The first weekend after the September FIFA international window turned out to be a memorable weekend for three members of the U.S. Men's National Team who are vying for the No. 9 position.
Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi and Jordan Pefok all scored their first league goals for their new European clubs.
They weren't the only players who celebrated goals as Timmy Tillman, Alex Zendejas, Brandon Vazquez and Julian Gressel also found the net.
Weston McKennie didn't score but he enjoyed his 100th game with Juventus by setting up one goal and was part of a build-up of two others.
And Caleb Wiley assisted on a vital goal in Atlanta United's comeback victory over Inter Miami CF.
BALOGUN’S QUICK GOAL
Only three minutes after replacing Wissam Ben Yedder in the 66th minute, Folarin Balogun scored his first goal in his second match for Monaco in a 2-2 draw at Lorient in French Ligue 1 on Sunday, Sept. 17.
Balogun worked his way into the box, took a pass from Aleksandr Golovin and beat goalkeeper Yvon Mvogo from a tough angle at the near left post to give the visitors a 2-1 lead.
Balogun struck for his second international goal for the USA in its 4-0 friendly win over Oman in St. Paul, Minn. on Tuesday, Sept. 12.
SUPER SUB
Whether for club or country, striker Ricardo Pepi has found a knack for scoring goals off the bench. The El Paso native connected for his fourth goal off the bench in five matches for the USMNT. Then scored off the bench for PSV Eindhoven in the club’s 4-0 home triumph over NEC on Saturday, Sept. 16.
Pepi scored the hosts' final goal, converting a penalty kick in the 87th minute, only four minutes after coming on for Luuk de Jong. It was his first goal in Eredivisie for PSV. As a halftime sub, Pepi scored two goals in the Americans' two friendly wins over Uzbekistan on Saturday, Sept 9 and Oman three days later. The 20-year-old striker has four goals as a substitute this year, pushing him past Bobby Wood (2015) and Brandon Vazquez (2023) for most goals by a USMNT sub in a calendar year.
Prior to coming to USMNT camp this month, Pepi scored his first goal for PSV, another penalty kick, in the 3-1 win against Sturm Graz on Aug. 15 to help the club qualify for this year’s UEFA Champions League.
PSV is atop the Dutch Eredivisie, securing all 12 points from four victories. Pepi will look to make his UEFA Champions League debut on Wednesday as he and USMNT teammates Sergiño Dest and Malik Tillman visit Arsenal with PSV on Wednesday.
THE CENTURY CLUB
Deployed as a right wing back, Weston McKennie reminded Serie A foes that he can be an attacking force as well in Juventus' 3-1 home win over Lazio on Saturday, Sept. 16.
In the 10th minute, the USMNT midfielder kept the ball in play near the touchline. Two passes later, Dusan Vlahovic tallied the first of his two goals on the day.
On Juve's second goal in the 26th minute, McKennie raced wide right to stretch the field, helping Federico Chiesa score for a two-goal margin.
After Lazio pulled one back, McKennie's 60-yard cross-field pass set up Vlahovic's 67th-minute score.
The strong performance came in McKennie’s 100th career appearance for the Bianconeri.
IGNITING THE COMEBACK
In his second appearance for Borussia Mönchengladbach, on-loan striker Jordan Pefok scored his first goal for the Bundesliga club, sparking the side to a 3-3 comeback draw at Darmstadt on Sunday, Sept. 17.
Trailing 3-0 in the 67th minute, Pefok put away a Rocco Reitz pass past goalkeeper Marcel Schuhen.
THE EQUALIZER
Brandon Vazquez capped a rally from a two-goal deficit in the 79th minute to lift FC Cincinnati into a 2-2 draw with the Philadelphia Union in Chester, Pa. on Saturday, Sept. 16.
After a Union turnover, Cincy jumped on the mistake and Vazquez found himself in front of goalkeeper Andre Blake, as he slotted home his sixth goal of the campaign from seven yards.
FC Cincinnati (17-4-7, 58), the MLS Eastern Conference leaders, already clinched a playoff berth and leads the Supporters' Shield race.
OFF THE BENCH
Midfielder Timmy Tillman collected his third goal of the MLS season in LAFC’s 4-2 home win vs. rivals LA Galaxy on Saturday, Sept. 16.
Tillman, who replaced Mateusz Bogusz in the 69th minute, gave LAFC some breathing room in the 84th minute, converting a pass from Mario Gonzalez off a 3-on-2 break, beating keeper Jonathan Bond from 12 yards.
IN A LOSING CAUSE
Julian Gressel found the net for the Columbus Crew for the first time this season. The midfielder lifted the visitors into a 1-0 edge in the 16th minute off a Cucho feed before Orlando City rallied for a 4-3 win on Saturday, Sept. 16.
Traded by the Vancouver Whitecaps to Columbus on July 21, Gressel has four goals and five assists in 23 matches this season.
EXCLAMATION POINT
Alex Zendejas put the finishing touches on Club América's 4-0 home triumph over Guadalajara on Saturday, Sept. 16.
Coming on as a sub in the 75th minute, Zendejas put in a Salvador Reyes feed in the 80th minute, his first goal of this Liga MX season.
INSURANCE ASSIST
Defender Caleb Wiley notched his third assist of the MLS season in Atlanta United's 5-2 victory over visiting Inter Miami CF on Saturday, Sept. 16.
Wiley latched onto Xande Silva's feed as he dribbled down the left wing. He found an unmarked Brooks Lennon in the penalty area and the defender beat goalkeeper Drake Callender for a 3-1 advantage in the 44th minute.
FULL RUNDOWN
- Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin; Bundesliga) - 17 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 loss at Wolfsburg (Sept. 16)
- Paxten Aaronson (Eintracht Frankfurt; Bundesliga) - 10 minutes as a substitute in 1-1 draw at Bochum (Sept. 16)
- Kellyn Acosta (Los Angeles FC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 4-2 win vs. LA Galaxy (Sept. 16)
- Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth; English Premier League) - Injured, DNP in 0-0 draw vs. Chelsea (Sept. 17)
- Folarin Balogun (Monaco; French Ligue 1) - 24 minutes as a substitute, GOAL, in 2-2 draw at Lorient (Sept. 17)
- Taylor Booth (Utrecht; Dutch Eredivisie) - Injured, DNP in 3-1 win at Heracles (Sept. 16)
- Gianluca Busio (Venezia; Italian Serie B) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Spezia (Sept. 15)
- Drake Callender (Inter Miami CF; MLS) - 90 minutes in 5-2 loss at Atlanta United (Sept. 16)
- Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic; Scottish Premiership) - Injured, DNP in 3-0 win vs. Dundee (Sept. 16)
- Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes; MLS) - 64 minutes in 2-1 win vs. Real Salt Lake (Sept. 16)
- Ben Cremaschi (Inter Miami CF; MLS) 74 minutes in 5-2 loss at Atlanta United (Sept. 16)
- Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - 63 minutes in 4-0 win vs. NEC (Sept. 16)
- Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo, Spain La Liga) - 77 minutes in 1-0 loss vs. Mallorca (Sept. 16)
- Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Seattle Sounders (Sept. 16)
- Julian Gressel (Columbus Crew; MLS) - 80 minutes, GOAL, in 4-3 loss at Orlando City (Sept. 16)
- Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest; English Premier League) - vs. Burnley (Monday, 2:45 p.m. ET)
- DeJuan Jones (New England Revolution; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at Colorado Rapids (Sept. 16)
- Kristoffer Lund (Palmero; Italy Serie B) - 25 minutes as a substitute in 1-0 win at Ascoli (Sept.16)
- Weston McKennie (Juventus; Italy Serie A) - 72 minutes, ASSIST, in 3-1 win vs. Lazio (Sept. 16)
- Mark McKenzie (Genk; Belgian Pro League) - Not in 18, DNP in 2-0 loss at Union Saint-Gilloise (Sept. 16)
- Djordje Mihailovic (AZ Alkmaar; Dutch Eredivisie) - In 18, DNP in 2-0 win vs. Sparta Rotterdam (Sept. 17)
- Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew; MLS) - 90 minutes in 4-3 loss at Orlando City (Sept. 16)
- Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at FC Dallas (Sept. 16)
- Yunus Musah (A.C. Milan; Italy Serie A) - 4 minutes as a substitute in 5-1 loss at Inter Milan (Sept. 16)
- Jalen Neal (LA Galaxy; MLS) - Injured, DNP in 4-2 loss at Los Angeles FC (Sept. 16)
- Erik Palmer-Brown (Panathinaikos; Greek Super League) - in 18, DNP in 5-0 win at Panaitolikos (Sept. 16)
- Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg; Bundesliga) - In 18, DNP in 2-1 win vs. Union Berlin (Sept. 16)
- Jordan Pefok (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) - 90 minutes, GOAL, in 3-3 draw at Darmstadt (Sept. 17)
- Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - 7 minutes as a substitute, GOAL, in 4-0 win vs. NEC (Sept. 16)
- Christian Pulisic (A.C. Milan; Italy Serie A) - 56 minutes in 5-1 loss at Inter Milan (Sept. 16)
- Tim Ream (Fulham; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Luton Town (Sept. 16)
- Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund; Bundesliga) - Injured, DNP in 4-2 win at Freiburg (Sept. 16)
- Bryan Reynolds (Westerlo; Belgian Pro League) - 81 minutes in 3-0 loss vs. Antwerp (Sept. 15)
- Chris Richards (Crystal Palace; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 3-1 loss at Aston Villa (Sept. 16)
- Antonee Robinson (Fulham; English Premier League) - Not in 18, DNP in 1-0 win vs. Luton Town (Sept. 16)
- Miles Robinson (Atlanta United; MLS) - 90 minutes in 5-2 win vs. Inter Miami CF (Sept. 16)
- James Sands (New York City FC; MLS) – 90 minutes in 0-0 draw vs. New York Red Bulls (Sept. 16)
- Josh Sargent (Norwich City; English Championship) - Injured, DNP in 2-1 loss at Rotherham United (Sept. 2); Injured, DNP in 1-0 win at Briston City in Carabao Cup (Aug. 29)
- Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) - 45 minutes in 3-3 draw at Darmstadt (Sept. 17)
- Gaga Slonina (Eupen; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 3-1 loss vs. Standard Liege (Sept. 17)
- Tanner Tessmann (Venezia; Italy Serie B) - 46 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Spezia (Sept. 15)
- Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - In 18, DNP in 4-0 win vs. NEC (Sept. 16)
- Timmy Tillman (Los Angeles FC; MLS) - 21 minutes as a substitute, GOAL, in 4-2 win vs. LA Galaxy (Sept. 16)
- John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls; MLS) - 90 minutes in 0-0 draw at New York City FC (Sept. 16)
- Auston Trusty (Sheffield; English Premier League) - 4 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 loss at Tottenham Hotspur (Sept. 16)
- Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest; English Premier League) - Vs. Burnley (Monday, 2:45 p.m. ET)
- Brandon Vazquez (FC Cincinnati; MLS) - 90 minutes, GOAL, in 2-2 draw at Philadelphia Union (Sept. 16)
- Tim Weah (Juventus; Italy Serie A) - 18 minutes as a substitute in 3-1 win vs. Lazio (Sept. 16)
- Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United; MLS - 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 5-2 win vs. Inter Miami CF (Sept. 16)
- Haji Wright (Coventry City; English Premier League) - 75 minutes in 1-1 draw at Hull City (Sept. 15)
- DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami CF; MLS) - 90 minutes in 5-2 loss at Atlanta United (Sept. 16)
- Alex Zendejas (Club America; Liga MX) - 15 minutes as a substitute, GOAL, in 4-0 win vs. Guadalajara (Sept. 16)