On the Pitch

USMNT REWIND: Pulisic, Wright Hit Scoring Milestones, And More From Last Week’s Action

In Europe, Christian Pulisic and Haji Wright reached some personal career milestones, while Gianluca Busio and Kristoffer Lund tallied for their Italian B sides.

In Europe, Christian Pulisic and Haji Wright reached some personal career milestones, while Gianluca Busio and Kristoffer Lund tallied for their Italian B sides.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles apart, the Tillman brothers enjoyed productive weeks with Malik assisting on three goals and Timmy scoring one of his own.

In Mexico, Alejandro Zendejas celebrated goals in consecutive matches in two different competitions.

In Major League Soccer, Jordan Morris and Aidan Morris (no relation) scored their respective teams, the Columbus Crew and Seattle Sounders.

Weston McKennie and Julian Gressel also assisted on goals during another fruitful week for members of the U.S. Men's National Team pool.


ADDING TO HIS SPOILS

Christian Pulisic continued his memorable Italy Serie A season for A.C. Milan, scoring the first goal in the team’s 3-0 home victory over Lecce on Saturday, April 6. Pulisic has a career-best 13 goals across all competitions, 10 in Serie A, two in the Europa League and one in the UEFA Champions League. He also has eight assists this season.

Playing as a No. 10, Pulisic latched onto Samuel Chukwueze’s right-wing feed in the penalty arc, switched the ball to his left foot and drilled a 20-yard strike into the upper right corner past goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone to give Milan a 1-0 lead in the sixth minute.

USMNT midfielder Yunus Musah replaced Pulisic in the 62nd minute for the Milanese (21-5-5, 68 points), who solidified their second-place position. Milan trails Inter (24-1-4, 79) by 11 points. Thirteenth-place Lecce (29) dropped to 6-14-11.

 


TYING TWO ON

By scoring in Coventry City's 2-1 win past Leeds United in the English Championship, Haji Wright tied career highs in league goals (15) and across all competitions (17), on Saturday, April 6. He had tallied the same amount for Antalyaspor during the 2022-23 campaign in Turkey.

With Coventry enjoying a 1-0 lead, Wright scored his latest goal in the 49th minute, burying Josh Eccles' pass past goalkeeper Illan Meslier.

Seventh-place Coventry (17-11-12, 63) has six matches remaining in the season and trails sixth-place Norwich City (20-14-7, 67) for the final spot in the promotion playoffs to the English Premier League.

 


TWO FOR TWO

Alejandro Zendejas shined as a starter and a substitute for Club América, scoring in successive matches for the Liga MX side. In the 4-0 win over the host New England Revolution in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday, April 2, Henry Martin, who lifted the visitors into the lead in the 16th minute, threaded a through ball to Zendejas, who then drilled a shot into the upper left corner past goalie Earl Edwards Jr. The return leg at América is set for Tuesday, April 9.

Then, only eight minutes after coming off the bench in the 68th minute against Santos Laguna on Sunday, Zendejas connected for the equalizer for America. After taking a heel pass from Martin, he powered home a shot from the top of the box past keeper Carlos Acevedo into the right corner. The match finished 1-1.

 


ALL IN THE FAMILY

What a week for the Tillman brothers.

Younger brother Malik Tillman, 21, started it off on Tuesday, April 2, setting up Johan Bakayoko’s 62nd-minute goal in PSV Eindhoven's 2-0 victory over Excelsior. He doubled his pleasure with two more assists in a 5-1 romp over AZ in the Dutch Eredivisie on Saturday, April 6. He created Bakayoko's tally in the ninth minute and Luuk de Jong's score in the 23rd minute, sparking the hosts to a 2-0 lead. Entering the final five matches of the season, PSV (25-1-3, 78) holds a nine-point lead over Feyenoord (21-2-6, 69).

Older brother Timmy Tillman, 25, scored his third goal of the young MLS season in the fourth minute to start Los Angeles FC to a 2-1 triumph over the LA Galaxy in El Trafico in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 6. Captain Ilie Sanchez flicked on Mateusz Bogusz's corner kick, and Tillman poked the ball home at the far post past goalkeeper John McCarthy.

 

 


IN DEFEAT

Gianluca Busio and Kristoffer Lund scored goals in losses for their respective Italian Serie B teams on Monday, April 1.

Busio's unassisted goal lifted Venezia to a 1-0 edge in the 20th minute in a 3-2 defeat to visiting Reggiana. It was the midfielder's career-high sixth goal of the campaign. Venezia (17-8-7, 58) sits in fourth place, a point behind Cremonese (17-7-8, 59) and trailing second-place Como (18-7-7, 61) by two points with six matches remaining in the season.

 


Lund gave visiting Palmero a 2-0 advantage in the 42nd minute off an assist by Matteo Brunori before Pisa rallied for four second-half goals in a 4-3 win. Palermo (14-10-8, 50) is in sixth place.

 

 

MLS HEROES

Midfielder Aidan Morris rescued the Columbus Crew with his 87th-minute goal to give the MLS side a 1-1 home draw with D.C. United on Saturday, April 6. After United cleared the box out of the box, Morris drilled home his second tally of the season, a 25-yard blast in the lower right corner past goalie Alex Bono.

 

 

Forward Jordan Morris scored his first goal of the 2024 campaign in the Seattle Sounders' 5-0 victory over CF Montreal on Saturday, April 6. He buried Cristian Roldan's right-wing cross from point-blank range past keeper Jonathan Sirois to lift the hosts to a 3-0 advantage in the 48th minute.

 


FOR THE TEAM

Weston McKennie assisted on Juventus' second goal, by Dusan Vlahovic, in the 64th minute in its 2-0 home win over Lazio on Tuesday, April 2.

 

 

Julian Gressel also pitched in, as his 19th-minute corner kick set up center back Aviles' goal in Inter Miami CF's 2-1 home defeat to Monterrey in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday, April 3. Miami visits Monterrey on Wednesday, April 10.

 

 

And Sergiño Dest assisted on PSV Eindhoven's final goal, by Jesper Uneken a minute into stoppage time in the 5-1 win over AZ on Saturday, April 6.

 


FULL RUNDOWN

-- Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin; Bundesliga) - 79 minutes in 1-0 loss vs. Bayer Leverkusen (April 6)

-- Paxten Aaronson (Vitesse; Dutch Eredivisie) - 90 minutes in 3-0 loss vs. NEC (April 6); 90 minutes in 4-1 loss vs. Sparta Rotterdam (April 2)

-- Kellyn Acosta (Chicago Fire; MLS) - 2 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 win vs. Houston Dynamo (April 6)

-- Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth; English Premier League) – Not in 18, DNP in 2-1 loss at Luton Town (April 6); In 18, DNP in 1-0 win vs. Crystal Palace (April 2)

-- Folarin Balogun (Monaco; French Ligue 1) – 17 minutes as a substitute in 1-0 win vs. Rennes (April 7)

-- Taylor Booth (Utrecht; Dutch Eredivisie) - Injured, DNP in 3-2 win at Heerenveen (April 7); Injured, DNP in 5-1 win vs. PEC Zwolle (April 3)

-- Gianluca Busio (Venezia; Italian Serie B) – 63 minutes in 0-0 draw at Ascoli (April 7); 71 minutes, GOAL in 3-2 loss vs. Reggiana (April 1)

-- Drake Callender (Inter Miami CF; MLS) -- 90 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Colorado Rapids (April 6); 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Monterrey in Concacaf Champions Cup (April 3)

-- Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis; Spain La Liga) - No game

-- Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic; Scottish Premiership) - 90 minutes in 3-3 draw at Rangers (April 7)

-- Cade Cowell (Guadalajara; Liga MX) - 56 minutes in 3-2 win vs. Puebla (April 6)

-- Ben Cremaschi (Inter Miami CF; MLS) - In 18, DNP in in 2-2 draw vs. Colorado Rapids (April 6); Not in 18, DNP in 2-1 loss vs. Monterrey in Concacaf Champions Cup (April 3)

-- Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - 90 minutes, ASSSIT, in 5-1 win vs. AZ (April 6): 90 minutes in 2-0 win at Excelsior (April 2)

-- Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo, Spain La Liga) - No game

-- Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas; MLS) - Injured, DNP in 1-1 draw at St. Louis CITY (April 6)

-- Julian Gressel (Inter Miami CF; MLS) - 56 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Colorado Rapids (April 6); 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 2-1 loss vs. Monterrey in Concacaf Champions Cup (April 3)

-- Ethan Horvath (Cardiff City; English Championship) - 90 minutes in 3-1 loss vs. Hull City (April 6); 90 minutes in a 2-1 win at Coventry City (April 1)

-- DeJuan Jones (New England Revolution; MLS) – 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Charlotte FC (April 6); 90 minutes in 4-0 loss vs. America in Concacaf Champions Cup (April 2)

-- Kristoffer Lund (Palmero; Italy Serie B) - 90 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Sampdoria (April 6); 90 minutes, GOAL, in 4-3 loss at Pisa (April 1)

-- Lennard Maloney (Heidenheim; Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 3-2 win vs. Bayern Munich (April 6)

-- Weston McKennie (Juventus; Italy Serie A) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Fiorentina (April 7); 89 minutes, ASSIST, in 2-0 win vs. Lazio (April 2)

-- Mark McKenzie (Genk; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win at Antwerp (April 6); 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Union Saint-Gilloise (April 1)

-- Djordje Mihailovic (Colorado Rapids; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-2 draw at Inter Miami CF (April 6)

-- Shaq Moore (Nashville SC; MLS) - Injured, DNP in 2-1 loss vs. Philadelphia Union (April 6)

-- Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew; MLS) - 90 minutes, GOAL, in 1-1 draw vs. D.C. United (April 6)

-- Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders; MLS) - 79 minutes, GOAL, in 5-0 win vs. CF Montreal (April 6)

-- Yunus Musah (A.C. Milan; Italy Serie A) - 22 minutes as a substitute in 3-0 win vs. Lecce (April 6)

-- Jalen Neal (LA Galaxy; MLS) - Injured, DNP in 2-1 loss at Los Angeles FC (April 6)

-- Erik Palmer-Brown (Panathinaikos; Greek Super League) - Injured, DNP in 2-0 win at Aris (April 7)

-- Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg; Bundesliga) - Not in 18, DNP in 3-1 loss vs. Borussia Mönchengladbach (April 7)

-- Jordan Pefok (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) - 2 minutes as a substitute in 3-1 win at Wolfsburg (April 7)

-- Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - Not in 18, DNP in 5-1 win vs. AZ (April 6); 7 minutes as a substitute in 2-0 win at Excelsior (April 2)

-- Christian Pulisic (A.C. Milan; Italy Serie A) - 62 minutes, GOAL, in 3-0 win vs. Lecce (April 6)

-- Tim Ream (Fulham; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 1-0 loss vs. Newcastle United (April 6); In 18, DNP in 3-1 loss at Nottingham Forest (April 2)

-- Gio Reyna (Nottingham Forest; English Premier League) - 9 minutes as a substitute in 3-1 loss at Tottenham (April 7); 13 minutes as a substitute in 3-1 win vs. Fulham (April 2)

-- Bryan Reynolds (Westerlo; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 3-0 loss vs. 3-0 loss vs. Gent (April 7)

-- Chris Richards (Crystal Palace; English Premier League) - Injured, DNP in 4-2 loss vs. Manchester City (April 6); Injured, DNP in 1-0 loss at Bournemouth (April 2)

-- Antonee Robinson (Fulham; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss vs. Newcastle United (April 6); 90 minutes in 3-1 loss at Nottingham Forest (April 2)

-- Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. New York Red Bulls (April 6)

-- James Sands (New York City FC; MLS) – 90 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Atlanta United (April 6)

-- Josh Sargent (Norwich City; Championship) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Ipswich Town (April 6); 90 minutes in 3-1 loss at Leicester City (April 1)

-- Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) - 2 minutes as a substitute in 3-1 win at Wolfsburg (April 7)

-- Gaga Slonina (Eupen; Belgian Pro League) - Not in 18, DNP in 1-1 draw vs. Kortrijk (April 7)

-- Zack Steffen (Colorado Rapids; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-2 draw at Inter Miami CF (April 6)

-- Tanner Tessmann (Venezia; Italy Serie B) – 90 minutes in 0-0 draw at Ascoli (April 7); 90 minutes in 3-2 loss vs. Reggiana (April 6)

-- Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - 90 minutes, TWO ASSISTS, in 5-1 win vs. AZ (April 6); 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 2-0 win at Excelsior (April 2)

-- Timmy Tillman (Los Angeles FC; MLS) - 90 minutes, GOAL, in 2-1 win vs. Los Angeles Galaxy (April 6)

-- John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls; MLS) - 67 minutes in 2-1 win at FC Cincinnati (April 6)

-- Auston Trusty (Sheffield; English Premier League) - 87 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Chelsea (April 7); 78 minutes in a 3-1 loss at Liverpool (April 4)

-- Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 3-1 loss at Tottenham (April 7); In 18, DNP in 3-1 win vs. Fulham (April 2)

-- Brandon Vazquez (Monterrey; Liga MX) – 27 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 loss at Cruz Azul (April 6); 85 minutes in 2-1 win at Inter Miami CF in Concacaf Champions Cup (April 3)

-- Tim Weah (Juventus; Italy Serie A) - In 188, DNP in 1-0 win vs. Fiorentina (April 7); 9 minutes as a substitute in 2-0 win vs. Lazio (April 2)

-- Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United; MLS - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at New York City FC (April 6)

-- Haji Wright (Coventry City; English Championship) - 89 minutes, GOAL, in 2-1 win vs. Leeds United (April 6); 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Cardiff City (April 1)

-- DeAndre Yedlin (FC Cincinnati; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. New York Red Bulls (April 6)

-- Alejandro Zendejas (Club America; Liga MX) - 22 minutes as a substitute, GOAL, in 1-1 draw at Santos Laguna (April 6); 75 minutes, GOAL, in 4-0 win at New England Revolution in Concacaf Champions Cup (April 2)

-- Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; MLS) - Injured, DNP in 2-1 loss vs. Philadelphia Union (April 6)

Go Deeper

MNTChristian PulisicHaji WrightGianluca BusioKristoffer LundJordan MorrisAlejandro ZendejasWeston McKennieJulian Gressel