The Tillman brothers, Timmy and Malik, assisted on important goals for their clubs on either side of the Atlantic. Aidan Morris also provided a vital pass in his MLS Cup Playoff match.
Tanner Tessmann saved his attacking heroics for late in the match while Folarin Balogun scored in a losing effort.
And while he did not find the net, Christian Pulisic returned to action to help highlight U.S. Men's National Team players’ performances this past weekend as clubs returned to play after the FIFA international break.
SETTING UP THE WINNER, PART I
He did not get credit for an assist, but Aidan Morris' gritty play and cross set up the game-winning goal in the Columbus Crew's 2-0 extra-time win over host Orlando City SC in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the MLS Cup Playoffs on Saturday, Nov. 25. The 22-year-old midfielder won the ball on the right side of the penalty area and penetrated just about to the six-yard box before sending a short cross. Goalkeeper Pedro Gallese got a hand on the ball as a sliding Christian Ramírez slotted it home for the first goal in the 93rd minute.
It will be an all-Ohio conference final in Cincinnati on Saturday, Dec. 2, as Brandon Vazquez and his FC Cincinnati teammates edged the Philadelphia Union, 1-0, in the conference semifinal on Saturday, Nov. 25.
SETTING UP THE WINNER, PART II
Timmy Tillman, who had only one assist in 25 matches in the regular season, set up Los Angeles FC's lone goal in its 1-0 victory at the Seattle Sounders in the Western Conference semifinals of the MLS Cup Playoffs on Sunday, Nov. 26. The 24-year-old midfielder pinpointed a pass from the LA end of the center circle through the defense to an onrushing Denis Bouanga on the left flank. Bouanga beat goalkeeper Stefan Frei from eight yards in the 30th minute. LAFC will host the Houston Dynamo in the conference final on Saturday, Dec. 2.
OFF THE BENCH
One day prior on Saturday, Nov. 25, Malik Tillman made an impact in PSV Eindhoven's 3-0 victory at Twente in his 23 minutes as a substitute. After replacing Mexican international Hirving Lozano in the 67th minute, the 21-year-old midfielder set up Johan Bakayoko's tally in the 82nd minute, the visitors' final goal of the Dutch Eredivisie match.
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
With Venezia clinging to a 1-0 lead late in its Italian Serie B encounter at Bari, midfielder Tanner Tessmann tallied his third goal of the season and set up another to boost his side to a 3-0 win on Saturday, Nov. 25. Tessmann struck for an unassisted score in the 90th minute to give the visitors some much needed breathing room, beating Brazilian goalkeeper Brenno. Seven minutes later in stoppage time, he assisted Ali Dembele's goal to seal the result.
GOING FOURTH
Forward Folarin Balogun scored his fourth goal of the season in 10 appearances in Monaco's 5-2 loss at PSG in French Ligue 1 action on Friday, Nov. 24. The 22-year-old Balogun put in a clinical finish in the 75th minute past goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma off a Takumi Minamino assist to pull his side within 4-2. He drew the most fouls in the match (four).
VALIANT EFFORT
The scoreline said that Cercle Brugge had recorded a 2-0 win over Eupen in the Belgian Pro League on Saturday, Nov. 25, but that didn't tell the entire story of the game. Eupen goalkeeper Gaga Slonina made seven saves, including five in the opening half hour, before the hosts broke through early and late in the second half.
BACK ON THE PITCH
After missing the USMNT's two Concacaf Nations League matches with Trinidad & Tobago due to a left hamstring injury, Christian Pulisic started and played the opening 61 minutes of AC Milan's 1-0 win over visiting Fiorentina on Saturday, Nov. 25. Pulisic had suffered a recurrence of the injury in Milan’s 2-1 victory over PSG in the UEFA Champions League on Nov. 7.
FULL RUNDOWN
- Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin; Bundesliga) - Not in 18, DNP in 1-1 draw vs. Augsburg (Nov. 25)
- Paxten Aaronson (Eintracht Frankfurt; Bundesliga) - 10 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 loss vs. Stuttgart (Nov. 25)
- Kellyn Acosta (Los Angeles FC; MLS) 90 minutes in 1-0 win at Seattle Sounders in MLS Cup Playoffs (Nov. 26)
- Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth; English Premier League) - Injured, DNP in 3-1 win at Sheffield United (Nov. 25)
- Folarin Balogun (Monaco; French Ligue 1) - 90 minutes, GOAL, in 5-2 loss at PSG (Nov. 24)
- Taylor Booth (Utrecht; Dutch Eredivisie) - In 18, DNP in 2-1 win at Sparta Rotterdam (Nov. 26)
- Gianluca Busio (Venezia; Italian Serie B) - 85 minutes in 3-0 win at Bari (Nov. 25)
- Johnny Cardoso (Internacional; Brazilian Serie A) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. RB Bragantino (Nov. 26)
- Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic; Scottish Premiership) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Motherwell (Nov. 25)
- Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - 90 minutes in 3-0 win at Twente (Nov. 25)
- Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo, Spain La Liga) - 90 minutes in 0-0 draw at Valencia (Nov. 25)
- Julian Gressel (Columbus Crew; MLS) - In 18, DNP in 2-0 win at Orlando City in MLS Playoffs (Nov. 25)
- Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest; English Premier League) - Not in 18, DNP in 3-2 loss vs. Brighton & Hove Albion (Nov. 25)
- Kristoffer Lund (Palmero; Italy Serie B) - 85 minutes in 1-1 draw at Ternana (Nov. 26)
- Lennard Maloney (Heidenheim; Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 0-0 draw vs. Bochum (Nov. 26)
- Weston McKennie (Juventus; Italy Serie A) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Inter Milan (Nov. 26)
- Mark McKenzie (Genk; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at Standard Liege (Nov. 25)
- Djordje Mihailovic (AZ Alkmaar; Dutch Eredivisie) - 45 minutes as a substitute in 3-0 win vs. Volendam (Nov. 26)
- Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew; MLS) - 120 minutes in 2-0 win at Orlando City in MLS Cup Playoffs (Nov. 25)
- Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss vs. Los Angeles FC in MLS Cup Playoffs (Nov. 26)
- Yunus Musah (AC Milan; Italy Serie A) - 84 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Fiorentina (Nov. 25)
- Erik Palmer-Brown (Panathinaikos; Greek Super League) - Not in 18, DNP in 2-0 at Aris (Nov. 26)
- Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg; Bundesliga) - 17 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 win vs. RB Leipzig (Nov. 25)
- Jordan Pefok (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) – 45 minutes in 4-2 loss at Borussia Dortmund (Nov. 25)
- Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - 14 minutes as a substitute in 3-0 win at Twente (Nov. 25)
- Christian Pulisic (AC Milan; Italy Serie A) - 61 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Fiorentina (Nov. 25)
- Tim Ream (Fulham; English Premier League) - vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers (Monday, 3 p.m.)
- Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund; Bundesliga) - 45 minutes as a substitute in 4-2 win vs. Borussia Mönchengladbach (Nov. 25)
- Bryan Reynolds (Westerlo; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 3-2 loss at Sporting Charleroi (Nov. 25)
- Chris Richards (Crystal Palace; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 2-1 loss at Luton Town (Nov. 25)
- Antonee Robinson (Fulham; English Premier League) - vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers (Monday, 3 p.m.)
- Josh Sargent (Norwich City; Championship) - Injured, DNP in 1-0 win vs. Queens Park Rangers (Nov. 25)
- Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 4-2 loss at Borussia Dortmund (Nov. 25)
- Gaga Slonina (Eupen; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at Cercle Brugge (Nov. 25)
- Tanner Tessmann (Venezia; Italy Serie B) - 90 minutes, GOAL, ASSIST, in 3-0 win at Bari (Nov. 25)
- Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - 23 minutes as a substitute, ASSIST, in 3-0 win at Twente (Nov. 25)
- Timmy Tillman (Los Angeles FC; MLS) - 89 minutes, ASSIST, in 1-0 win at Seattle Sounders in MLS Cup Playoffs (Nov. 26)
- Auston Trusty (Sheffield; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 3-1 loss vs. AFC Bournemouth (Nov. 25)
- Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 3-2 loss vs. Brighton & Hove Albion (Nov. 25)
- Brandon Vazquez (FC Cincinnati; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Philadelphia Union in MLS Cup Playoffs (Nov. 25)
- Tim Weah (Juventus; Italy Serie A) - Injured, DNP in 1-1 draw vs. Inter Milan (Nov. 26)
- Haji Wright (Coventry City; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 3-0 win at Millwall (Nov. 25)
- Alejandro Zendejas (Club America; Liga MX) - No game
