USMNT Rewind: Chris Richards Returns to Action for Hoffenheim​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‍​‍​‍‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‍‌‍​‍‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍‍‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‍‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‍​​‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌​​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‌‍​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‍​‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌​‍‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌​‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‍‍‌‍​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‍‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‍‍‌‍‍​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌‍​​‌‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​​‌​‍‌‌​​‍‌​‌‍​‍‌‌​​‍‌​‌‍‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‍‌‍​‍‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍‍‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‍‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‍​​‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌​​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‌‍​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‍​‍‌‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌​‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‍‍‌‍​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‍‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‍‍‌‍‍​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌​‍​‍‌‌

The U.S. Men's National Team received some encouraging news on Saturday, April 2 as defender Chris Richards played in his first match in more than two months.

Richards, who suffered a right ankle injury in the USA’s 2-0 loss at Canada on Jan. 30, came on as a halftime substitute in Hoffenheim's 2-1 Bundesliga loss to Bochum.

 

The 22-year-old Richards, who missed seven consecutive league matches and the final four qualifiers, replaced Kevin Akpoguma.

Prior to his injury, Richards had started four of the USMNT's last five qualifiers.

Sixth-place Hoffenheim (13-10-5, 44 points), which is a point behind fifth-place Freiburg (12-5-9, 45), is making a push to play in the 2022-23 Europa League.

THEY PLAYED

It was a relatively quiet week on the club front for many of the USA players who returned from WCQ last week were given rest. There were a few who started and played the full 90 minutes.

The list included Luca de la Torre (Heracles), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls), Jordan Pefok (Young Boys), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami) and Sean Johnson (New York City FC).

Jordan Morris (Seattle) and Ricardo Pepi (Augsburg) started for their respective clubs before they were subbed out late in their matches.

Kellyn Acosta (Los Angeles FC), Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas), Shaq Moore (Tenerife), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United) and Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC) came on as second-half substitutes.

 

ANOTHER STEP

Barring a collapse of colossal proportions, Fulham continued its march to the English League Championship title and promotion to the Premier League with a 2-0 win over Queens Park Rangers on Saturday, April 2.

Antonee Robinson, back from World Cup Qualifying, was given the day off as center back Tim Ream helped the Cottagers to a clean sheet.

Fulham (24-6-8, 80) enjoys a 14-point lead over third-place Huddersfield Town (18-10-12, 66) with eight games remaining as the top two squads automatically move up. The London club also has two games in hand over Huddersfield.

 

OLD FIRM GOAL

Cameron Carter-Vickers connected for the game-winning goal for Celtic in its 2-1 Old Firm Derby victory over host  Rangers on Sunday, April 3.

Jota sent an in-swinging free kick into the box that Carl Starfelt headed into the path of Carter-Vickers. the defender fired a left-footed shot home for his fourth goal of the season in the 42nd minute.

  

The win extended Celtic's (25-3-4, 79) lead over Rangers (22-3-7, 73) to six points.

 

MR. ZERO

Goalkeeper Gabriel Słonina recorded his fourth clean sheet of the young MLS season, backstopping the Chicago Fire's scoreless home draw with FC Dallas on Saturday, April 2.

Słonina, 17, has conceded only once for the Fire (2-0-3, 9 points), which is in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Three of shutouts were 0-0 ties.

Atlanta’s Brad Guzan also recorded a shutout in his team’s 1-0 win over host D.C. United.

 

FULL RUNDOWN

 

-- Brenden Aaronson (Red Bull Salzburg; Austrian Bundesliga) - Injured, DNP in 2-1 win vs. Rapid Vienna (April 3)

--  Kellyn Acosta (Los Angeles FC; MLS) - 16 minutes as a substitute in 4-2 win at Orlando City (April 2)

-- Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig; German Bundesliga) – Not in 18, DNP in 4-1 win at Borussia Dortmund (April 2)

-- Paul Arriola (FC Dallas; MLS) - Not in 18, DNP in 0-0 draw at Chicago Fire (April 2)

-- Cole Bassett (Feyenoord; Dutch Eredivisie) – 1 minute as a substitute in 2-0 win vs. Willem IL (April 2)

-- George Bello (Arminia Bielefeld; Bundesliga) - Not in 18, DNP in 1-1 draw vs. Stuttgart (April 2)

-- John Brooks (Wolfsburg; Germany Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 3-0 loss at Augsburg (April 3)

-- Gianluca Busio (Venezia; Italy Serie A) – In 18, DNP in 1-0 loss at Spezia (April 2)

-- Reggie Cannon (Boavista; Portuguese Primeira) - In 18, DNP in 2-1 win at Famalicao (April 2)

-- Cameron Carter-Vickers; (Celtic; Scottish Premiership) - 90 minutes, GOAL, in 2-1 win at Rangers (April 3)

-- Justin Che (Hoffenheim; Bundesliga) - In 18, DNP in 2-1 loss vs. Bochum (April 2)

-- Konrad de la Fuente (Marseille; French Ligue 1) – Injured, DNP in 4-2 win at Saint-Etienne (April 3)

-- Luca de la Torre (Heracles; Dutch Eredivisie) – 90 minutes in 2-0 win at Fortuna Sittard (April 3)

-- Sergiño Dest (Barcelona; Spain La Liga) - Injured, DNP in 1-0 win vs. Sevilla (April 3)

-- Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas; MLS) - 27 minutes as a substitute in 0-0 draw at Chicago Fire (April 2)

-- Nicholas Gioacchini (Montpellier; French Ligue 1) - 7 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 loss vs. Brest (April 3)

-- Julian Green (Greuther Fürth; German Bundesliga) - 24 minutes in 0-0 draw at Eintracht Frankfurt (April 2)

-- Brad Guzan (Atlanta United; MLS) - 90 minutes, SHUTOUT, in 1-0 win at D.C. United (April 2)

-- Matthew Hoppe (Mallorca; Spanish Primera) - In 18, DNP in 1-0 loss at Getafe (April 2)

-- Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest; English Championship) - In 18, DNP in 4-1 win at Blackpool (April 2)

-- Sean Johnson (New York City FC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at Toronto FC (April 2)

-- Sebastian Lletget (New England Revolution; MLS) - 90 minutes in in 1-0 loss vs. New York Red Bulls (April 2)

-- Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win at New England Revolution (April 2)

-- Mark McKenzie (Genk; Belgian Pro League) – 90 minutes in 5-0 win vs. AS Eupen (April 3)

-- Matt Miazga (Alaves; Spain La Liga) - In 18, DNP in 4-1 loss at Atletico Madrid (April 2)

-- Shaq Moore (Tenerife; Spain Segunda Division) - 22 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Real Zaragoza (April 2)

-- Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC; MLS) - 76 minutes in 2-1 win at Minnesota United (April 2)

-- Yunus Musah (Valencia; Spain La Liga) - In 18, DNP in 0-0 draw vs. Cadiz (April 3)

-- Erik Palmer-Brown (Troyes; French Ligue 1) - 60 minutes as a substitute in 1-0 win vs. Reims (April 3)

-- Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg; Bundesliga) - In 18, DNP in 3-0 loss at Augsburg (April 3)

-- Jordan Pefok (Young Boys; Swiss Super League) - 90 minutes in 2-2 draw at Basel (April 3)

-- Ricardo Pepi (Augsburg; Bundesliga) - 89 minutes in 3-0 win vs. Wolfsburg (April 3)

-- Christian Pulisic (Chelsea; English Premier League) - Not in 18, DNP in 4-1 loss vs. Brentford (April 2)

-- Tim Ream (Fulham; English Championship) - 90 minutes in 2-0 win at Queens Park Rangers (April 2)

-- Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund; Bundesliga) - 16 minutes as a substitute in 4-1 loss vs. RB Leipzig (April 2)

-- Chris Richards (Hoffenheim; Bundesliga) - 45 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 loss vs. Bochum (April 2)

-- Bryan Reynolds (Kortrijk; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 3-2 loss at Mechelen (April 2)

-- Antonee Robinson (Fulham; English Championship) - Not in 18, DNP in 2-0 win at Queens Park Rangers (April 2)

-- Miles Robinson (Atlanta United; MLS) - 16 minutes as a substitute in 1-0 win at D.C. United (April 2)

-- Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 win at Minnesota United (April 2)

-- James Sands (Rangers, Scottish Premiership) - In 18, DNP in 2-1 loss vs. Celtic (April 3)

-- Josh Sargent (Norwich City; English Premier League) - Injured, DNP in 0-0 draw at Brighton & Hove Albion (April 2)

-- Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) - 3 minutes as a substitute in 1-1 draw vs. Mainz (April 3)

-- Gabriel Slonina (Chicago Fire; MLS) - 90 minutes, SHUTOUT, in 0-0 draw vs. FC Dallas (April 2)

-- Zack Steffen (Manchester City; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 2-0 win at Burnley (April 2)

-- Tanner Tessmann (Venezia; Italy Serie A) - In 18, DNP in 1-0 loss at Spezia (April 2)

-- Matt Turner (New England Revolution; MLS) - Injured, DNP in 1-0 loss vs. New York Red Bulls (April 2)

-- Sam Vines (Royal Antwerp; Belgian Pro League) – Not in 18, DNP in 1-0 win at OH Leuven (April 2)

-- DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami CF; MLS) - 90 minutes in 3-1 loss vs. Houston Dynamo (April 2)

-- Jackson Yueill (San Jose Earthquakes; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Austrin FC (April 2)

-- Tim Weah (Lille; French Ligue 1) - Not in 18, DNP in 0-0 draw vs. Bordeaux (April 2)

-- Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew; MLS) - 59 minutes in 1-0 loss to Nashville SC (April 2)

-- Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; MLS) - 19 minutes as a substitute in 1-0 win at Columbus Crew (April 2)

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