USMNT REWIND: Mark McKenzie Collects Goal for Genk in Third-Straight Match

Defenders from the U.S. Men's National Team pool grabbed the spotlight last week:

• Mark McKenzie extended his goal-scoring streak to three matches for Genk.
• DeAndre Yedlin collected an assist in an Inter Miami win.
• Aaron Long helped LAFC secure a spot in the Concacaf Champions League final.
• Shaq Moore was on the backline for Nashville SC, which registered another clean sheet.
• And though he underwent season-ending surgery, Cameron Carter-Vickers’ strong campaign was rewarded as Celtic clinched its 53^rd Scottish Premier League title.

And it turned out to be a bittersweet weekend for forward Ricardo Pepi, who scored his 12th goal of the season, although his club Groningen was officially relegated from the Dutch Eredivisie.  

GOING ON THE OFFENSIVE

Talk about a dramatic turnaround. After going scoreless in his first 65 games for Genk, defender Mark McKenzie has connected in each of his last three matches.

His most recent goal came in a 2-1 loss at Royal Antwerp in the Belgian Pro League on Sunday, May 7. McKenzie lifted the visitors to a 1-0 lead in the 20th minute, initially seeing his header off a corner kick saved by goalkeeper Jean Butez, before slamming the rebound just over the line. (WATCH)

Genk (41 points), however, could not hold the lead and fell out of first place as Antwerp (42) took over the top spot.

McKenzie scored in a 2-2 draw with Sporting Charleroi on April 23 and found the net again in a 3-1 win over Antwerp on April 30.

He has tallied five goals in 139 professional contests, including twice with the Philadelphia Union.

FIRST ASSIST

Right back DeAndre Yedlin's first assist of the MLS season set up Josef Martinez's second goal of Inter Miami’s 2-1 home win over Atlanta United on Saturday, May 6.

Yedlin slotted Christopher McVey's pass to Martinez, who slipped the ball into the net past goalkeeper Quentin Westberg in the 75th minute. He has 11 assists in 99 MLS regular season matches.

FINAL BOUND

Center back Aaron Long and midfielder Kellyn Acosta played the full 90 minutes to help LAFC to a 3-0 win against the Philadelphia Union in the second leg of the Concacaf Champions League semifinal on Tuesday, May 2.

Acosta had scored a dramatic late goal to boost LA into a 1-1 draw in the first leg on Wednesday, April 26.

LAFC will face Club Leon in the two-leg final. The first leg is set for Leon on May 31, the second leg in Los Angeles on June 4. The winner will qualify for two FIFA Club World Cups, the 2023 edition in December, and the expanded 32-club tournament in the summer of 2025.

MOORE IS LESS

Right back Shaq Moore helped Nashville SC to its sixth shutout of the MLS season in a 3-0 hone win over the Chicago Fire on Saturday, May 6.

Nashville (5-3-3, 18 points), which is in third place in the Eastern Conference has allowed only six goals in 11 matches. Nashville captain and center back Walker Zimmerman sat out with a groin issue.

OUT FOR THE SEASON

Celtic defender Cameron Carter-Vickers underwent knee surgery and will miss the rest of the Scottish Premiership season. Though he couldn’t play in Sunday’s 2-0 win at Hearts, Carter-Vickers was on the field post-game with his teammates post-game to celebrate the club clinching its 53^rd Scottish League title.

Carter-Vickers finished the season with 39 appearances across all competitions.

• Rangers forward Malik Tillman, who is on loan from Bayern Munich, has been shut down for the rest of the Scottish Premiership season due to a hamstring strain.

BITTERSWEET GOAL

Ricardo Pepi scored his 12th goal of the Dutch Eredivisie season, but it wasn't enough for Groningen, which was relegated to the Eerste Divisie with a 1-1 draw at Go Ahead Eagles on Sunday, May 7.

Pepi, on loan from Augsburg (Germany) had given Groningen (4-21-6, 18) the lead in the sixth minute, slotting home Oliver Antman's cross with his left foot.

TO BE CONTINUED

The MLS game between FC Dallas and St. Louis City SC on Saturday, May 6 was postponed in the 50th minute due to inclement weather. The scoreless match will be resumed where it left off at a future date.

Jesús Ferreira, Paxton Pomykal and Paul Arriola started for Dallas, although Arriola was forced from the contest with a 23rd-minute injury. He was replaced by Jesus Jimenez.

FULL RUNDOWN

• Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United; English Premier League) - 10 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 loss at Manchester City (May 6)
• Paxten Aaronson (Eintracht Frankfurt; Bundesliga) - 45 minutes as a substitute in 3-1 loss at Hoffenheim (May 6)
• Kellyn Acosta (Los Angeles FC; MLS) - 15 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 loss at San Jose Earthquakes (May 6); 90 minutes in 3-0 win vs. Philadelphia Union in CCL (May 2)
• Paul Arriola (FC Dallas; MLS) - Vs. St. Louis City, match suspended in 50th minute (May 6)
• George Bello (Arminia Bielefeld; 2. Bundesliga) - 28 minutes as a substitute in 1-1 draw vs. Greuther Fürth (May 5)
• Taylor Booth (Utrecht; Dutch Eredivisie) - 90 minutes in 3-0 loss at Cambuur (May 6)
• John Brooks (Hoffenheim; Bundesliga) – 90 minutes in 3-1 win vs. Eintracht Frankfurt (May 6)
• Gianluca Busio (Venezia; Italian Serie B) - 28 minutes in a 1-1 draw at Cosenza (May 6); 14 minutes as a substitute in 5-0 win vs. Modena (May 1)
• Reggie Cannon (Boavista; Portuguese Primeira) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Estoril (May 6)
• Johnny Cardoso (Internacional; Brazilian Serie A) - Not in 18, DNP in 2-0 loss at Sao Paulo (May 7); Not in 18, DNP in 2-2 draw vs. Nacional in Copa Libertadores (May 3)
• Roman Celentano (FC Cincinnati; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 win vs. D.C. United (May 6)
• Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes; MLS) - 71 minutes in 2-1 win vs. Los Angeles FC (May 6)
• Sergiño Dest (AC Milan; Italy Serie A) - Not in 18, DNP in 2-0 win vs. Lazio (May 6); Not in 18, DNP in 1-1 draw vs. Cremonese (May 3)
• Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo, Spain La Liga) - 45 minutes as a substitute in 1-0 loss at Getafe (May 3)
• Jesus Ferreira (FC Dallas; MLS) - Vs. St. Louis City, match suspended in 50th minute (May 6)
• Ethan Horvath (Luton Town; English Championship) - Vs. Hull City at (Monday, 10 a.m.); 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Blackburn Rovers (May 1)
• Sean Johnson (Toronto FC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-0 loss vs. New England Revolution (May 6)
• Richy Ledezma (New York City FC; MLS) - 90 minutes, OWN GOAL, in 3-2 loss at Charlotte FC (May 6)
• Aaron Long (Los Angeles FC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at San Jose Earthquakes (May 6); 90 minutes in 3-0 win vs. Philadelphia Union in CCL (May 2)
• Weston McKennie (Leeds United; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at Manchester City (May 6)
• Mark McKenzie (Genk; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes, GOAL, in 2-1 loss at Royal Antwerp (May 7)
• Matt Miagza (FC Cincinnati; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 win vs. D.C. United (May 6)
• Djordje Mihailovic (AZ Alkmaar; Dutch Eredivisie) - 12 minutes as a substitute in 0-0 draw at Ajax (May 6)
• Shaq Moore (Nashville SC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 3-0 win vs. Chicago Fire (May 6)
• Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Sporting Kansas City (May 7)
• Yunus Musah (Valencia; Spain La Liga) - 45 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Villarreal (May 3)
• Erik Palmer-Brown (Troyes; French Ligue 1) - 90 minutes in 3-1 loss vs. PSG (May 7)
• Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg; Bundesliga) - 45 minutes as a substitute in 6-0 loss at Borussia Dortmund (May 7)
• Jordan Pefok (Union Berlin; Bundesliga) - 21 minutes as a substitute in 1-0 loss at Augsburg (May 6)
• Ricardo Pepi (Groningen; Dutch Eredivisie) - 90 minutes, GOAL, in 1-1 draw at Go Ahead Eagles (May 7)
• Paxton Pomykal (FC Dallas; MLS) - vs. St. Louis City, match suspended in 50th minute (May 6)
• Christian Pulisic (Chelsea; Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 3-1 win at AFC Bournemouth (May 6); Not in 18, DNP in 3-1 loss at Arsenal (May 2)
• Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund; Bundesliga) - 21 minutes as a substitute in 6-0 win vs. Wolfsburg (May 7)
• Bryan Reynolds (Westerlo; Belgian Pro League) - 76 minutes in 5-3 loss vs. Cercle Brugge (May 7)
• Chris Richards (Crystal Palace; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 1-0 loss at Tottenham Hotspur (May 6)
• Antonee Robinson (Fulham; English Premier League) - At Leicester City (Monday, 10 a.m. ET)
• Miles Robinson (Atlanta United; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at Inter Miami CF (May 6)
• Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders; MLS) - Injured, DNP in 2-1 loss vs. Sporting Kansas City (May 7)
• James Sands (New York City FC; MLS) – 90 minutes in 3-2 loss at Charlotte FC (May 6)
• Josh Sargent (Norwich City; English Championship) - Vs. Blackpool (Monday, 10 a.m. ET)
• Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) - 1 minute as a substitute in 1-0 win vs. Bochum (May 6)
• Zack Steffen (Middlesbrough; English Championship) - Vs. Coventry City (Monday, 10 a.m. ET); 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at Rotherham United (May 1)
• Tanner Tessmann (Venezia; Italy Serie B) - 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw at Cosenza (May 6); 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 5-0 win vs Modena (May 1)
• John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss vs. Philadelphia Union (May 6)
• Auston Trusty (Birmingham City; English Championship) - Vs. Sheffield United (Monday, 10 a.m. ET)
• Matt Turner (Arsenal; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 2-0 win at Newcastle United (May 7); In 18, DNP in 3-1 win vs. Chelsea (May 2)
• Brandon Vazquez (FC Cincinnati; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 win vs. D.C. United (May 6)
• Sam Vines (Royal Antwerp; Belgian Pro League) - Not in 18, DNP in 2-1 win vs. Genk (May 7)
• Tim Weah (Lille; French Ligue 1) – 27 minutes as a substitute in 1-0 loss at Reims (May 6)
• Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United; MLS) - 80 minutes in 2-1 loss at Inter Miami CF (May 6)
• Haji Wright (Antalyaspor; Turkey Super Lig) - 90 minutes in 3-1 loss vs. Besiktas (May 6)
• DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami CF; MLS) - 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 2-1 win vs. Atlanta United (May 6)
• Jackson Yueill (San Jose Earthquakes; MLS) - 86 minutes in 2-1 win vs. Los Angeles FC (May 6)
• Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; MLS) - Injured, DNP in 3-0 win vs. Chicago Fire (May 6)