USMNT Rewind: Josh Sargent Surges, Haji Wright Bags Brace in EFL Championship
Take a closer look at how the USMNT player pool recently fared in club play from MLS to abroad
It was another exciting week for the U.S. Men’s National Team player pool as the MLS season rolls on closer to the playoffs and the European leagues pick up speed.
Several USMNT players were in the mix for their respective club teams. Let’s rewind the best moments from last week:
Josh Sargent Continues Hot Streak
Josh Sargent has appeared in four matches since the 2025-26 season for Norwich City, and he’s scored in all four. His most recent goal came in the 85th minute on an impressive high-arching shot that sailed above the goalkeeper's head. It cut Norwich’s two-goal deficit in half, but ultimately the Canaries fell to Middlesbrough FC as City played with 10 after a red card was handed out.
Three of Sargent’s four goals came in EFL Championship matches and one in the EFL Cup. Sargent will have another chance to add to his season total when Norwich plays in the second round of the EFL Cup on Tuesday.
Haji Wright Bags a Brace
Coventry City tallied an impressive 7-1 win over QPR, and Haji Wright scored in the 12th and 37th minutes to secure the brace.
The performance brings Wright’s total to three goals in two starts early in the season. He recorded his first goal of the season in Coventry’s win over Derby County on a penalty kick. Wright left USMNT camp during the Concacaf Gold Cup run to tend to an Achilles injury; however, now he appears healthy and making a good impression with his club early in the season.
Brian White Nets Penalty Kick
Brian White has been one of the most prolific scorers in MLS this season and leads the Vancouver Whitecaps in scoring. So when the Whitecaps were awarded the penalty, White stepped up to the spot and answered the call. It was White’s 14th goal of the season, tied for seventh in the Golden Boot race.
White scored the penalty in stoppage time just before the half to equalize the game at 1-1. The Whitecaps finished off St. Louis CITY 3-2 with another penalty kick, this time from German legend Thomas Müller, who recently joined MLS from FC Bayern Munich.
Notable Returns
Forwards Ricardo Pepi, Folarin Balogun and defender Antonee Robinson have yet to play for the USMNT in 2025 because of injury, but each returned to their clubs this weekend.
Pepi made his Eredivisie debut this season for PSV in a 4-2 victory against FC Groningen, subbing on late in the 86th minute. He also appeared in the Dutch Super Cup and a club friendly a few weeks prior. The friendly in late July marked his first minutes on the field since January as he dealt with a meniscus injury.
Balogun played all 90 minutes in AS Monaco’s 1-0 loss to LOSC on Sunday. The striker was initially on the USMNT roster this summer for the June friendlies but suffered an ankle injury just before camp. Before that, Balogun was rehabbing from a dislocated shoulder, which kept him away from National Team training.
Robinson subbed on in the 62nd minute in Fulham’s 1-1 draw versus Manchester United. He underwent knee surgery in May, which kept him from contention of making the National Team roster this summer and the beginning of the EPL season.