With club action resuming after last week’s FIFA September international window, several members of the U.S. Men's National Team pool played important roles for their teams this weekend.
Christian Pulisic, Brandon Vazquez and Tim Ream found the net for their respective squads, while Djordje Mihailovic, Kellyn Acosta, Jordan Morris, and Timmy Tilman found ways to create goals.
In net, goalkeeper Patrick Schulte notched his ninth shutout of the MLS season.
ONE OF EACH
Christian Pulisic scored one goal and assisted on another as AC Milan recorded its first win of Italy's Serie A season, a 4-0 home triumph over Venezia on Saturday, Sept. 14. His corner kick set up Youssouf Fofana’s goal to lift the hosts into a two-goal lead in the 16th minute. Pulisic then converted a penalty kick past goalkeeper Jesse Joronen to boost Milan into a 3-0 advantage in the 25th minute. He has scored two goals for eighth-place Milan, which improved to 1-1-2 and five points. Venezia, which is in last and 20th place, dropped to 0-3-1.
EARLY BIRD
It didn't take Brandon Vazquez very long to get Monterrey going in its 2-0 victory at Santos Laguna. The 25-year-old forward tallied four minutes after opening kickoff at Santos Laguna on Saturday, Sept. 14. Vazquez buried Sebastián Vegas' cross past goalkeeper Carlos Acevedo for his third goal in as many matches, in his eight appearances of the 2024-25 Liga MX Apertura campaign. Monterrey (5-2-1, 16) is in fourth place, three points behind league-leader Cruz Azul (6-0-1, 19).
LONG TIME COMING
Defender Tim Ream scored his first MLS goal in 14 years for Charlotte FC in its 2-1 home defeat to CF Montreal on Saturday, Sept. 14. Ream headed in Ashley Westwood's free kick from point-blank range at the far-right post in the 35th minute. The veteran defender last scored in the league for the New York Red Bulls on Sept. 11, 2010, when he tallied in the 32nd minute of a 3-1 home win over the Colorado Rapids. Ream, who signed with Charlotte earlier this summer, had played the last 14 years in England with Bolton and Fulham. Charlotte FC (10-8-8, 28) is in seventh place in the MLS Eastern Conference.
THAT DIDN'T TAKE LONG
It didn't take Kellyn Acosta very long to make an impact on the Chicago Fire's 2-1 home win over the New York Red Bulls on Saturday, Sept. 14. Only three minutes after replacing Christopher Mueller, Acosta's feed set up Giorgos Koutsias' game-winning goal past goalie Carlos Coronel that snapped a 1-1 deadlock in the 75th minute. It was Acosta's third assist of the season for the Fire (7-14-8, 29), which is in 13th place in the Eastern Conference, four points out of the ninth and final playoff berth.
A BRACE OF ASSISTS
For the second consecutive contest, midfielder Djordje Mihailovic set up the game-winning goal for the Colorado Rapids in their victory over the Portland Timbers on Saturday, Sept. 14. Standing at the top of the penalty area, he U.S. Olympian's past allowed Jonathan Lewis to score from the left side of the box in the 14th minute that lifted the hosts into a 1-0 edge. After Portland equalized, Mihailovic's free kick from the left side set up Rafael Navarro's six-yard header past keeper Maxime Crépeau in the 71st minute. Mihailovic is enjoying a career season, with 10 goals, which is a career high, and 12 assists. He is four assists away from matching his career best of 16 with CF Montreal in 2021. The Rapids (14-9-5, 47), who are in third place in the MLS Western Conference, extended their unbeaten streak at home to 12 matches.
GETTING SOME INSURANCE
Forward Jordan Morris assisted on the insurance goal in the Seattle Sounders' 2-0 home victory over Sporting Kansas City on Sunday, Sept. 15. Morris tipped the ball to Paul Rothrock, who slipped the ball past goalkeeper Tim Melia from six yards in the 40th minute. It was his third assist of the season. The Sounders (13-9-7, 46 points) are in fifth place in the MLS Western Conference.
IN A LOSING CAUSE
Midfielder Timmy Tillman picked up an assist in Los Angeles FC's 4-2 away defeat at the LA Galaxy in El Trafico on Saturday, Sept. 14. Tillman set up Denis Bouanga's 15th-minute goal, which gave the visitors a 2-0 lead. LAFC, however, could not hold the lead as the Galaxy struck back with four unanswered tallies. The result allowed the Galaxy (16-6-7, 55) to extend its lead over second-place LAFC (14-7-6, 48) to seven points in the MLS Western Conference.
ANOTHER CLEAN SHEET
Patrick Schulte, who backstopped the USA's 2-1 loss to Canada on Sept. 7, recorded his ninth shutout of the MLS season in the Columbus Crew's scoreless draw at FC Cincinnati on Saturday, Sept. 14. The 23-year-old goalkeeper was called to make two saves as the Crew clinched an MLS Cup Playoffs. Columbus (14-5-8, 50) remained third place in the Eastern Conference. Schulte has made two appearances for the USMNT.
FULL RUNDOWN
-- Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United; English Championship) - 68 minutes in 1-0 loss vs, Burnley (Sept. 14)
-- Paxten Aaronson (Utrecht; Dutch Eredivisie) - No games
-- Kellyn Acosta (Chicago Fire; MLS) - 18 minutes as a substitute, ASSIST, in 2-1 vs. New York Red Bulls (Sept. 14)
-- Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth; English Premier League) – Injured, DNP in 1-0 loss vs. Chelsea (Sept. 14)
-- Folarin Balogun (Monaco; French Ligue 1) – 26 minutes as a substitute in 3-0 win at Auxerre (Sept. 14)
-- Taylor Booth (Utrecht; Dutch Eredivisie) - No games
-- Gianluca Busio (Venezia; Italian Serie A) – 79 minutes in 4-0 loss at A.C. Milan (Sept. 14)
-- Drake Callender (Inter Miami CF; MLS) - 90 minutes in 3-1 win vs. Philadelphia Union (Sept. 14)
-- Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis; Spain La Liga) - In 18, DNP in 2-0 win at Leganes (Sept. 13)
-- Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic; Scottish Premiership) - 90 minutes in 2-0 win vs. Hearts (Sept. 14)
-- Cade Cowell (Guadalajara; Liga MX) - Not in 18, DNP in 1-0 loss at Club America (Sept. 14)
-- Ben Cremaschi (Inter Miami CF; MLS) - 19 minutes as a substitute in 3-1 win vs. Philadelphia Union (Sept. 14)
-- Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - Injured, DNP in 2-0 win vs. NEC (Sept. 14)
-- Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo, Spain La Liga) - Injured, DNP in 3-1 win vs. Real Valladolid (Sept. 15)
-- Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas; MLS) - No games
-- Marlon Fossey (Standard Liege; Belgian Pro League) - Not in 18, DNP in 2-0 win at Dender (Sept. 13)
-- Julian Gressel (Inter Miami CF; MLS) - 81 minutes in 3-1 win vs. Philadelphia Union (Sept. 14)
-- Ethan Horvath (Cardiff City; Championship) - In 18, DNP in 1-0 loss at Derby County (Sept. 14)
-- Sean Johnson (Toronto FC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 win vs. Austin FC (Sept. 14)
-- DeJuan Jones (Columbus Crew; MLS) – 8 minutes as a substitute in 0-0 draw at FC Cincinnati (Sept. 14)
-- Diego Kochen (Barcelona II; Primera Division Federacion) - Not in 18, DNP in 2-1 loss at Unionistas CF (Sept. 15)
-- Richy Ledezma (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - 90 minutes in 2-0 win vs. NEC (Sept. 14)
-- Kristoffer Lund (Palmero; Italy Serie B) - 18 minutes as a substitute in 3-1 win at Juve Stabia (Sept. 14)
-- Lennard Maloney (Heidenheim; Bundesliga) - 86 minutes in 4-2 loss at Borussia Dortmund (Sept. 13)
-- Weston McKennie (Juventus; Italy Serie A) - In 18, DNP in 0-0 draw at Empoli (Sept. 14)
-- Mark McKenzie (Toulouse; French Ligue 1) - 90 minutes in 2-0 win vs. Le Havre (Sept. 15)
-- Djordje Mihailovic (Colorado Rapids; MLS) - 90 minutes, TWO ASSISTS, in 2-1 win vs. Portland Timbers (Sept. 14)
-- Shaq Moore (Nashville SC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-0 win at Atlanta United (Sept. 14)
-- Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough; Championship) - 12 minutes as a substitute in 1-1 draw vs. Preston North End (Sept. 14)
-- Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders; MLS) - 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 2-0 win vs. Sporting Kansas City (Sept. 15)
-- Yunus Musah (A.C. Milan; Italy Serie A) - 16 minutes as a substitute in 4-0 win vs. Venezia (Sept. 14)
-- Jalen Neal (LA Galaxy; MLS) – 90 minutes in 4-2 win vs. Los Angeles FC (Sept. 14)
-- Erik Palmer-Brown (Panathinaikos; Greek Super League) - Not in 18, DNP in 0-0 draw at PAOK (Sept. 15)
-- Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg; Bundesliga) - Injured, DNP in 2-1 loss vs. Frankfurt Eintracht (Sept. 14)
-- Jordan Pefok (Union Berlin; Bundesliga) - 34 minutes as a substitute in 0-0 draw at RB Leipzig (Sept. 14)
-- Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - 23 minutes as a substitute in 2-0 win vs. NEC (Sept. 14)
-- Christian Pulisic (A.C. Milan; Italy Serie A) - 74 minutes, GOAL, ASSIST, in 4-0 win vs. Venezia (Sept. 14)
-- Tim Ream (Charlotte FC; MLS) - 90 minutes, GOAL, in 2-1 loss at CF Montreal (Sept. 14)
-- Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund; Bundesliga) - Injured, DNP in 4-2 win vs. Heidenheim (Sept. 13)
-- Bryan Reynolds (Westerlo; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 2-2 draw at Anderlecht (Sept. 14)
-- Chris Richards (Crystal Palace; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 2-2 draw vs. Leicester City (Sept. 14)
-- Antonee Robinson (Fulham; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. West Ham United (Sept. 14)
-- Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; MLS) - Not in 18, DNP in 0-0 draw vs. Columbus Crew (Sept. 14)
-- James Sands (New York City FC; MLS) – 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at D.C. United (Sept. 14)
-- Josh Sargent (Norwich City; Championship) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at Swansea City (Sept. 14)
-- Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 3-1 loss vs. Stuttgart (Sept. 14)
-- Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew; MLS) - 90 minutes, SHUTOUT, in 0-0 draw at FC Cincinnati (Sept. 14)
-- Gaga Slonina (Barnsley; English League One) - 90 minutes in 3-0 loss at Stevenage (Sept. 14)
-- Zack Steffen (Colorado Rapids; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 win vs. Portland Timbers (Sept. 14)
-- Tanner Tessmann (Lyon; French Ligue 1) – 2 minutes as a substitute in 0-0 draw at Lens (Sept. 15)
-- Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) - 67 minutes in 2-0 win vs. NEC (Sept. 14)
-- Timmy Tillman (Los Angeles FC; MLS) – 87 minutes, ASSIST, in 4-2 loss at Los Angeles Galaxy (Sept. 14)
-- John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at Chicago Fire (Sept. 14)
-- Auston Trusty (Celtic; Scottish Premiership) - In 18, DNP in 2-0 win vs. Hearts (Sept. 14)
-- Matt Turner (Crystal Palace; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 2-2 draw vs. Leicester City (Sept. 14)
-- Brandon Vazquez (Monterrey; Liga MX) – 84 minutes, GOAL, in 2-0 win vs. at Santos Laguna (Sept. 14)
-- Tim Weah (Juventus; Italy Serie A) - 23 minutes as a substitute in 0-0 draw at Empoli (Sept. 14)
-- Caleb Wiley (Strasbourg; French Ligue 1) - Not in 18, DNP in 1-1 draw vs. Angers (Sept. 15)
-- Haji Wright (Coventry City; Championship) - 25 minutes as a substitute in 1-1 draw at Watford (Sept. 14)
-- DeAndre Yedlin (FC Cincinnati; MLS) - 90 minutes in 0-0 draw vs. Columbus Crew (Sept. 14)
-- Alejandro Zendejas (Club America; Liga MX) - Not in 18, DNP in 1-0 win vs. Guadalajara (Sept. 14)
-- Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-0 win at Atlanta United (Sept. 14)
