USMNT REWIND: Adams Claims German Cup; Weah Bags a Brace; McKennie Returns from Injury

By: Michael Lewis

It turned into quite a memorable weekend for several U.S. Men’s National Team players, abroad and at home.

For starters, Zack Steffen won a league title for the second consecutive season, Tyler Adams and James Sands were members of their respective cup winning sides, Tim Weah bagged a brace and Weston McKennie returned from injury.

And there was much, much more. Paul Arriola has scored in four consecutive matches and Jackson Yueill connected off headers in back-to-back contests.

 

IN RARE COMPANY

On Saturday, Midfielder Tyler Adams became only the fourth USMNT player to win the German Cup as RB Leipzig defeated Freiburg in the DFB Pokal final in Berlin. The teams played to a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes before Leipzig prevailed 4-2 in penalty kicks.

 

 

Adams, who played the final 21 minutes of the match after replacing Konrad Laimer in the 99th minute, joined Thomas Dooley (1990), Christian Pulisic (2017) and Gio Reyna (2021) as U.S. internationals who have won the competition.


BAGGING A BRACE

Tim Weah, who entered the match with only one goal this French Ligue 1 season, tallied twice for Lille in its 2-2 season-ending draw with Rennes at home on Saturday, May 21. Twice Weah gave the hosts the lead, only to see Rennes knot things up.

He scored in the 11th minute and boosted Lille into the lead in the 88th minute. Rennes’ Serhou Guirassy, however, spoiled the party by scoring three minutes into stoppage time.


 

THAT CHAMPIONSHIP FEELING - AGAIN

For the second year in a row, Zack Steffen lifted the English Premier League trophy after Manchester City registered a 3-2 comeback win at home over Aston Villa on Sunday.

Trailing by two goals in the second half, City struck three times within a span of less than six minutes to turn the game on its head as the hosts finished one point ahead of second-place Liverpool.

 



The understudy to Brazilian ‘keeper Ederson, Steffen did not play in the match and finished with appearances across all competitions this season.

 

ANOTHER WINNERS MEDAL

Former New York City FC defender-midfielder James Sands earned his second winners medal in a little more than five months as Rangers captured the Scottish Cup with a 2-0 extra time victory over Hearts at Hampden Park in Glasgow on Saturday.

Sands, who was on the bench but did not see any action, is on loan to Rangers from New York City FC.

 On Wednesday, Sands joined Clint Dempsey as just the second USMNT player to appear in the UEFA Europa League Final, playing the final 19 minutes of extra time against Eintracht Frankfurt. The Scottish side fell 5-4 on penalty kicks after playing to a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes.

 


 

 

SUCCESSFUL RETURN

Weston McKennie, sidelined with a broken foot since Feb. 22, returned to the Juventus lineup in its 2-0 loss at Fiorentina in its Serie A season finale on Saturday. McKennie, who subbed on for Fabio Miretti in the 76th minute, was named to the USMNT’s 27-man roster for its four matches in June.

 

FOUR IN A ROW

Winger Paul Arriola has found the net in four successive matches – and twice in the past week -- raising his goal total to five this season. His career high is seven goals with D.C. United in 2018.

 

He scored off a Jesús Ferreira feed in FC Dallas' 2-1 defeat at the Vancouver on Wednesday, May 18. Arriola also hit home a highlight reel goal, Dallas’ lone marker in a 2-1 setback to Minnesota United on Sunday.


 

NOW THAT WAS QUICK

Djordje Mihailovic scored only 43 seconds into the match in CF Montreal’s 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake on Sunday. Mihailovic, who was called into the USMNT for June's four games, put home Ahmed Hamdi's feed from the right side from 11 yards past goalkeeper Zac MacMath.

He has seven goals and four assists in 13 games this season.


 

TWO HEADY PLAYS

San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Jackson Yueill scored in back-to-back games for the first time in his MLS career. He struck for an equalizing goal off a Jeremy Ebobisse assist past goalkeeper Aljaz Ivacic in the 31st minute in what turned into a 3-2 win over the Portland Timbers on Wednesday.


 

In the opening minute of the second half on Sunday, the 25-year-old midfielder nodded in Jamiro Monteiro's left-wing cross past keeper Tim Melia to give the Quakes a 1-1 home draw with Sporting Kansas City.

 

STARTING IT OFF

Sebastian Lletget's scissor kick in the 17th minute off Brandon Bye's right-wing cross started the New England Revolution on its way to a 3-2 road victory over FC Cincinnati on Saturday. It was the second goal of the season for Lletget.


 

A COUPLE OF HELPERS

Jordan Morris recorded his second assist of the season on the lone goal in the Seattle Sounders' 1-0 win at the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday.

Near the left touchline of the penalty area, Morris crossed the ball to Alex Roldan on the opposite side of the box. Roldan, in turn, slipped the ball to Raul Ruidiaz, who scored in the 28th minute.

Eryk Williamson, who came on as a halftime substitute in the Portland Timbers' 3-2 defeat at the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday, set up Bill Tuiloma's tying goal. Williamson's third assist in two matches, knotted the match at 2-2.

  

FULL RUNDOWN

 

-- Brenden Aaronson (Red Bull Salzburg; Austrian Bundesliga - 78 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Austria Klagenfurst (May 21)

 

-- Kellyn Acosta (Los Angeles FC; MLS) - 70 minutes in 2-0 win at Columbus Crew (May 21); 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Austin FC (May 18)

 

-- Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig; German Bundesliga) – 21 minutes as a substitute in 1-1 draw (2-4 PKs) vs. Freiburg in DFB Pokal (May 21)

 

-- Paul Arriola (FC Dallas; MLS) - 90 minutes, GOAL, in 2-1 loss vs. Minnesota United (May 22); 90 minutes, GOAL, in 2-1 loss at Vancouver Whitecaps (May 18)

 

-- Gianluca Busio (Venezia; Italy Serie A) – In 18, DNP in 0-0 draw vs. Cagliari (May 22)

 

-- Johnny Cardoso (Internacional; Brazilian Serie A) – In 18, DNP in 1-1 draw at Cuiaba (May 21); In 18, DNP in 2-0 win vs. Independiente in CONMEBOL Sudamericana (May 17)

 

-- Luca de la Torre (Heracles; Dutch Eredivisie) - 62 minutes in 3-1 loss vs. Excelsior in Eredivisie Relegation Playoffs (May 21); 90 minutes in 3-0 loss at Excelsior in Eredivisie Relegation Playoffs (May 18)

 

-- Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas; MLS) - 33 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 loss vs. Minnesota United (May 22); 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 2-1 loss at Vancouver Whitecaps (May 18)

 

-- Nicholas Gioacchini (Montpellier; French Ligue 1) - 26 minutes as a substitute in 2-0 loss at Angers (May 21)

 

-- Jonathan Gómez (Real Sociedad B; Spain Segunda Division) - 24 minutes as a substitute in 3-2 loss at Huesca (May 21)

 

-- Matthew Hoppe (Mallorca; Spanish Primera) - In 18, DNP in 2-0 win at Osasuna (May 22)

 

-- Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest; English Championship) - In 18, DNP in 2-1 loss (3-3 aggregate; 3-2 PKs) vs. Sheffield United in EFL Playoffs (May 17)

 

-- Sean Johnson (New York City FC; MLS) - 90 minutes, SHUTOUT, in 1-0 win vs. Chicago Fire (May 22); 90 minutes, SHUTOUT, in 2-0 win at D.C. United (May 18)

 

-- Sebastian Lletget (New England Revolution; MLS) - 45 minutes, GOAL, in 3-2 win at FC Cincinnati (May 21)

 

-- Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls; MLS) - 61 minutes in 2-0 loss at Inter Miami CF (May 22); 90 minutes in 3-3 draw vs. Chicago Fire (May 18)

 

-- Weston McKennie (Juventus; Italy Serie A) - 14 minutes as a substitute in 2-0 loss at Fiorentina (May 21)

 

-- Mark McKenzie (Genk; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 0-0 draw at Mechelen (May 21)

 

-- Matt Miazga (Alaves; Spain La Liga) - Not in 18, DNP in 1-0 loss vs. Cadiz (May 22)

 

-- Djordje Mihailovic (CF Montreal; MLS) – 90 minutes, GOAL, in 2-1 loss vs. Real Salt Lake; 69 minutes in 2-1 loss at Nashville SC (May 18)

 

-- Shaq Moore (Tenerife; Spain Segunda Division) - 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at Eibar (May 21)

 

-- Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC; MLS) - 80 minutes in 1-0 loss at Colorado Rapids (May 22); 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 1-0 win at Houston Dynamo (May 18)

 

-- Yunus Musah (Valencia; Spain La Liga) - 12 minutes as a substitute in 2-0 win vs. Celta Vigo (May 21)

 

-- Erik Palmer-Brown (Troyes; French Ligue 1) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Lorient (May 21)

 

-- Christian Pulisic (Chelsea; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 2-1 win vs. Watford (May 22); 72 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Leicester City (May 19)

 

-- Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at Colorado Rapids (May 22); 90 minutes in 1-0 win at Houston Dynamo (May 18)

 

-- James Sands (Rangers, Scottish Premiership) - In 18, DNP in 2-0 win (aet) vs. Hearts in Scottish Cup (May 21); 19 minutes as a substitute in 1-1 draw (5-4 PKS)vs. Eintracht Frankfurt in Europa Cup (May 18)

 

-- Gaga Slonina (Chicago Fire; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at New York City FC (May 22); 90 minutes in 3-3 draw at New York Red Bulls (May 18)

 

-- Zack Steffen (Manchester City; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 3-2 win vs. Aston Villa (May 22)

 

-- Tanner Tessmann (Venezia; Italy Serie A) - 16 minutes as a substitute in 0-0 draw vs. Cagliari (May 22)

 

-- Matt Turner (New England Revolution; MLS) - 90 minutes in 3-2 win at FC Cincinnati (May 21)

 

-- Sam Vines (Royal Antwerp; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win at Union Saint-Gilloise (May 22)

 

-- DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami CF; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-0 win vs. New York Red Bulls (May 22); 27 minutes as a substitute in 0-0 draw at Philadelphia Union (May 18)

 

-- Jackson Yueill (San Jose Earthquakes; MLS) - 68 minutes, GOAL, in 1-1 draw vs. Sporting Kansas City (May 23); 90 minutes, GOAL, in 3-2 win vs. Portland Timbers (May 18)

 

-- Tim Weah (Lille; French Ligue 1) - 90 minutes, TWO GOALS, in 2-2 draw vs. Rennes (May 21)

 

-- Eryk Williamson (Portland Timbers; MLS) - 75 minutes in 2-0 loss vs. Philadelphia Union (May 22); 45 minutes as a substitute, ASSIST, in 3-2 loss at San Jose Earthquakes (May 18)

 

-- Haji Wright (Antalyaspor; Turkish Super Lig) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Galatasaray (May 22)

 

-- Gyasi Zardes (Colorado Rapids) - Not in 18, DNP in 1-0 win vs. Seattle Sounders (May 22); 63 minutes in 2-1 loss at Sporting Kansas City (May 22)

 

-- Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Atlanta United (May 21); 90 minutes in 2-1 win vs. CF Montreal (May 18)