Gianluca Busio became the second American in as many weeks to provide heroics for Venezia's promotion hunt in Italy's Serie B.
Haji Wright did just about everything he could for Coventry City in the English FA Cup semifinals, converting an equalizing penalty kick under pressure, and then another PK in the shootout.
Other U.S. men's national team players who distinguished themselves included Josh Sargent, Aidan Morris and DeAndre Yedlin, who recorded assists. John Tolkin did not register a goal or an assist but played an important role in two scores for the New York Red Bulls.
In addition, defender Cameron Carter-Vickers and his Celtic teammates qualified for the Scottish Cup final, and goalkeeper Ethan Horvath made some vital saves for Cardiff City.
Last week, Tanner Tessmann tallied twice to lift Venezia to a 2-0 victory over Brescia. On Saturday, April 20, it was Gianluca Busio's turn to provide the heroics. Busio broke a 1-1 deadlock in the 60th minute for the game winner in a 2-1 Italian Serie B win at Lecco. The 22-year-old midfielder took a short pass from Giorgio Altare. Busio then made his way into the top of the box before driving a hard shot into the lower right corner past goalkeeper Riccardo Melgrati. He has seven goals in 33 league appearances this campaign.
Third-place Venezia (19-8-7, 64 points) is vying for promotion to Serie A. The top two Serie B teams earn automatic promotion, while the third- through eighth-place sides will compete in the playoffs. With four matches remaining in the season, Venezia still trails second-place Como (20-7-7, 67) by three points.
Haji Wright continued to demonstrate that he thrives under pressure in the waning minutes of a game, which he has showed several times over the past weeks. His latest late-match heroics came in Coventry City's F.A. Cup semifinal at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, April 21. Five minutes into second-half stoppage time, Wright converted a penalty kick to cap a remarkable comeback for Coventry City, which rallied to score three consecutive times for a 3-3 tie. He has accrued a career-high 18 goals this season across all competitions.
Wright then set up Victor Torp, who put the ball into the back of the United net a minute into injury time of the second extra-time period. However, VAR ruled that the USMNT striker was offside by the length of a toe. In the ensuing shootout, Wright put away Coventry's first attempt. However, his teammates could not follow suit as United won in penalties, 4-2, and advanced to the final. United will face Manchester City in the final at Wembley on Saturday, May 25.
For club and country, Wright has been outstanding in the late stages of matches. He scored in added time to boost Coventry to a quarterfinal win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on March 16. In the Concacaf Nations League semifinals, Wright came off the bench to strike twice in extra time to lift the Americans to a 3-1 victory past Jamaica on March 22.
Josh Sargent, Aidan Morris and DeAndre Yedlin set up goals for their respective teams.
Sargent, who is better known for scoring goals than assisting on them, decided to pass instead of shoot on Norwich City's equalizer in the 58th minute of its 1-1 home tie with Bristol City in the English Championship on Saturday, April 20. Three minutes after the visitors scored, Brazilian Gabriel Sara threaded a pass to Sargent, who fed Borja Sainz for the goal he put past goalkeeper Max O'Leary. Sargent, who has scored a career-best 15 goals across all competitions, hit the post in the first half.
Morris flipped a short pass to his right to Steven Moreira, who powered a 32-yard shot into the upper right corner in the 74th minute to give the Columbus Crew a 2-2 home draw with the Portland Timbers on Saturday, April 20. It was Morris' first assist of the campaign.
Yedlin set up the 64th-minute game-winner in FC Cincinnati's 2-1 victory at Atlanta United on Saturday, April 20. Only two minutes after FC Cincy equalized, defender Miles Robinson started the scoring sequence with a pass to Yedlin. The right back sent a cross over the head of the Atlanta defense to Luciano Acosta, who beat goalkeeper Brad Guzan from three yards. It also was Yedlin's first assist of the year.
Numbers can tell only part of the story. New York Red Bulls left back John Tolkin did not receive credit for any assists in his team's 2-2 draw at Los Angeles FC on Saturday, April 20. But both of his corner kicks set up the visitors' goals. They were an own goal by LAFC defender Ed Segura in the eighth minute and team captain Emil Forsberg's tally in the 81st minute.
Cameron Carter-Vickers and Celtic qualified for the Scottish Cup final on Saturday, April 20. The defender played the full 90 in a 3-2 semifinal win at Aberdeen in a game that wasn't decided until Matthew O'Riley's goal a minute into stoppage time of the first extra time. Celtic will play archrival Rangers in the May 25 final.
Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah, the last two Americans standing in European competition, and AC Milan were eliminated from the UEFA Europa League in a 2-1 quarterfinal defeat at Roma in the second leg on Thursday, April 18. Both players started and were subbed out in the 69th minute. Milan lost the aggregate goals series, 3-1.
Goalkeepers don't necessarily need to blank the opposition to have a memorable match. Case in point: Cardiff City's 2-1 win over visiting Southampton in the English Championship on Saturday, April 20. Keeper Ethan Horvath made six saves on shots that were attempted inside the box. After he tried a sliding tackle to stop Adam Armstrong, David Brook had an open goal in the 34th minute. Horvath, however, scrambled back to stop Brook. He also made a sprawling save to deny Armstrong's close-range, diving header in the 59th minute.
