The Tillman brothers, Timmy and Malik, assisted on important goals for their clubs on either side of the Atlantic. Aidan Morris also provided a vital pass in his MLS Cup Playoff match.
Tanner Tessmann saved his attacking heroics for late in the match while Folarin Balogun scored in a losing effort.
And while he did not find the net, Christian Pulisic returned to action to help highlight U.S. Men's National Team players’ performances this past weekend as clubs returned to play after the FIFA international break.
He did not get credit for an assist, but Aidan Morris' gritty play and cross set up the game-winning goal in the Columbus Crew's 2-0 extra-time win over host Orlando City SC in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the MLS Cup Playoffs on Saturday, Nov. 25. The 22-year-old midfielder won the ball on the right side of the penalty area and penetrated just about to the six-yard box before sending a short cross. Goalkeeper Pedro Gallese got a hand on the ball as a sliding Christian Ramírez slotted it home for the first goal in the 93rd minute.
It will be an all-Ohio conference final in Cincinnati on Saturday, Dec. 2, as Brandon Vazquez and his FC Cincinnati teammates edged the Philadelphia Union, 1-0, in the conference semifinal on Saturday, Nov. 25.
Timmy Tillman, who had only one assist in 25 matches in the regular season, set up Los Angeles FC's lone goal in its 1-0 victory at the Seattle Sounders in the Western Conference semifinals of the MLS Cup Playoffs on Sunday, Nov. 26. The 24-year-old midfielder pinpointed a pass from the LA end of the center circle through the defense to an onrushing Denis Bouanga on the left flank. Bouanga beat goalkeeper Stefan Frei from eight yards in the 30th minute. LAFC will host the Houston Dynamo in the conference final on Saturday, Dec. 2.
One day prior on Saturday, Nov. 25, Malik Tillman made an impact in PSV Eindhoven's 3-0 victory at Twente in his 23 minutes as a substitute. After replacing Mexican international Hirving Lozano in the 67th minute, the 21-year-old midfielder set up Johan Bakayoko's tally in the 82nd minute, the visitors' final goal of the Dutch Eredivisie match.
With Venezia clinging to a 1-0 lead late in its Italian Serie B encounter at Bari, midfielder Tanner Tessmann tallied his third goal of the season and set up another to boost his side to a 3-0 win on Saturday, Nov. 25. Tessmann struck for an unassisted score in the 90th minute to give the visitors some much needed breathing room, beating Brazilian goalkeeper Brenno. Seven minutes later in stoppage time, he assisted Ali Dembele's goal to seal the result.
Forward Folarin Balogun scored his fourth goal of the season in 10 appearances in Monaco's 5-2 loss at PSG in French Ligue 1 action on Friday, Nov. 24. The 22-year-old Balogun put in a clinical finish in the 75th minute past goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma off a Takumi Minamino assist to pull his side within 4-2. He drew the most fouls in the match (four).
The scoreline said that Cercle Brugge had recorded a 2-0 win over Eupen in the Belgian Pro League on Saturday, Nov. 25, but that didn't tell the entire story of the game. Eupen goalkeeper Gaga Slonina made seven saves, including five in the opening half hour, before the hosts broke through early and late in the second half.
After missing the USMNT's two Concacaf Nations League matches with Trinidad & Tobago due to a left hamstring injury, Christian Pulisic started and played the opening 61 minutes of AC Milan's 1-0 win over visiting Fiorentina on Saturday, Nov. 25. Pulisic had suffered a recurrence of the injury in Milan’s 2-1 victory over PSG in the UEFA Champions League on Nov. 7.
