On the Pitch

USMNT REWIND: Tim Weah Continues Strong Return with Two Assist off the Bench for Lille

Sargent, Tillman and Wright all Find Back of the Net; Pefok Contributes Another Assist; Turner Earns Second Consecutive Clean Sheet
By: Michael Lewis

With the U.S. Men's National Team's roster reveal for the FIFA World Cup a little more than three weeks away, several players made another push last week to be included on the squad for Qatar.

Tim Weah made a huge impact off the bench with two assists in a very short span for Lille.

Haji Wright secured a brace for Antalyaspor, Josh Sargent continued his hot start with yet another goal  for Norwich City and Malik Tillman scored a highlight reel goal for Rangers.

The USA's 26-man roster will be unveiled by head coach Gregg Berhalter at Brooklyn Steel in Brooklyn, N.Y. on Nov. 9.

The USMNT will meet Wales in their World Cup opener on Nov. 21 before facing England on Nov. 25 and Iran on Nov. 29 in their final two Group B matches. All three matches kick off at 2 p.m. ET and will be shown live on FOX and Telemundo.

DOUBLE ASSISTS FOR WEAH

Making his second appearance after returning from injury, Tim Weah made the most of his 25 minutes as a substitute, setting up two goals from the right wing in  four minutes in Lille's 3-0 win at Strasbourg on Friday in French Ligue 1 play.
 


After coming on for Adam Ounas in the 65th minute, Weah took center stage. He sent a through ball to Canadian international Jonathan David, who scored his ninth goal of the campaign, from point-blank range, in the 76th minute. Four minutes later, he fed Remy Cabella, who put in the final goal of the match as he tallied from the top of the penalty area.



Weah made his first appearance of the season, playing the final 17 minutes of Lille's 1-0 win over Lens on Oct. 9. He was suspended from Lille's opening match this season due to yellow-card accumulation from the 2021-22 campaign before an ankle injury forced him to the sidelines for the next seven contests.

EIGHT AND COUNTING

Josh Sargent's torrid start for Norwich City continued as he tallied his eighth goal in 14 games of the English Championship campaign in a 2-1 defeat at Watford on Saturday, Oct. 15.



With the visitors facing a two-goal deficit in the 45th minute, Sargent scored from 16 yards. He took a pass from Kieran Dowell outside the box, found some open space against defender Dan Gosling before beating goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann to the near post from 16 yards.

Despite the defeat, Norwich still sit third in the EFL Championship after 14 matches.

FOR THE HIGHLIGHT REEL

Malik Tillman scored on a brilliant solo effort for Rangers in its 2-1 victory at Motherwell in the Scottish Premier League on Sunday, Oct. 16.



After taking a pass from James Tavernier a few yards on Rangers' in Rangers’ half, Tillman dribbled half the length of the field on the right side, weaving through several Motherwell players, he took six touches before depositing the ball past goalkeeper Liam Kelly from six yards to open the scoring in the 53rd minute.

Tillman, on loan from Bayern Munich, recorded his third goal of the season. The 20-year-old attacker recorded goals against Union Saint-Gilloise in a UEFA Champions League qualifier on Aug. 9 and vs. St. Johnstone in league play on Aug. 13.

 

HAJI WRIGHT BRACE

Haji Wright recorded his third brace of the season for Antalyaspor in its 3-2 loss at Alanyaspor in the Turkish Super Lig on Friday, Oct. 14.


With  the visitors trailing 2-0 in the 57th minute, Wright cut the lead in half as he put home a Cemali Sertel feed. Facing a 3-1 deficit in the 87th minute, Wright latched onto a Mustafa Erdilman through ball and beat goalkeeper Runar Runarsson from the middle of the box.



He has seven goals in nine league matches this season.

HELPING OUT

Jordan Pefok did not score for first-place Union Berlin but still played an important role in its 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga on Sunday, Oct. 16.



With Union enjoying a 1-0 lead, the striker set up Janik Haberer's second goal of the match in the 21st minute. He took a ball from Andreas Schaefer, held up and fed Haberer, who beat goalkeeper Gregor Kobel from distance.

Pefok was forced from the game in the 67th minute after taking a knock on his knee. Union (7-1-2, 23 points) leads second-place Bayern Munich (5-1-4, 19) by four points.

 

TURNING SOME HEADS

Goalkeeper Matt Turner was praised by manager Mikel Arteta after his superb performance for Arsenal in its 1-0 win at Bodo/Glimt in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday, Oct. 13.



Turner, who made his third start in the competition, made only one save, but earned Man of the Match performances for his playing coming off the line, intercepting several through balls to keep the clean sheet.

It was Turner's second-straight shutout against Bodo/Glimt in the competition, after blanking the team in a 3-0 win on Oct. 6

 

FULL RUNDOWN

-- Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss vs. Arsenal (Oct. 16)

 

-- Tyler Adams (Leeds United; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss vs. Arsenal (Oct. 16)

 

-- Paul Arriola (FC Dallas; MLS) – Vs. Minnesota United in MLS Cup Playoffs (Monday, 9:30 p.m. ET)

 

-- Cole Bassett (Fortuna Sittard; Dutch Eredivisie) - 2 minutes as a substitute in 0-0 draw vs. RKC Waalwijk (Oct. 15)

 

-- George Bello (Arminia Bielefeld; 2. Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at Hannover 96 (Oct. 15)

 

-- John Brooks (Benfica; Portuguese Primeira) – 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Caldas (won in PKs, 5-3) in Taca de Portugal (Oct. 15); In 18, DNP in 1-1 draw at PSG in UCL (Oct. 11)

 

-- Gianluca Busio (Venezia; Italian Serie B) - 66 minutes in 3-1 loss vs. Frosinone (Oct. 14)

 

-- Reggie Cannon (Boavista; Portuguese Primeira) - Injured, DNP in 1-0 loss at Machico in Taca de Portugal (Oct. 16)

 

-- Johnny Cardoso (Internacional; Brazilian Serie A) – 65 minutes in 1-0 win at Botafogo (Oct. 16)

 

-- Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic; Scottish Premiership) - 90 minutes in 6-1 win vs. Hibernian (Oct. 15); 90 minutes in 2-0 loss vs. RB Leipzig in UCL (Oct. 11)

 

-- Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo; Spain La Liga) - In 18, DNP in 2-1 loss at Real Sociedad (Oct. 16)

 

- Sergiño Dest (A.C. Milan; Italy Serie A) - In 18, DNP in 2-1 loss at Verona (Oct. 16); 53 minutes as a substitute in 2-0 loss vs. Chelsea in UCL (Oct. 11)

 

-- Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas; MLS) - Vs. Minnesota United in MLS Cup Playoffs (Monday, 9:30 p.m. ET)

 

-- Matthew Hoppe (Middlesbrough; English Championship) - Not in 18, DNP in 2-1 loss vs. Blackburn Rovers (Oct. 15)

 

-- Ethan Horvath (Luton Town; English Championship) - 90 minutes in 3-1 win vs. Queens Park Rangers (Oct. 15)

 

-- Sean Johnson (New York City FC; MLS) - Vs. Inter Miami CF in MLS Cup Playoffs (Monday, 7 p.m. ET)

 

-- Richy Ledezma (PSV; Dutch Eredivisie) - 28 minutes as a substitute in 6-1 win vs. Utrecht (Oct. 16); 45 minutes as a substitute in 5-0 win vs. FC Zürich in Europa League (Oct. 13)

 

-- Sebastian Lletget (FC Dallas; MLS) - Vs. Minnesota United in MLS Cup Playoffs (Monday, 9:30 p.m. ET)

 

-- Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. FC Cincinnati in MLS Cup Playoffs (Oct. 15)

 

-- Weston McKennie (Juventus; Italy Serie A) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win at Torino (Oct. 15); 45 minutes in 2-0 loss at Maccabi Haifa in UCL (Oct. 11)

 

-- Mark McKenzie (Genk; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win at OH Leuven (Oct. 15)

 

-- Matt Miazga (FC Cincinnati; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 win vs. New York Red Bulls in MLS Cup Playoffs (Oct. 15)

 

-- Shaq Moore (Nashville SC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at LA Galaxy in MLS Cup Playoffs (Oct. 15)

 

-- Yunus Musah (Valencia; Spain La Liga) - 75 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Elche (Oct. 15)

 

-- Erik Palmer-Brown (Troyes; French Ligue 1) - 45 minutes as a substitute in 1-1 draw vs. Ajaccio (Oct. 16)

 

-- Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg; Bundesliga) - 16 minutes as a substitute in 2-2 draw vs, Borussia Mönchengladbach (Oct. 15)

 

-- Jordan Pefok (Union Berlin; Bundesliga) - 67 minutes, ASSIST, in 2-0 win vs. Borussia Dortmund (Oct. 16); 67 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Malmö in Europa League (Oct. 13)

 

-- Ricardo Pepi (Groningen; Dutch Eredivisie) - 90 minutes in 3-0 loss at Twente (Oct. 16)

 

-- Christian Pulisic (Chelsea; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 2-0 win at Aston Villa (Oct. 16); In 18, DNP in 2-0 win at A.C. Milan in UCL (Oct. 11)

 

-- Tim Ream (Fulham; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. AFC Bournemouth (Oct. 15)

 

-- Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund; Bundesliga) - 8 minutes as a substitute in 2-0 loss at Union Berlin (Oct. 16); 19 minutes as a substitute in 1-1 draw vs. Sevilla in UCL (Oct. 11)

 

-- Bryan Reynolds (Westerlo; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. RFC Seraing (Oct. 14)

 

-- Antonee Robinson (Fulham; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. AFC Bournemouth (Oct. 15)

 

-- Josh Sargent (Norwich City; English Championship) - 90 minutes, GOAL, in 2-1 loss at Watford (Oct. 15)

 

-- James Sands (Rangers; Scottish Premiership) – In 18, DNP in 2-1 win at Motherwell (Oct. 16); In 18, DNP in 7-1 loss vs. Liverpool in UCL (Oct. 12)

 

-- Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 2-2 draw at Wolfsburg (Oct. 15)

 

-- Zack Steffen (Middlesbrough; English Championship) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Blackburn Rovers (Oct. 15)

 

-- Malik Tillman (Rangers; Scottish Premiership) - 90 minutes, GOAL, in 2-1 win at Motherwell (Oct. 16); In 18, DNP in 7-1 loss vs. Liverpool in UCL (Oct. 12)

 

-- Auston Trusty (Birmingham City; English Premiership) - 90 minutes in 2-0 win at Hull City (Oct. 16)

 

-- Matt Turner (Arsenal; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 1-0 win at Leeds United (Oct. 16); 90 minutes, SHUTOUT, in 1-0 win at Bodo/Glimt in Europa League (Oct. 13)

 

-- Sam Vines (Royal Antwerp; Belgian Pro League) - 17 minutes in 3-0 loss at Standard Liege (Oct. 16)

 

-- Tim Weah (Lille; French Ligue 1) – 25 minutes as a substitute, TWO ASSISTS, in 3-0 win at Strasbourg (Oct. 14)

 

-- Haji Wright (Antalyaspor; Turkish Super Lig) - 90 minutes, TWO GOALS, in 3-2 loss at Alanyaspor (Oct. 14)

 

-- DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami CF; MLS) - At New York City FC in MLS Cup Playoffs (Monday, 7 p.m. ET)

 

-- Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at LA Galaxy in MLS Cup Playoffs (Oct. 15)

Go Deeper

MNT