 4); 90 minutes and a GOAL in 3-1 win vs. Lugano (Dec. 1)

  • Christian Pulisic (Chelsea; English Premier League) - 18 minutes as a substitute in 3-2 loss at West Ham United (Dec. 4); 90 minutes in 2-1 win at Watford (Dec. 1)

  • Tim Ream (Fulham; English Championship) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. AFC Bournemouth (Dec. 3)

  • Bryan Reynolds (Roma; Italy Serie A) - In 18, DNP in 3-0 loss vs. Inter Milan (Dec. 4); In 18, DNP in 1-0 loss at Bologna (Dec. 1)

  • Chris Richards (Hoffenheim; German Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 3-2 win vs. Eintracht Frankfurt (Dec. 4)
  • Antonee Robinson (Fulham; English Championship) - Not in 18, DNP in 1-1 draw vs. AFC Bournemouth (Dec. 3)
  • James Sands (New York City FC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 win at Philadelphia Union in MLS Cup Playoffs (Dec. 5); 82 minutes in 2-2 draw, 5-3 PK win at New England Revolution in MLS Cup Playoffs (Nov. 30)
  • Josh Sargent (Norwich City; English Premier League) - 21 minutes as a substitute in 3-0 loss at Tottenham (Dec. 5); 67 minutes in 1-1 draw at Newcastle United (Nov. 30)

  • Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 6-0 loss vs. Freiburg (Dec. 5)

  • Zack Steffen (Manchester City; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 3-1 win at Watford (Dec. 4); In 18, DNP in 2-1 win at Aston Villa (Dec. 1)

  • Tanner Tessmann (Venezia; Italy Serie A) - 16 minutes as a substitute in 4-3 loss vs. Verona (Dec. 5); 90 minutes in 4-0 loss at Atalanta (Nov. 30)
  • Matt Turner (New England Revolution; MLS) - 120 minutes in 2-2 draw, 5-3 PK loss vs. New York City FC in MLS Cup Playoffs (Nov. 30) 
  • Sam Vines (Royal Antwerp; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win at Beerschot (Dec. 5)
  • Tim Weah (Lille; French Ligue 1) - Not in 18, DNP in 2-1 win vs. Troyes (Dec. 4); 80 minutes and an ASSIST in 2-1 win at Rennes (Dec. 1)

  • DeAndre Yedlin (Galatasaray; Turkish Super Lig) - 89 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Altay (Dec. 4)

 

Go Deeper

MNT