USMNT REWIND: Brenden Aaronson Brace Puts Red Bull Salzburg on Brink of Austrian Double

Only eight days after helping Red Bull Salzburg capture the ÖFB Cup with a goal, midfielder Brenden Aaronson was at it again for the Austrian Bundesliga side on Sunday.

Only this time, the U.S. Men's National team midfielder accomplished his latest feat in duplicate, striking twice in his team's 3-1 victory over host Sturm Graz in the Austrian Bundesliga. The win means Salzburg can secure the league title -- and the Austrian double -- with a win or draw against Rapid Wien on Wednesday.

 

Aaronson put his first goal on the board in the 20th minute, running onto a through ball by Mërgim Berisha on the left and beating goalkeeper Jörg Siebenhandl with a nifty chip from six yards out.

With the game tied at 1-1 in the 78th minute, the 20-year-old midfielder restored the lead, ripping a first-time, 22-yard effort inside the lower left post.

 

 

Aaronson, who played 84 minutes, has tallied seven goals and three assists in 20 appearances across all competitions since joining Salzburg in January.

On May 1, Aaronson scored the second goal in a 3-0 win over LASK, to claim Salzburg’s third-consecutive Austrian Cup title and sixth in seven seasons.

 

AMERICAN FACE OFF 

These are certainly fun and intriguing times for USMNT players overseas. Not only are they battling for titles and spots in the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League and glory for their respective teams, but they're also vying for bragging rights against their own teammates in important cup and league competitions.

Exhibit A: Christian Pulisic vs. Zack Steffen

Within a 43-day period, these USA players' teams will meet three times.

On April 17, Chelsea defeated Manchester City in the English FA Cup semifinals, 1-0, with Steffen in the net for the latter side.

On Saturday, Pulisic helped set up the equalizing goal to lift Chelsea to a 2-1 comeback triumph and spoil Man City's bid to clinch the English Premier League crown. With the Blues trailing 1-0, the 22-year-old attacker played the ball to Cesar Azpilicueta, who crossed to Hakim Ziyech for the goal. Steffen did not play.

 

The win lifted the Blues into third place in the English Premier League, a point over Leicester City with three regular season games remaining. Chelsea, which is closing in on clinching a 2021-22 UEFA Champions League berth, meets Leicester in the FA Cup final at Wembley on Saturday, May 15.

Pulisic also assisted on Mason Mount's 85th-minute insurance goal in a 2-0 victory over Real Madrid in the second leg of its UEFA Champions League semifinal series last Wednesday.

 

Manchester City and Chelsea have one more date on their calendars - the UEFA Champions League final in Istanbul, Turkey on May 29.

Exhibit B: Gio Reyna vs. Tyler Adams

Reyna's Borussia Dortmund and Adams' RB Leipzig will tussle twice within six days.

On Saturday, Dortmund recorded a 3-2 home victory over second-place Leipzig. The result moved Dortmund into fourth place in the Bundesliga with 58 points, a point ahead of Eintracht Frankfurt in the race for one of four 2021-22 spots allotted to German teams. Reyna, who didn't figure in the scoring, played 82 minutes in his 30th Bundesliga match of the season.

Adams did not suit up as he was sidelined with a back injury (incidentally, Wolfsburg and USMNT center back John Brooks are in third place with 60 points).

On Thursday, May 13, these teams will clash again for some silverware in the DFB Pokal Final in Berlin.

 

PERFORMANCES OF NOTE

Center back Matt Miazga scored his first goal with Anderlecht in dramatic fashion on Saturday. Trailing Royal Antwerp 2-1 deep into second-half stoppage time, Adrien Trebel sent a desperate cross into the box, which saw the USMNT defender power home a header from 10 yards out to rescue a 2-2 draw for Anderlecht in the Belgian Jupiler League’s Championship Round.

 

 

Forward Tim Weah played the final 23 minutes to help first-place Lille close out a 3-0 win over Lens in French Ligue 1 on Saturday. With two matches left in the season, Lille is in the driver's seat with a three-point lead over Paris St-Germain. Weah and Lille host Saint-Etienne on Sunday, May 16 and finish the season at Angers on Sunday, May 23.

 

MLS SPOTLIGHT

Kellyn Acosta's first goal of the season ignited a comeback from a two-goal deficit in the second half for the Colorado Rapids in their 3-2 home win over Minnesota United on Saturday. The midfielder volleyed home a clearance from 24 yards in the 52nd minute.

 

 

Nashville SC center back Walker Zimmerman helped anchor the defense and registered an assist in a 2-0 win against the New England Revolution on Saturday.

 

 

FULL RUNDOWN:

 

-- Kellyn Acosta (Colorado Rapids; MLS) - 90 minutes and a GOAL in 3-2 win vs. Minnesota United (May 8)

 

-- Paul Arriola (D.C. United; MLS) - Not in 18, DNP in 3-1 loss at Columbus Crew (May 8)

 

-- Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig; German Bundesliga) – Injured, DNP in 3-2 loss at Borussia Dortmund (May 8)

 

-- Brenden Aaronson (Red Bull Salzburg, Austria Bundesliga) - 84 minutes and TWO GOALS in 3-1 win at Sturm Graz (May 9)

 

-- Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC) - Injured, DNP in 2-0 loss at New York Red Bulls (May 8); Injured, DNP in 1-0 loss at Cruz Azul in CCL (May 4)

 

-- Julian Araujo (Los Angeles Galaxy) - 90 minutes in 2-1 win vs. Los Angeles FC (May 8)

 

-- George Bello (Atlanta United) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Inter Miami CF (May 9); 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Philadelphia Union in CCL (May 5)

 

-- John Brooks (Wolfsburg; Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 3-0 win vs. Union Berlin (May 8)

 

-- Tyler Boyd (Sivasspor, Turkish Super Lig) - Not in 18, DNP in 0-0 draw vs. Istanbul Basaksehir (May 8); 26 minutes as a substitute in 1-0 win at Gaziantespor (May 3)

 

-- Michael Bradley (Toronto FC) - 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at New York Red Bulls (May 8); 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at Cruz Azul in CCL (May 4)

 

-- Johnny Cardoso (Internacional; Brazilian Serie A) - Not in 18, DNP in 6-1 win vs. Olimpia (May 5)

 

-- Reggie Cannon (Boavista; Portuguese Primeira) – 81 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Tondela (May 7)

 

-- Cameron Carter-Vickers (Bournemouth; English Championship) – 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Stoke City (May 8)

 

-- Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes) - 90 minutes in 2-1 win at Real Salt Lake (May 7)

 

-- Konrad de la Fuente (Barcelona; Spain La Liga/Segunda B) - 90 minutes in 4-3 win at Villarreal B (May 8)

 

-- Luca de la Torre (Heracles, Eredivisie) - 84 minutes in 1-1 draw at Twente (May 8)

 

-- Sergiño Dest (Barcelona; Spain La Liga) – 75 minutes in 0-0 draw vs. Atletico Madrid (May 8)

 

-- Daryl Dike (Barnsley; English Championship) - 35 minutes as a substitute in 2-2 draw vs. Norwich City (May 8)

 

-- Jesus Ferreira (FC Dallas; MLS) - Injured, DNP in 1-1 draw vs. Houston Dynamo (May 8)

 

-- Nicholas Gioacchini (Caen; French Ligue 2) – Not in 18, DNP in 3-0 loss at Toulouse Auxerre (May 8)

 

-- Julian Green (Greuther Fürth; German Second Bundesliga) – 67 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Karlsruher SC (May 8)

 

-- Brad Guzan (Atlanta United) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Inter Miami CF (May 9); 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Philadelphia Union in CCL (May 5)

 

-- Bill Hamid (D.C. United; MLS) - Injured, DNP in 3-1 loss at Columbus Crew (May 8)

 

-- Duane Holmes (Huddersfield Town; English Championship) – 60 minutes in 2-2 draw at Reading (May 8)

 

-- Matthew Hoppe (Schalke 04; German Bundesliga) - 4 minutes as a substitute in 4-2 loss at Hoffenheim (May 8)

 

-- Ethan Horvath (Club Brugge; Belgian Pro League) - In 18, DNP in 3-0 loss at Genk (May 7)

 

-- Sean Johnson (New York City FC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Orlando City Sc (May 8)

 

-- Jonathan Lewis (Colorado Rapids) 32 minutes as a substitute 3-2 win vs. Minnesota United (May 8)

 

-- Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 win vs. Los Angeles FC (May 8)

 

-- Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-0 win vs. Toronto FC (May 8)

 

-- Weston McKennie (Juventus; Italian Serie A) – 90 minutes in 3-0 loss vs. A.C. Milan (May 9)

 

-- Mark McKenzie (Genk; Belgian Pro League) - 1 minute as a substitute in 3-0 win vs. Club Brugge (May 7)

 

-- Matt Miazga (Anderlecht; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes and GOAL in 2-2 draw vs. Antwerp in Jupiler League Championship Round (May 7)

 

-- Djordje Milhailovic (CF Montreal; MLS) - 73 minutes in 2-0 loss at Vancouver Whitecaps SC (May 8)

 

-- Alfredo Morales (New York City FC; MLS) - Injured, DNP in 1-1 draw at Orlando City SC (May 8)

 

-- Chris Mueller (Orlando City; MLS) - 80 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. New York City FC (May 8)

 

-- Yunus Musah (Valencia; Spain La Liga) - In 18, DNP in 3-0 win vs. Real Valladolid (May 9)

 

-- Owen Otasowie (Wolverhampton Wanderers; English Premier League) - Not in 18, DNP in 2-1 loss vs. Brighton & Hove Albion (May 9); 71 minutes in 1-1 draw at West Bromwich Albion (May 3)

 

-- Erik Palmer-Brown (Austria Wien; Austria Bundesliga) – 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at Rheindorf Altach (May 8)

 

-- Andres Perea (Orlando City; MLS) - 9 minutes as a substitute in 1-1 draw vs. New York City FC (May 8)

 

-- Christian Pulisic (Chelsea; English Premier League) – 90 minutes in 2-1 win at Manchester City (May 8); 23 minutes and an ASSIST in 2-0 win vs. Real Madrid in UCL (May 5)

 

-- Tim Ream (Fulham; English Premier League) - Vs. Burnley (Monday, 3 p.m. ET)

 

-- Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund; German Bundesliga) – 82 minutes in 3-2 win vs. RB Leipzig (May 8)

 

-- Bryan Reynolds (AS Roma; Italian Serie A) - 59 minutes in 6-0 win vs. Crotone (May 9); Not in 18, DNP in 3-2 win vs. Manchester United in UEL (May 6)

 

-- Chris Richards (Hoffenheim; German Bundesliga) - Injured, DNP in 4-2 win vs. Hoffenheim (May 8)

 

-- Antonee Robinson (Fulham; English Premier League) - Vs. Burnley (Monday, 3 p.m. ET)

 

-- Miles Robinson (Atlanta United; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Inter Miami CF (May 9); 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Philadelphia Union in CCL (May 5)

 

-- Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 win at Portland Timbers (May 9)

 

-- Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen; German Bundesliga) – 84 minutes in 0-0 draw vs. Bayer Leverkusen (May 8)

 

-- Jordan Siebatcheu (Young Boys; Swiss Super League) - 14 minutes as a substitute in 2-0 win vs. Basel (May 8)

 

-- Zack Steffen (Manchester City; English Premier League) – In 18, DNP in 2-1 loss vs. Chelsea (May 8); In 18, DNP in 2-0 win vs. Paris St-Germain in UCL (May 4)

 

-- Matt Turner (New England Revolution; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at Nashville SC (May 8)

 

-- Tim Weah (Lille; French Ligue 1) – 23 minutes as a substitute in 3-0 win at Lens (May 7)

 

-- DeAndre Yedlin (Galatasaray; Turkish Super Lig) - 90 minutes in 3-1 win vs. Besiktas (May 8)

 

-- Jackson Yueill (San Jose Earthquakes; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 win at Real Salt Lake (May 7)

 

-- Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew SC; MLS) - 33 minutes as a substitute in 3-1 win vs. D.C. United (May 8); 45 minutes in 3-0 loss at Monterrey in CCL (May 5)

 

-- Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; MLS) - 90 minutes and an ASSIST in 2-0 win vs. New England Revolution (May 8)