The first weekend after the September FIFA international window turned out to be a memorable weekend for three members of the U.S. Men's National Team who are vying for the No. 9 position.
Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi and Jordan Pefok all scored their first league goals for their new European clubs.
They weren't the only players who celebrated goals as Timmy Tillman, Alex Zendejas, Brandon Vazquez and Julian Gressel also found the net.
Weston McKennie didn't score but he enjoyed his 100th game with Juventus by setting up one goal and was part of a build-up of two others.
And Caleb Wiley assisted on a vital goal in Atlanta United's comeback victory over Inter Miami CF.
Only three minutes after replacing Wissam Ben Yedder in the 66th minute, Folarin Balogun scored his first goal in his second match for Monaco in a 2-2 draw at Lorient in French Ligue 1 on Sunday, Sept. 17.
Balogun worked his way into the box, took a pass from Aleksandr Golovin and beat goalkeeper Yvon Mvogo from a tough angle at the near left post to give the visitors a 2-1 lead.
Balogun struck for his second international goal for the USA in its 4-0 friendly win over Oman in St. Paul, Minn. on Tuesday, Sept. 12.
Whether for club or country, striker Ricardo Pepi has found a knack for scoring goals off the bench. The El Paso native connected for his fourth goal off the bench in five matches for the USMNT. Then scored off the bench for PSV Eindhoven in the club’s 4-0 home triumph over NEC on Saturday, Sept. 16.
Pepi scored the hosts' final goal, converting a penalty kick in the 87th minute, only four minutes after coming on for Luuk de Jong. It was his first goal in Eredivisie for PSV. As a halftime sub, Pepi scored two goals in the Americans' two friendly wins over Uzbekistan on Saturday, Sept 9 and Oman three days later. The 20-year-old striker has four goals as a substitute this year, pushing him past Bobby Wood (2015) and Brandon Vazquez (2023) for most goals by a USMNT sub in a calendar year.
Prior to coming to USMNT camp this month, Pepi scored his first goal for PSV, another penalty kick, in the 3-1 win against Sturm Graz on Aug. 15 to help the club qualify for this year’s UEFA Champions League.
PSV is atop the Dutch Eredivisie, securing all 12 points from four victories. Pepi will look to make his UEFA Champions League debut on Wednesday as he and USMNT teammates Sergiño Dest and Malik Tillman visit Arsenal with PSV on Wednesday.
Deployed as a right wing back, Weston McKennie reminded Serie A foes that he can be an attacking force as well in Juventus' 3-1 home win over Lazio on Saturday, Sept. 16.
In the 10th minute, the USMNT midfielder kept the ball in play near the touchline. Two passes later, Dusan Vlahovic tallied the first of his two goals on the day.
On Juve's second goal in the 26th minute, McKennie raced wide right to stretch the field, helping Federico Chiesa score for a two-goal margin.
After Lazio pulled one back, McKennie's 60-yard cross-field pass set up Vlahovic's 67th-minute score.
The strong performance came in McKennie’s 100th career appearance for the Bianconeri.
In his second appearance for Borussia Mönchengladbach, on-loan striker Jordan Pefok scored his first goal for the Bundesliga club, sparking the side to a 3-3 comeback draw at Darmstadt on Sunday, Sept. 17.
Trailing 3-0 in the 67th minute, Pefok put away a Rocco Reitz pass past goalkeeper Marcel Schuhen.
Brandon Vazquez capped a rally from a two-goal deficit in the 79th minute to lift FC Cincinnati into a 2-2 draw with the Philadelphia Union in Chester, Pa. on Saturday, Sept. 16.
After a Union turnover, Cincy jumped on the mistake and Vazquez found himself in front of goalkeeper Andre Blake, as he slotted home his sixth goal of the campaign from seven yards.
FC Cincinnati (17-4-7, 58), the MLS Eastern Conference leaders, already clinched a playoff berth and leads the Supporters' Shield race.
Midfielder Timmy Tillman collected his third goal of the MLS season in LAFC’s 4-2 home win vs. rivals LA Galaxy on Saturday, Sept. 16.
Tillman, who replaced Mateusz Bogusz in the 69th minute, gave LAFC some breathing room in the 84th minute, converting a pass from Mario Gonzalez off a 3-on-2 break, beating keeper Jonathan Bond from 12 yards.
Julian Gressel found the net for the Columbus Crew for the first time this season. The midfielder lifted the visitors into a 1-0 edge in the 16th minute off a Cucho feed before Orlando City rallied for a 4-3 win on Saturday, Sept. 16.
Traded by the Vancouver Whitecaps to Columbus on July 21, Gressel has four goals and five assists in 23 matches this season.
Alex Zendejas put the finishing touches on Club América's 4-0 home triumph over Guadalajara on Saturday, Sept. 16.
Coming on as a sub in the 75th minute, Zendejas put in a Salvador Reyes feed in the 80th minute, his first goal of this Liga MX season.
Defender Caleb Wiley notched his third assist of the MLS season in Atlanta United's 5-2 victory over visiting Inter Miami CF on Saturday, Sept. 16.
Wiley latched onto Xande Silva's feed as he dribbled down the left wing. He found an unmarked Brooks Lennon in the penalty area and the defender beat goalkeeper Drake Callender for a 3-1 advantage in the 44th minute.