The Mullet #3 - One of the best club Saturday's in recent memory
Goals from Pulisic, Balogun, Busio and Tessmann highlight some bright performances from Americans in Europe ahead of the international break
After Joe Scally scored the late equalizer for Borussia Mönchengladbach in the 2-2 draw with Mainz Friday, Americans continued to impress through the matches Saturday, including a few not on the October roster. Here is a quick rundown of all the action.
Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah combined for AC Milan’s winner in the 1-0 victory over Genoa. Musah made his third-straight start, which included playing 90 minutes in the midweek goalless draw with Dortmund in the Champions League. Pulisic came off the bench and replaced Samuel Chukwueze at halftime. In the 87th minute, Musah played a cross from the right flank. Pulisic brought it down and fired home with the left foot. It was Pulisic’s fourth league goal and Musah’s first goal involvement. Milan is currently top with seven wins from the first eight Serie A matches.
Folarin Balogun scored against his former club and it proved to be the winner in Monaco’s 3-1 victory over Stade de Reims. The 22-year-old earned his third Ligue 1 start in four matches since the September window and he has scored twice during that span. This one came right after halftime when his shot was rifled toward goal and snuck past Yehvann Diouf. He didn’t celebrate the goal showing respect for his former club.
Tanner Tessmann and Gianluca Busio each scored as Venezia held off Parma 3-2. The central-midfield duo has played in all of Venezia’s Serie B matches, where the club sits third at the moment. Busio’s goal came in the 46th minute, where he took a lay-off in stride and beat the defender before slotting home the opener. Parma eventually levelled before Tessmann curled his left-footed shot to the far corner the regain the lead. It was Tessmann’s second goal of the season and Busio’s first.
Gio Reyna finally made his first appearance this season when he replaced Donyell Malen in the 64th minute in Dortmund’s 4-2 win over Union Berlin. A Reyna cross less than 10 minutes later led to Dortmund’s fourth goal. Brenden Aaronson also came off the bench and played 35 minutes for Berlin.
Tim Weah and Weston McKennie started together for the first time this season and Juventus beat Torino 2-0. Weah started as the wing-back as McKennie was finally moved into midfield. Weah assisted a Moise Kean goal, but the goal was ruled out for offside. The duo each went 90 minutes.
Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson faced off against Auston Trusty in the Premier League and Fulham beat Sheffield United 3-1. Trusty made his first start for the Blades. Robinson, who wasn’t named to the October roster to treat a sports hernia, was responsible for Sheffield United’s goal, heading Yasser Larouci’s cross into his own net. Not much he could do after the deflection on the cross.
Chris Richards came off the bench to help Crystal Palace earn a goalless draw against Matt Turner and Nottingham Forest. He replaced the injured Jairo Riedewald for the final 15 minutes of the match, which was his third appearance for Palace this season. Turner made two saves in the draw, earning his first clean sheet this season.
John Brooks and Hoffenheim earned a 3-2 victory over Werder Bremen. Cameron Carter-Vickers was back in the starting XI for Celtic, who beat Kilmarnock 3-1. He came off the bench in the midweek Champions League defeat to Lazio. Bryan Reynolds put in a man-of-the-match performance in Westerlo’s 1-0 win over Kortrijk, assisting on the winner.
It was a great weekend for the Americans and PSV still plays tomorrow.