USMNT REWIND: Nicholas Gioacchini Scores Late Winner as Players Head to Cardiff

As he flew to Wales for U.S. Men's National Team camp, Gio Reyna could think ahead to the possibility of his first appearance for the senior team and leave behind the disappointment of Borussia Dortmund's 3-2 home defeat to Bayern Munich.

 

Dortmund was unable to hold a one-goal lead and lost an opportunity to grab the Bundesliga lead. Instead, Bayern (6-1-0, 18 points) took sole possession of first place while the hosts dropped to third place with a 5-2-0 mark and 15 points.

 

In his second appearance and first start in the rivalry, Reyna had a fabulous opportunity to equalize in the 63rd minute. With Dortmund trailing 2-1, Reyna retained possession of the ball after a heading error by Bouna Sarr. He raced in on net, but goalkeeper Manuel Neuer saved his nine-yard shot from the left side.

 

Six minutes later, Reyna was replaced by Thorgan Hazard.

 

Reyna is poised to make his USMNT debut against Wales on Thursday, with another match vs. Panama in Wiener Neustadt, Austria on Nov. 16.

 

Though he did not see any action in the win Bayern, defender Chris Richards just might be in a happier mood.

 

Here’s how other fared this weekend:

 

Nicholas Gioacchini pulled off some dramatic late-match heroics for Caen in its 2-1 victory against Nancy in French Ligue 2 on Saturday. After replacing Alexandre Mendy in the 80th minute, Gioacchini struck for the winning goal four minutes into stoppage time, putting home Hugo Vandermersch's right-wing feed from six yards. It was Gioacchini's third goal in 579 minutes through eight matches this season.

 

 

Midfielder Yunus Musah, 17, made his eighth appearance of the season for Sevilla, playing 87 minutes in a 4-1 home win against defending champions Real Madrid in Spain's La Liga on Sunday. The USMNT newcomer thought he had his second goal in as many matches when he put home rebound on a penalty saved by Real Madrid ‘keeper Thibault Courtois, but the goal was disallowed due to encroachment. 

 

For the second time in four days, Tyler Adams came off the bench in the second half to help second-place RB Leipzig (5-1-1, 16 pts.) close out a win, this time a 3-0 triumph against Freiburg. Adams replaced Kevin Kampl in the 82nd minute as Leipzig moved atop the Bundesliga temporarily, before Bayern's triumph.

 

Adams played the final 14 minutes of the 2-1 home win against Paris Saint Germain in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday. Leipzig has won four consecutive home matches.

 

Veteran defender John Brooks went the entire way in Wolfsburg's 2-1 win against Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga on Sunday. Center back Matt Miazga did the same thing for RSC Anderlecht in its 1-1 draw with Gent in Belgian First Division A on Sunday.

 

 

Defender Sergiño Dest and forward Konrad de la Fuente did not get off the bench in Barcelona's 5-2 home victory against Real Betis in Spain's La Liga.

 

Midfielder Christian Pulisic was ruled out of Chelsea's 4-1 home victory against Sheffield United on Saturday due to a hamstring injury. The talented attacker did not play in the Blues' 3-0 UCL triumph over visiting Rennes on Wednesday due to the injury and hasn't trained with the English Premier League club. Pulisic was pulled from last Saturday's away match at Burnley after suffering the injury during pregame warm-ups. The attacker arrived to USMNT camp on Sunday, with head coach Gregg Berhalter saying he’s listed as “day-to-day”.

 

Defender Reggie Cannon completed all 90 minutes in Boavista's 3-1 defeat to Farense on Sunday, having now played every minute for his Portuguese Primeira side this season.

 

Other Notes:

• Midfielder Johnny Cardoso was allowed to skip Internacional's home match against Coritiba in Brazilian Serie A on Sunday to take the long trans-Atlantic journey to Wales for his first camp with the USMNT. He was the first player to arrive, landing on Saturday.

• Sebastian Lletget missed the LA Galaxy's season finale at the Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday so he could get a leg up on training in Cardiff, becoming the second player to join the camp. The midfielder played the full 90 minutes for his MLS club in 1-1 draw with the Seattle Sounders FC on Wednesday, Nov. 4.

 

 

Full rundown:

 

• Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig; German Bundesliga) – 8 minutes as a substitute in 3-0 win vs. Freiburg (Nov. 7); 14 minutes as substitute in 2-1 win vs. Paris Saint German in UCL (Nov. 4)

• John Brooks (Wolfsburg; German Bundesliga) – 90 minutes in 2-1 win vs. Hoffenheim (Nov. 8)

• Reggie Cannon (Boavista; Portuguese Primeira) – 90 minutes in 3-1 loss at Farense (Nov. 9); 90 minutes in 3-0 win vs. Benfica (Nov. 2)

• Johnny Cardoso (Internacional; Brazilian Serie A) – Not in 18, DNP vs. Coritba (Nov. 8); 45 minutes in 2-1 win vs. Atletico GO (Nov. 3)

• Konrad de la Fuente (Barcelona; Spain La Liga/Segunda B) - In 18, DNP in 5-2 win vs. Real Betis (Nov. 7); Not in 18, DNP in 2-1 win vs. Dynamo Kyiv (Nov. 4)

• Sergiño Dest (Barcelona; Spain La Liga) – In 18, DNP in 5-2 win vs. Real Betis (Nov. 7); 90 minutes in 2-1 win vs. Dynamo Kyiv in UCL (Nov. 4)

• Nicholas Gioacchini (Caen; French Ligue 2) – 10 minutes and GOAL as a substitute in 2-1 win over Nancy (Nov. 7)

• Ethan Horvath (Club Brugge; Belgian Pro League) - In 18, DNP in 3-1 win at KV Oostende (Nov. 8); In 18, DNP in 3-0 loss vs. Borussia Dortmund in UCL (Nov. 4)

• Richard Ledezma (PSV Eindhoven; Eredivisie) - In 18, DNP in 3-0 win vs. Willem II (Nov. 8); 7 minutes as substitute in 4-1 loss at PAOK in UCL (Nov. 5)

• Ulysses Llanez (Heerenveen; Dutch Eredivisie) – In 18, DNP in 3-0 loss vs. AZ (Nov. 8)

• Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy, Major League Soccer) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw with Seattle Sounders FCF (Nov. 4)

• Weston McKennie (Juventus; Italian Serie A) – 13 minutes as a substitute in 1-1 draw at Lazio (Nov. 8); 37 minutes as a substitute in 4-1 win vs. Ferencvaros in UCL (Nov. 4)

• Matt Miazga (RSC Anderlecht; Belgian First Division A) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Gent (Nov. 8)

• Yunus Musah (Valencia; Spain La Liga) - 87 minutes in 4-1 win vs. Real Madrid (Nov. 8)

• Chituru Odunze (Leicester City; English Premier League) - Not in 18, DNP in 1-0 win vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers (Nov. 8); Not in 18, DNP in 4-0 win vs. Sporting Braga in UEFA Europa League (Nov. 5)

• Owen Otasowie (Wolverhampton Wanderers; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 1-0 loss at Leicester City (Nov. 8)

• Christian Pulisic (Chelsea; English Premier League) – Injured, DNP in 4-1 win vs. Sheffield United (Nov. 7); Injured, DNP in 3-0 win vs. Rennes in UCL (Nov. 4)

• Tim Ream (Fulham; English Premier League) – In 18, DNP in 1-0 win at West Ham United (Nov. 7)

• Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund; German Bundesliga) – 69 minutes in 3-2 loss vs. Bayern Munich (Nov. 8); 77 minutes in 3-0 win vs. Club Brugge in UCL (Nov. 4)

• Chris Richards (Bayern Munich; German Bundesliga/German 3.Liga) – In 18, DNP in 3-2 win at Borussia Dortmund (Nov. 7); Not in 18, DNP in 6-2 win at RB Leipzig in UCL (Nov. 4)

• Antonee Robinson (Fulham; English Premier League) – 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at West Ham United (Nov. 7)

• Sebastian Soto (Telstar, Dutch Eerste Divisie) - 45 minutes as substitute in 1-1 draw at AZ II (Nov. 2)

• Zack Steffen (Manchester City; English Premier League) – In 18, DNP in 3-0 win vs. Olympiakos Piraeus in UCL (Nov. 3); In 18, DNP in 1-1 draw vs. Liverpool (Nov. 8)

• Tim Weah (Lille; French Ligue 1) – 14 minutes as substitute in 3-2 loss at Brest (Nov. 8); In 18, DNP in 3-0 at A.C. Milan in UEFA Europa League (Nov. 5)