For players on the U.S. Men’s National Team, one of the themes of the first week of the new year was better late than never.
Tim Weah scored his first goal for Juventus in stoppage time in the Coppa Italia win. Christian Pulisic failed to find the back of the net, but he set up a late goal for his team-mate as AC Milan won the Serie A and Coppa Italia.
Other highlights included a team of several USMNT players advancing to the national tournament.
we to go
Tim Weah not only scored his first goal for Juventus in any competition, but also put an exclamation point on his Serie A team’s 6-1 victory over Salernitana in the third round of the Coppa Italia on Thursday. He achieved his goal in a spectacular way. January 4th.
Weah came on as a substitute for Samuel Illing-Junior in the 66th minute, receiving a pass from Manuel Locatelli and running through the middle of the defence. He then fired a 28-yard rocket that hit the inside of the crossbar and went past goalkeeper Vincenzo Fiorillo in stoppage time. It was Weah’s 18th appearance in all competitions for Juve.
He last found the back of the net in the USMNT’s 3-0 friendly win over Uzbekistan on September 9th. Juventus (14 wins, 1 loss, 4 draws, 46 points) is chasing league leaders Inter Milan (15 wins, 1 loss, 3 draws, 48 points). American teammate Weston McKennie was on the bench but did not play in the game.
Juve will host Frosinone in the quarter-finals on Thursday 11 January.
Due to a coincidence of dates, the two teams met again in Serie A three days later, on Sunday 7 January, with Juventus winning 2-1.
earn points
For the second time in a week, Christian Pulisic continued to contribute to AC Milan’s victory at the end of the contest.
On Tuesday 2 January, the forward came on as a substitute in the 71st minute and assisted Rafael Leao’s goal in the first minute of stoppage time as Milan won 6-1 against Cagliari in the Round of 16 of the Coppa Italia. Pulisic won the ball in midfield and Rafael Leao fired a right-footed shot into the bottom right corner of the goal. Milan will host Atalanta in the quarter-finals on Wednesday 11 January.
On Sunday 7 January, he set up Chaka Traore’s goal with a stunning box-to-box run in Serie A against Empoli, giving him a 3-0 victory.
Empoli’s corner kick was cleared by Milan. The ball went to the hosts’ Nicolo Cambiaghi, who took a shot, but Traore hit it and it hit Pulisic. He controlled the ball at the top of the penalty area and then started a two-on-one with Traore, with two Empoli players chasing him. Pulisic passed the ball to Traore on the left, and the 19-year-old curled a 17-yard shot with his right foot past goalkeeper Elia Caprile for the winning goal.
Pulisic has played the full 90 minutes and has scored in seven of the last eight games in all competitions. He has played in 17 games in Serie A, scoring six goals and providing five assists. Pulisic has scored seven goals for third-place Milan (12 wins, four losses, three draws, 39 points) and six goals in all competitions.
they are moving forward
Some players on the USMNT will continue to have the opportunity to compete for trophies even after their team wins a domestic cup match.
FA Cup
Defender Anthony Robinson played eight minutes off the bench in Fulham’s 1-0 home win against Rotherham United in the third round on Thursday 4 January. Team captain Tim Ream suffered a calf injury and missed the game. The fourth round is scheduled for Saturday, January 27th.
Striker Haji Wright did not feature in Coventry City’s 6-2 home win against Oxford United on Saturday, January 6th.
Defender Auston Trusty also did not suit up for Sheffield United’s 4-0 win over Gillingham on Saturday 6 January.
Midfielder Tyler Adams was sidelined with a hamstring injury and did not feature in Bournemouth’s 3-2 win over Queens Park Rangers on Saturday 6 January.
copa del rey
Midfielder Luca de la Torre started and played 78 minutes in Celta Vigo’s 4-2 win in the Round of 32 match in Amorebieta on Sunday, January 7th. The round of 16 is scheduled for January 17th, with the quarterfinals scheduled for January 17th. January 24th.
Coupe de France
Forward Folarin Balogun played 68 minutes for Monaco in their Round of 32 draw against Lens on Sunday, January 7, which ended in a 2-2 draw, with Monaco winning 6-5 on penalties.
I’ll try playing it again, Sam.
Unlike many competitions where cup matches are drawn and decided on penalties, England’s FA Cup traditionally involves replays of previous matches. As such, several American players and their teams will compete in another match aiming to advance in the competition. A third-round rematch is scheduled for January 16th and 17th.
Forward Josh Sargent started his first game since sustaining an ankle injury and played the first 45 minutes of Norwich City’s 1-1 home draw against Bristol Rovers on Saturday 6 January. He almost scored his second goal after his return, but the goalkeeper was trying to score. In the 19th minute, Matthew Cox blocked a shot at his near post. On Monday 1 January, he came on as a second-half substitute and scored the equalizer in a 1-1 home draw against Southampton in the English Championship.
Defender Chris Richards played 90 minutes in the 0-0 home draw against Everton on Thursday, January 4.
Goalkeepers Matt Turner and Ethan Horvath saw no action during Nottingham Forest’s game against Blackpool on Sunday, January 7. Turner sat on the bench, and Horvath did not change his clothes.
Return to activities
Midfielder Yunus Moussa returned to action for AC Milan in Italy’s Serie A on Sunday, January 7, after missing four games due to a muscle problem. Musa, 21, replaced Ruben Loftus-Cheek in the 70th minute, making his first appearance since December 13.
In a special moment for forward Daryl Dike, the former Orlando City man returned to action for West Brom for the first time since suffering an Achilles injury last spring, scoring 27 points.th A one-minute goal in the team’s 4-1 FA Cup win over Aldershot Town.
full rundown
- Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin, Bundesliga) – 85th minute, goal, 2-0 friendly win against DSC Arminia Bielefeld (January 6)
- Pacten Aaronsson (Eintracht Frankfurt, Bundesliga) – No matches
- Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth, English Premier League) – Injured in FA Cup match against Queens Park Rangers, DNP won 3-2 (January 6)
- Folarin Balogun (Monaco, French Ligue 1) – 68 minutes 2-2 draw (6-5 penalty win) at Reims in the Coupe de France (January 7)
- Taylor Booth (Utrecht, Dutch Eredivisie) – No matches
- Gianluca Busio (Venice, Italian Serie B) – No matches
- Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis, Spanish La Liga) – Did not play in 2018, DNP lost 1-0 against Alaves in the Copa del Rey (January 6). He did not play in 2018, and DNP lost 2-1 against Celta Vigo (January 3).
- Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic, Scottish Premiership) – Injured, DNP win 3-0 against St Mirren (2nd January)
- Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven, Dutch Eredivisie) – No matches
- Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo, Spanish Liga) – 78 minutes in a 4-2 win against Amorebieta in the Copa del Rey (January 7). Substituted for 16 minutes in the 2-1 win against Real Betis (January 3)
- Darryl Dike (West Bromwich Albion, EFL Championship) – 45 minutes, goal, 4-1 FA Cup win over Aldershot Town (7th January)
- Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest, English Premier League) – Did not play in 2018, DNP drew 2-2 against Blackpool in the FA Cup (January 7)
- Christopher Lund (Palmelo, Italian Serie B) – No matches
- Leonard Maroney (Heidenheim, Bundesliga) – No matches
- Weston McKennie (Juventus, Italy Serie A) – 90 minutes in a 2-1 win against Salernitana (January 7). In 2018, DNP won 6-1 against Salernitana in the Coppa Italia (January 4)
- Mark McKenzie (Genk, Belgian Pro League) – No matches
- Djordje Mihajlovic (AZ Alkmaar, Dutch Eredivisie) – No matches
- Yunus Musah (AC Milan, Italy Serie A) – Substituted for 20 minutes in the 3-0 win against Empoli (January 7). Injured, DNP wins 4-1 in Coppa Italia vs. Cagliari (January 2)
- Eric Palmer-Brown (Panathinaikos, Greek Super League) – No matches
- Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg, Bundesliga) – No matches
- Jordan Pefok (Borussia Mönchengladbach, Bundesliga) – No matches
- Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven, Dutch Eredivisie) – No matches
- Christian Pulisic (AC Milan, Italy Serie A) – Assisted in the 90th minute against Empoli in a 3-0 win (January 7).Played 19 minutes as a substitute assist in the 4-1 win against Cagliari in the Coppa Italia (January 2nd).
- Tim Ream (Fulham, English Premier League) – Injured in FA Cup match against Rotherham United, DNP won 1-0 (January 4)
- Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund, Bundesliga) – No matches
- Brian Reynolds (Westerlo, Belgian Pro League) – No games
- Chris Richards (Crystal Palace, English Premier League) – FA Cup vs. Everton 90 minutes 0-0 draw (January 4)
- Anthony Robinson (Fulham, English Premier League) – Substituted for 8 minutes in the 1-0 FA Cup win against Rotherham United (January 4)
- Josh Sargent (Norwich City, Championship) – 45 minutes against Bristol Rovers 1-1 draw (6th January)
- Joe Scully (Borussia Mönchengladbach, Bundesliga) – No games
- Gaga Slonina (Eupen, Belgian Pro League) – No matches
- Tanner Tessmann (Venice, Italian Serie B) – No games
- Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven, Dutch Eredivisie) – No matches
- Auston Trusty (Sheffield, English Premier League) – Did not play in 2018, DNP beat Gillingham 4-0 in the FA Cup (6th January)
- Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest, English Premier League) – 2018, FA Cup DNP vs. Blackpool (January 7) 2-2 draw
- Tim Weah (Juventus, Italy Serie A) – Played 90 minutes in a 2-1 win against Salernitana (January 7). Scored in the 24th minute as a substitute in a 6-1 win against Salernitana in the Coppa Italia (January 4)
- Haji Wright (Coventry City, English Championship) – Did not feature in 2018, played in DNP’s 6-2 win against Oxford United in the FA Cup (6th January)
-
Alejandro Zendejas (Club America, Liga MX) – No matches