USMNT REWIND: Pulisic Wins FIFA Club World Cup; Aaronson and Pefok Score at the Weekend
Christian Pulisic became the first U.S. Men’s National Team player to appear in and win the FIFA Club World Cup
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Christian Pulisic has enjoyed quite a memorable eight months for club and country.
The U.S. Men's National Team standout won his fourth medal from a major competition on Saturday, becoming the first USMNT player to play in and win a FIFA Club World Cup.
Pulisic came on as a substitute for Chelsea, which recorded a 2-1 extra time victory over Palmeiras (Brazil) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on Saturday.
The 23-year-old attacker replaced an injured Mason Mount in the 31st minute and put in an active and strong performance on the night.
Pulisic and the Blues won the UEFA Champions League crown on May 30, 2021, and played a vital role in the USA capturing the first Concacaf Nations League on June 6. Pulisic also featured for Chelsea in their shootout win against Villarreal to claim the UEFA Super Cup on August 11 in Belfast.
There are plenty of other club trophies up for grabs for Pulisic and Chelsea, which is in third place in the English Premier League.
During a nine-day period, the club will participate in three competitions outside of the league.
Pulisic and the Blues will take on USMNT teammate Tim Weah and Lille (France) in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 on Feb. 22, Liverpool in the Carabao Cup Final on Feb. 28 and then Luton Town in the Round of 16 in the English FA Cup on March 2.
Towards the end of March, Pulisic is expected to join the USMNT for its final three FIFA World Cup qualifiers for Qatar 2022.
PERSONAL BEST
Jordan Pefok recorded the game-winning assist and tallied his career-high 19th goal of the season across all competitions in Young Boys' 3-1 comeback win against Basel in the Swiss Super League on Sunday.
After the two sides went into the locker room knotted at 1-1, the USMNT helped push Young Boys ahead, laying off a simple pass for Muomi Ngamaleu to slot home into the lower left corner in the 69th minute.
Pefok then put the game out of reach three minutes later. After a teammate mis-hit a cross from the right, the 25-year-old forward put home the rebound from just outside the six-yard box for the insurance goal.
With 14 league goals to his name, the USMNT striker sits tied atop the Swiss Super League’s Golden Boot race with Brazilian Arthur Cabral of Basel.
AARONSON BACK ON THE SCORE SHEET
Attacker Brenden Aaronson has returned from the Austrian Bundesliga’s winter break in fine form, recording a goal and assist in his last two matches.
Aaronson tallied his second goal of the league campaign on Saturday, blasting home a first-time effort on Noah Okafor’s low cross in the 64th minute to spring Red Bull Salzburg’s 2-1 comeback win at Rapid Vienna. The win kept Salzburg firmly atop the Bundesliga table, 14 points ahead of second-place Wolfsberger.
Last week, the 21-year-old recorded an assist in Red Bull Salzburg’s 3-1 win against LASK Linz in the ÖFB Cup Quarterfinals.
Just like Pulisic and Chelsea, Aaronson and Salzburg continue in three competitions. The Austrian side will begin their two-leg showdown with Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 on Wednesday, Feb. 16. They’ll also face Wolfsberger in the ÖFB Cup Semifinals on March 2.
TWO MORE CLEAN SHEETS
Defenders Antonee Robinson and Tim Ream continued to anchor a Fulham backline that solidified its lead in the English Championship last week, with the American duo playing the entire way in a pair of shutouts wins. The Cottagers registered a 3-0 victory against Millwall on Tuesday, Feb. 8 and a 3-0 win at Hull City on Saturday, Feb. 12.
With 14 matches left to play Fulham (19-4-7, 64 points), hold an 11-point margin for automatic promotion to the English Premier League and a six-point advantage over second-place Bournemouth (17-6-7, 58) in its quest for the EFL Championship crown.
Robinson and Ream have contributed to a Fulham defense that has conceded just 26 goals in 30 matches, tied for best in the league.
FULL RUNDOWN
-- Brenden Aaronson (Red Bull Salzburg; Austria Bundesliga) - 90 minutes and a GOAL in 2-1 win at Rapid Vienna (Feb. 11)
-- Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig; German Bundesliga) – In 18, DNP in 3-1 win vs. Köln (Feb. 11)
-- Cole Bassett (Feyenoord; Dutch Eredivisie) – In 18, DNP in 2-0 win at RKC Waalwijk (Feb. 13)
-- George Bello (Arminia Bielefeld; Bundesliga) - 28 minutes as a substitute in 2-0 loss at Hoffenheim (Feb. 13)
-- John Brooks (Wolfsburg; Germany Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 2-0 win at Eintracht Frankfurt (Feb. 12)
-- Gianluca Busio (Venezia; Italy Serie A) - 55 minutes in 2-1 win at Torino (Feb. 12)
-- Reggie Cannon (Boavista; Portuguese Primeira) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Portimonense (Feb. 12)
-- Cameron Carter-Vickers; (Celtic; Scottish Premiership) - 74 minutes in 4-0 win vs. Raith Rovers in Scottish FA Cup (Feb. 13); 90 minutes in 3-2 win at Aberdeen (Feb. 9)
-- Johnny Cardoso (Internacional; Brazilian Serie A) – 44 minutes in 1-0 loss at Caxias in Gaucho (Feb. 12); In 18, DNP in 1-1 draw vs. Novo Hamburgo in Gaucho (Feb. 9)
-- Justin Che (Hoffenheim; Bundesliga) - Not in 18, DNP in 2-0 win vs. Arminia Bielefeld (Feb. 13)
-- Konrad de la Fuente (Marseille; French Ligue 1) - Not in 18, DNP in 2-1 win at Metz (Feb. 13); In 18, DNP in 4-1 loss at Nice (Feb. 13)
-- Luca de la Torre (Heracles; Dutch Eredivisie) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Utrecht (Feb. 11)
-- Sergiño Dest (Barcelona; Spain La Liga) - 90 minutes in 2-2 draw at Espanyol (Feb. 13)
-- Nicholas Gioacchini (Montpellier; French Ligue 1) - 9 minutes as a substitute in 1-0 loss vs. Lille (Feb. 12)
-- Julian Green (Greuther Fürth; German Bundesliga) - 7 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 win vs. Hertha Berlin (Feb. 12)
-- Matthew Hoppe (Mallorca; Spanish Primera) - vs. Athletic Bilboa (Monday, 3 p.m. ET)
-- Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest; English Championship) - In 18, DNP in 2-2 draw vs. Stoke City (Feb. 12); In 18, DNP in 2-0 win at Blackburn Rovers (Feb. 9)
-- Richy Ledezma (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - Not in 18, DNP in 5-0 win at Vitesse (Feb. 12); Not in 18, DNP in 4-0 win at vs. NAC Breda (Feb. 8)
-- Weston McKennie (Juventus; Italy Serie A) - 81 minutes in 1-1 draw at Atalanta (Feb. 13); 90 minutess in 2-1 win vs. Sassuolo in Coppa Italia Quarterfinals (Feb. 10)
-- Mark McKenzie (Genk; Belgian Pro League) – 90 minutes in 2-0 win vs. Standard Liege (Feb. 13); In 18, DNP in 2-1 loss at OH Leuven (Feb. 9)
-- Matt Miazga (Alaves; Spain La Liga) - In 18, DNP in 2-1 win vs. Valencia (Feb. 13)
-- Shaq Moore (Tenerife; Spain Segunda Division) - 14 minutes as a substitute in 2-0 win at Alcorcon (Feb. 13)
-- Yunus Musah (Valencia; Spain La Liga) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at Alaves (Feb. 13); 15 minutes as a substitute in 1-1 draw at Athletic Bilbao in Copa del Rey Semifinal Leg 1 (Feb. 10)
-- Erik Palmer-Brown (Troyes; French Ligue 1) - 90 minutes in 5-1 loss at Brest (Feb. 13)
-- Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg; Bundesliga) - In 18, DNP in 2-0 win at Eintracht Frankfurt (Feb. 12)
-- Jordan Pefok (Young Boys; Swiss Super League) - 90 minutes, GOAL and ASSIST in 3-1 win vs. Basel (Feb. 13)
-- Ricardo Pepi (Augsburg; Bundesliga) - 27 minutes as a substitute in 3-2 loss at Borussia Mönchengladbach (Feb. 12)
-- Christian Pulisic (Chelsea; English Premier League) - 89 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 extratime win vs. Palmeiras in FIFA Club World Cup (Feb. 12); In 18, DNP in 1-0 win vs. Al Hilal in FIFA Club World Cup (Feb. 9)
-- Tim Ream (Fulham; English Championship) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win at Hull City (Feb. 12); 90 minutes in 3-0 win vs. Millwall (Feb. 8)
-- Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund; Bundesliga) – Illness; Not in 18 for 3-1 win at Union Berlin (Feb. 13)
-- Bryan Reynolds (Kortrijk; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at Beerschot (Feb. 13)
-- Antonee Robinson (Fulham; English Championship) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win at Hull City (Feb. 12); 90 minutes in 3-0 win vs. Millwall (Feb. 8)
-- James Sands (Rangers, Scottish Premiership) -- 90 minutes in 3-0 win at Annan Athletic in Scottish FA Cup (Feb. 12); In 18, DNP in 2-0 win vs. Hibernian (Feb. 9)
-- Josh Sargent (Norwich City; English Premier League) - 87 minutes in 4-0 loss vs. Manchester City (Feb. 12); Injured, DNP in 1-1 draw vs. Crystal Palace (Feb. 9)
-- Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) - 1 minute as a substitute in 3-2 win vs. Augsburg (Feb. 12)
-- Zack Steffen (Manchester City; English Premier League) - Not in 18, DNP in 4-0 win at Norwich City (Feb. 12); In 18, DNP in 2-0 win vs. Brentford (Feb. 12)
-- Tanner Tessmann (Venezia; Italy Serie A) - 35 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 win at Torino (Feb. 12)
-- Sam Vines (Royal Antwerp; Belgian Pro League) - In 18, DNP in 1-0 win at RFC Seresien (Feb. 11)
-- Tim Weah (Lille; French Ligue 1) - 11 minutes as a substitute in 1-0 win at Montpellier (Feb. 12)