John Tolkin and Alex Zendejas displayed a flair for the dramatic with late goals for their respective sides as U.S. Men's National Team players returned to action with their club teams after the October FIFA international break.
Four players - Weston McKennie and Tim Weah of Juventus, and Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah of AC Milan - clashed on Sunday, Oct. 22 in the first Serie A encounter involving four USMNT regulars.
On the domestic front, 13 more players and their teams qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs and extended their seasons.
THE ICEMAN SCORETH
Talk about pressure. With an MLS Cup Playoff berth on the line, New York Red Bulls left back John Tolkin converted a penalty kick four minutes into stoppage time to lift the team to a dramatic 1-0 victory at Nashville SC on Saturday, Oct. 21.
Abibal Godoy fouled Red Bulls midfielder Luquinhas in the box. The 21-year-old from Chatham, N.J., stepped up and buried a left-footed effort into the lower right corner as goalkeeper Joe Willis dove in the opposition direction. Tolkin's third goal of the season boosted the Red Bulls to an MLS-record 14th consecutive campaign in the postseason.
The Red Bulls, who finished eighth in the Eastern Conference, will host Charlotte FC in a wildcard play-in match at Red Bull Arena on Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. The winner will meet top-seeded FC Cincinnati in Round One and in the best-of-3 first-round series.
NICE BUILD-UP, GREAT GOAL
Alex Zendejas also produced a well-taken, game-winning goal for Club America, coming off the bench to lift his side to a 4-3 home triumph over Santos Laguna on Saturday, Oct. 21.
Zendejas, who replaced Leonardo Suarez in the 61st minute, finished an impressive build-up by America in which several players touched the ball. He snapped a 3-3 deadlock in the 76th minute, converting a Richard Sanchez feed from the top of the penalty area past goalkeeper Carlos Acevedo for his third goal of the Liga MX season through 11 appearances and 537 minutes of action.
AMERICAN DERBY IN ITALY
Weston McKennie and Tim Weah won bragging rights over Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah as Juventus snapped a five-game winless streak at San Siro in Milan. Juventus defeated a Milan side down to 10 men with a 1-0 victory.
All four Americans started the Italian Serie A match. Pulisic, however, was pulled for defender Pierre Kalulu in the 43rd minute after teammate and defender Malick Thiaw was red carded for fouling Moise Kean and denying him a scoring opportunity. Milan head coach Stefano Pioli needed another defender on the field and Pulisic, who has scored four goals in nine matches, was pulled. Former Milan player Manuel Locatelli scored the only goal in the 63rd minute.
Milan came close to finding the net in the 14th minute when Rafael Leão sprinted down the left flank and passed to Olivier Giroud, who fired a shot on target but goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny dove and produced a fabulous save to push the ball away from Pulisic, who was crashing on the right side. Milan (7-0-2, 21 points) trails leader Inter Milan (7-1-1, 22) by a point, and leads third-place Juve (6-1-2, 20) by a point.
Juventus and Milan won't meet again in Serie A until April 27, 2023, at the former’s venue.
GIVING AN ASSIST
Jesús Ferreira assisted on FC Dallas' insurance goal in its 4-1 win at the LA Galaxy on Saturday, Oct. 21. The striker's right-wing cross fed Bernard Kamugo, who headed home his second goal of the match in the 30th minute for a 3-1 advantage. Ferreira, who recorded six assists this season, led Dallas with 12 regular season goals.
Defender Mark McKenzie set up Genk's second goal by Bryan Heynen in the 41st minute of a 4-0 home win over Mechelen in the Belgian Pro League on Sunday, Oct. 22.
LUCKY 13
Thirteen players from the USMNT pool will compete in the MLS Cup Playoffs. The list includes Kellyn Acosta (Los Angeles FC), Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes), DeJuan James (New England Revolution), Julian Gressel and Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew), Shaq Moore and Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders), Miles Robinson and Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United), Brandon Vasquez (FC Cincinnati), Tolkin and Ferreira.
FULL RUNDOWN
- Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin; Bundesliga) - In 18, DNP in 3-0 loss vs. Stuttgart (Oct. 21)
- Paxten Aaronson (Eintracht Frankfurt; Bundesliga) - In 18, DNP in 3-1 win at Hoffenheim (Oct. 21)
- Kellyn Acosta (Los Angeles FC; MLS) - 23 minutes as a substitute in 1-1 draw at Vancouver Whitecaps (Oct. 21)
- Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth; English Premier League) - Injured, DNP in 2-1 win vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers (Oct. 21)
- Folarin Balogun (Monaco; French Ligue 1) - 89 minutes in 2-1 win vs. Metz (Oct. 22)
- Taylor Booth (Utrecht; Dutch Eredivisie) - 62 minutes in 4-3 win vs. Ajax (Oct. 22)
- Gianluca Busio (Venezia; Italian Serie B) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at Reggiana (Oct. 22)
- Drake Callender (Inter Miami CF; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at Charlotte FC (Oct. 21); 90 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Charlotte FC (Oct. 18)
- Johnny Cardoso (Internacional; Brazilian Serie A) - 45 minutes in 7-1 win vs. Santos (Oct. 22)
- Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic; Scottish Premiership) - 90 minutes in 4-1 win at Hearts (Oct. 22)
- Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes; MLS) - 57 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Austin FC (Oct. 21)
- Ben Cremaschi (Inter Miami CF; MLS) --74 minutes in 1-0 loss at Charlotte FC (Oct. 21); International duty, DNP in 2-2 draw vs. Charlotte FC (Oct. 18)
- Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - In 18, DNP in 3-1 win vs. Fortuna Sittard (Oct. 21)
- Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo, Spain La Liga) - 81 minutes in 3-0 loss vs. Atletico Madrid (Oct. 21)
- Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas; MLS) - 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 4-1 win at LA Galaxy (Oct. 21)
- Julian Gressel (Columbus Crew; MLS) - 71 minutes in 2-1 win vs. CF Montreal (Oct. 21)
- Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest; English Premier League) - Not in 18, DNP in 2-2 draw vs. Luton Town (Oct. 21)
- DeJuan Jones (New England Revolution; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 win vs. Philadelphia Union (Oct. 21)
- Kristoffer Lund (Palmero; Italy Serie B) - Vs. Spezia (Monday, 2:45 p.m.)
- Lennard Maloney (Heidenheim; Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 5-2 vs. Augsburg (Oct. 22)
- Weston McKennie (Juventus; Italy Serie A) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. AC Milan (Oct. 22)
- Mark McKenzie (Genk; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win at AC Milan (Oct. 22)
- Djordje Mihailovic (AZ Alkmaar; Dutch Eredivisie) - In 18, DNP in 3-0 win vs. Heerenveen (Oct. 21)
- Shaq Moore (Nashville SC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss vs. New York Red Bulls (Oct. 21)
- Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 win vs. CF Montreal (Oct. 21)
- Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-0 win at St. Louis CITY (Oct. 21)
- Yunus Musah (AC Milan; Italy Serie A) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss vs. Juventus (Oct. 22)
- Jalen Neal (LA Galaxy; MLS) - Injured, DNP in 4-1 loss vs. FC Dallas (Oct. 21)
- Erik Palmer-Brown (Panathinaikos; Greek Super League) - Suspended game at Olympiakos (Oct. 22)
- Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg; Bundesliga) - 12 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 loss vs. Bayer Leverkusen (Oct. 21)
- Jordan Pefok (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) - 11 minutes as a substitute in 4-1 loss at FC Köln (Oct. 22)
- Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - 11 minutes as a substitute in 3-1 win vs. Fortuna Sittard (Oct. 21)
- Christian Pulisic (AC Milan; Italy Serie A) - 43 minutes in 1-0 loss vs. Juventus (Oct. 22)
- Tim Ream (Fulham; English Premier League) - At Tottenham Hotspur (Monday, 3 p.m.)
- Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund; Bundesliga) - 28 minutes as a substitute in 1-0 win vs. Werder Bremen (Oct. 20)
- Bryan Reynolds (Westerlo; Belgian Pro League) - Not in 18, DNP in 1-1 draw at RWDM (Oct. 21)
- Chris Richards (Crystal Palace; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 4-0 loss at Newcastle United (Oct. 21)
- Antonee Robinson (Fulham; English Premier League) - At Tottenham Hotspur (Monday, 3 p.m.)
- Miles Robinson (Atlanta United; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-2 draw at FC Cincinnati (Oct. 21)
- James Sands (New York City FC; MLS) – 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Chicago Fire (Oct. 22)
- Josh Sargent (Norwich City; Championship) - Injured, DNP in 3-2 loss vs. Leeds United (Oct. 21)
- Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) - 45 minutes as a substitute in 3-1 loss at FC Köln (Oct. 22)
- Gaga Slonina (Eupen; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 4-1 loss at Union Saint Gilloise (Oct. 20)
- Tanner Tessmann (Venezia; Italy Serie B) - 19 minutes as a substitute in 1-0 loss at Reggianna (Oct. 22)
- Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - 11 minutes as a substitute in 3-1 win vs. Fortuna Sittard (Oct. 21)
- Timmy Tillman (Los Angeles FC; MLS) - 85 minutes in 1-1 draw at Vancouver Whitecaps (Oct. 21)
- John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls; MLS) - 90 minutes, GOAL, in 1-0 win at Nashville SC (Oct. 21)
- Auston Trusty (Sheffield United; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Manchester United (Oct. 21)
- Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Luton Town (Oct. 21)
- Brandon Vazquez (FC Cincinnati; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Atlanta United (Oct. 21)
- Tim Weah (Juventus; Italy Serie A) - 84 minutes in 1-0 win at AC Milan (Oct. 22)
- Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United; MLS) - 89 minutes in 2-2 draw at FC Cincinnati (Oct. 21)
- Haji Wright (Coventry City; English Premier League) - 45 minutes as a substitute in 1-0 loss at Bristol City (Oct. 21)
- DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami CF; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at Charlotte FC (Oct. 21); 90 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Charlotte FC (Oct. 18)
- Alex Zendejas (Club America; Liga MX) - 29 minutes as a substitute, GOAL, in 4-3 win vs. Santos Laguna (Oct. 21)
- Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss vs. New York Red Bulls (Oct. 21)
