USMNT REWIND: Key Assists Take The Spotlight, And More From Around The Globe

By: Michael Lewis
Malik Tillman celebrates with PSV teammates
Malik Tillman celebrates with PSV teammates

While last week's U.S. Men's National Team Rewind featured eight goal-scorers, this week's highlights are dominated by seven Americans who set up goals at home and abroad.

Among those who assisted on goals included Christian Pulisic, Malik Tillman and Caleb Wiley, who were called into the USMNT's 24-player camp to prepare for its two upcoming friendlies against Canada in Kansas City on Sept. 7 and against New Zealand in Cincinnati on Sept. 10.

Four other assists were recorded by Kellyn Acosta, Cade Cowell, Djordje Mihailovic, and Antonee Robinson.

Two players did celebrate goals. DeJuan Jones tallied the game-winning goal for the Columbus Crew, and Brandon Vazquez found the net for the second match in a row for Monterrey.

In net, goalkeeper Gaga Slonina added two more shutouts to his collection, continuing his memorable start for Barnsley.

PERFECT CORNER

Christian Pulisic was part of an AC Milan goal for the second game in a row. His perfect corner kick from the left side set up Strahinja Pavlovic's header in the eighth minute of the team's 2-2 draw at Lazio in Italy Serie A action on Saturday, Aug. 31. A week prior, Pulisic recorded his first goal of the season in a 2-1 season-opening loss to Parma on Aug. 24.

WRAPPING IT UP

Malik Tillman helped put a bow on PSV's 3-0 home triumph over Go Ahead Eagles, setting up the final goal in the Dutch Eredivisie encounter on Sunday, Sept. 1. His feed set up Joey Veerman's 63rd-minute tally gave the hosts much more breathing room. The defending Dutch champions are 4-0-0, and lead the league with 12 points. They have outscored their foes 19-3.

TWO WEEKS IN A ROW

Left back Antonee Robinson assisted on a Fulham goal for the second successive match, a 1-1 tie at Ipswich Town in the English Premier League on Saturday, Aug. 31. An overlapping Robinson sent a low cross to Adama Traore, who beat keeper Arijanet Muric for a 1-0 lead in the 32nd minute. On Aug. 24, Robinson set up Alexander Iwobi's goal in a 2-1 victory over Leicester City.

FIRST TIMERS IN FRANCE

Caleb Wiley recorded his first assist for Strasbourg in its 4-3 loss at Lyon in French Ligue 1 on Friday, Aug. 30. He replaced Felix Lemaréchal at halftime before his lead pass set up Emanuel Emegha's 58th-minute score, which gave the visitors a 3-1 lead. Tanner Tessmann made his Lyon debut, coming off the bench for Nemanja Latić in the 87th minute, to help the hosts seal the win. Wiley and Tessmann were teammates on the U.S. Men's Olympic Team that reached the quarterfinals in Paris last month.

DEJUAN’S THE ONE

Only three minutes after coming on for Mohamed Farsi in the 90th minute, DeJuan Jones connected on the game-winning goal for the Columbus Crew in its 4-2 home win over New York City FC on Saturday, Aug. 31. Alexandru Irinel Matan set up the go-ahead goal by heading a failed clearance to the penalty spot for a wide-open Jones, who beat goalkeeper Luis Barraza from six yards to the left side of the goal while snapping a 2-2 deadlock.

TWO IN A ROW

Brandon Vazquez struck for his second goal in as many weeks, scoring in Monterrey's 2-1 home defeat to Toluca on Saturday, Aug. 31. He converted a penalty kick in the 54th minute to knot things up at 1-1, powering his shot into the upper right corner past keeper Tiago Luís Volpi. He has two goals in 216 minutes over seven contests, after scoring his first goal of the season in a 2-2 draw at Tijuana on Aug. 23.

10 AND 10

Olympian Djordje Mihailovic, who already has 10 goals this MLS campaign, hit double figures in assists in a dramatic fashion. He assisted on the game-winning goal in the third minute of stoppage time of the Colorado Rapids' 3-2 victory at FC Dallas on Saturday, Aug. 31. His spot-on long-range pass from the right flank found an onrushing Darren Yapi, who chipped goalkeeper Maarten Paes to snap a 2-2 deadlock.

JOINING THE PARTY

Cade Cowell assisted on Guadalajara's fourth goal of its 5-0 rout of visiting Juarez on Saturday, Aug. 31. He set up Alan Mozo's score five minutes into first-half injury time of its Liga MX match.

DOUBLING HIS PLEASURE

Goalkeeper Gaga Slonina's dream start for Barnsley continued as he recorded two clean sheets in as many competitions. He started his week by backstopping a 1-0 win over Sheffield United in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, Aug. 27 and then his first shutout in an English League One match, a 3-0 result at Crawley Town on Sunday, Sept. 1. He has allowed three goals in as many league games, while conceding only one in two Carabao Cup appearances.

FULL RUNDOWN

-- Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United; English Championship) - 89 minutes in 2-0 win vs. Hull City (Aug. 31)

-- Paxten Aaronson (Utrecht; Dutch Eredivisie) - 89 minutes in 2-1 win vs. Twente (Sept. 1)

-- Kellyn Acosta (Chicago Fire; MLS) - 30 minutes as a substitute, ASSIST, in 4-1 loss vs. Inter Miami CF (Aug. 31)

-- Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth; English Premier League) – Injured, DNP in 3-2 win at Everton (Aug. 31); Injured, DNP in 1-0 loss at West Ham United in Carabao Cup (Aug. 28)

-- Folarin Balogun (Monaco; French Ligue 1) – 65 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Lens (Sept. 1)

-- Taylor Booth (Utrecht; Dutch Eredivisie) - In 18, DNP in 2-1 win vs. Twente (Sept. 1)

-- Gianluca Busio (Venezia; Italian Serie A) – Injured, DNP in 1-0 loss vs. Torino (Aug. 30)

-- Drake Callender (Inter Miami CF; MLS) - 90 minutes in 4-1 win at Chicago Fire (Aug. 31)

-- Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis; Spain La Liga) - 33 minutes as a substitute in 2-0 loss at Real Madrid (Sept. 1); 90 minutes in 3-0 win vs. Kryvbas KR in UEFA Conference League (Aug. 29)

-- Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic; Scottish Premiership) - 90 minutes in 3-0 win vs. Rangers (Sept. 1)

-- Cade Cowell (Guadalajara; Liga MX) - 45 minutes, ASSIST, in 5-0 win vs. Juarez (Aug. 31)

-- Ben Cremaschi (Inter Miami CF; MLS) - 17 minutes as a substitute in 4-1 win at Chicago Fire (Aug. 31)

-- Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - Injured, DNP in 3-0 win vs. Go Ahead Eagles (Sept. 1)

-- Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo, Spain La Liga) - Injured, DNP in 3-2 loss at Osasuna (Sept. 1)

-- Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas; MLS) - 29 minutes as a substitute in 3-2 loss vs. Colorado Rapids (Aug. 31)

-- Julian Gressel (Inter Miami CF; MLS) - 73 minutes in 4-1 win at Chicago Fire (Aug. 31)

-- Ethan Horvath (Cardiff City; Championship) - 90 minutes in 2-0 loss vs. Middlesbrough (Aug. 31); Not in 18, DNP in 5-3 loss vs. Southampton in Carabao Cup (Aug. 28)

-- Sean Johnson (Toronto FC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 3-1 loss vs. D.C. United (Aug. 31)

-- DeJuan Jones (Columbus Crew; MLS) – 1 minute as a substitute, GOAL, in 4-2 win vs. New York City FC (Aug. 31); 90 minutes in 1-0 win at Philadelphia Union (Aug. 28)

-- Richy Ledezma (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - 90 minutes in 3-0 win vs. Go Ahead Eagles (Sept. 1)

-- Kristoffer Lund (Palermo; Italy Serie B) - 45 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Cosenza (Sept. 1)

-- Lennard Maloney (Heidenheim; Bundesliga) - 41 minutes in 4-0 win vs. Augsburg (Sept. 1); 90 minutes in 3-2 win vs. Hacken in UEFA Conference League (Aug. 29)

-- Weston McKennie (Juventus; Italy Serie A) - 23 minutes as a substitute in 0-0 draw vs. Roma (Sept. 1); In 18, DNP in 3-0 win at Verona (Aug. 26)

-- Mark McKenzie (Toulouse; Ligue 1) - 90 minutes in 3-1 loss against Marseille (Aug. 31)

-- Djordje Mihailovic (Colorado Rapids; MLS) - 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 3-2 win at FC Dallas (Aug. 31)

-- Shaq Moore (Nashville SC; MLS) - 89 minutes in 3-0 loss at Orlando City SC (Aug. 31)

-- Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough; Championship) - 90 minutes in 2-0 win at Cardiff City (Aug. 31); 12 minutes as a substitute in 5-0 loss vs. Stoke City in Carabao Cup (Aug. 27)

-- Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at Portland Timbers (Aug. 31)

-- Yunus Musah (AC Milan; Serie A) - 20 minutes as substitute in 2-2 draw at Lazio (Aug. 31)

-- Jalen Neal (LA Galaxy; MLS) – 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at St. Louis CITY (Sept. 1)

-- Erik Palmer-Brown (Panathinaikos; Greek Super League) - In 18, DNP in 2-2 draw at Athens Kallithea (Sept. 1); Not in 18, DNP in 3-0 win vs. Lens in UEFA Conference League (Aug. 29)

-- Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg; Bundesliga) - Injured, DNP in 2-0 win at Holstein Kiel (Aug. 31)

-- Jordan Pefok (Union Berlin; Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. St. Pauli (Aug. 30)

-- Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - 55 minutes as a substitute in 3-0 win vs. Go Ahead Eagles (Sept. 1)

-- Christian Pulisic (AC Milan; Serie A) - 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 2-2 draw at Lazio (Aug. 31)

-- Tim Ream (Charlotte FC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss vs. Atlanta United (Aug. 31)

-- Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund; Bundesliga) - In 18, DNP in 0-0 draw at Werder Bremen (Aug. 31)

-- Bryan Reynolds (Westerlo; Belgian Pro League) - Not in 18, DNP in 1-0 loss at Genk (Aug. 30)

-- Chris Richards (Crystal Palace; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Chelsea (Sept. 1) 80 minutes as a substitute in 4-0 win vs. Norwich City in Carabao Cup (Aug. 27)

-- Antonee Robinson (Fulham; English Premier League) - 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 1-1 draw at Ipswich Town (Aug. 31)

-- Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; MLS) - 90 minutes in 4-1 win vs. CF Montreal (Aug. 31)

-- James Sands (New York City FC; MLS) – 45 minutes in 4-2 loss at Columbus Crew (Aug. 31)

-- Josh Sargent (Norwich City; Championship) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win at Coventry City (Aug. 31); In 18, DNP in 4-0 loss at Crystal Palace in Carabao (Aug. 27)

-- Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 2-0 win at Bochum (Aug. 31)

-- Gaga Slonina (Barnsley; English League One) - 90 minutes, SHUTOUT, in 3-0 win at Crawley Town (Sept. 1); 90 minutes, SHUTOUT, in 1-0 win vs. Sheffield United in Carabao Cup (Aug. 27)

-- Zack Steffen (Colorado Rapids; MLS) - 90 minutes in 3-2 win at FC Dallas (Aug. 31)

-- Tanner Tessmann (Lyon; French Ligue 1) – 3 minutes as a substitute in 4-3 win vs. Strasbourg (Aug. 30)

-- Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - 86 minutes, ASSIST, in 3-0 win vs. Go Ahead Eagles (Sept. 1)

-- Timmy Tillman (Los Angeles FC; MLS) – 45 minutes as a substitute in 2-0 loss vs. Houston Dynamo (Aug. 31); 68 minutes in 1-0 win at Seattle Sounders (Aug. 28)

-- John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-0 loss vs. Philadelphia Union (Aug. 31)

-- Auston Trusty (Sheffield United; Championship) - Not in 18, DNP in 1-0 win vs. Watford (Sept. 1); 28 minutes as a substitute in 1-0 loss at Barnsley in Carabao Cup (Aug. 27)

-- Matt Turner (Crystal Palace; English Premier League) - Not in 18, DNP in 1-1 draw at Chelsea (Sept. 1)

-- Brandon Vazquez (Monterrey; Liga MX) – 69 minutes, GOAL, in 2-1 loss vs. Toluca (Aug. 31)

-- Tim Weah (Juventus; Italy Serie A) -in 0-0 draw vs. Roma (Sept. 1); Injured, DNP in 3-0 win at Verona (Aug. 26)

-- Caleb Wiley (Strasbourg; French Ligue 1) - 45 minutes as a substitute, ASSIST, in 4-3 loss at Lyon (Aug. 30)

-- Haji Wright (Coventry City; Championship) - 78 minutes in a 1-0 vs. Coventry City (Aug. 31); In 18, DNP in 1-0 win vs. Oxford United in Carabao Cup (Aug. 27)

-- DeAndre Yedlin (FC Cincinnati; MLS) - Not in 18, DNP in 4-1 win vs. CF Montreal (Aug. 31)

-- Alejandro Zendejas (Club America; Liga MX) - Injured, DNP in 4-1 loss at Cruz Azul (Aug. 31)

-- Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 3-0 loss at Orlando City SC (Aug. 31)