Christian Pulisic might not yet be ready to play a full 90 minutes, but that hasn't stopped the U.S. Men's National Team standout from making an impact for club and country.
For the second time in nine days, the 23-year-old midfielder came off the bench and scored a goal to help his respective team to a victory.
In English Premier League play on Saturday, he replaced Kai Havertz in the 62nd minute. Only nine minutes later, Pulisic registered his second goal of the season – and first since returning from injury – to cap Chelsea’s 3-0 win at Leicester City. Pulisic, recovering from a sprained ankle suffered during the September FIFA World Cup Qualifying window, swept home Hakim Ziyech's feed from the right wing for his 15th career Premier League goal.
🔥 stay hot, @cpulisic_10 🔥
— U.S. Soccer MNT (@USMNT) November 20, 2021
CP10 megs in his 15th Premier League goal ⚽️
pic.twitter.com/ONENLWtAnI
Pulisic scored his fourth EPL goal as a substitute, tying the record for a USMNT player and joining Clint Dempsey and Brian McBride. In only 115 minutes of league play, Pulisic has tallied twice this season. His first goal came in a 3-0 win against Crystal Palace on Aug. 14.
With the USMNT in a scoreless deadlock with Mexico on Nov. 12, Pulisic came on as 69th-minute substitute for the USA. Five minutes later, he nodded home Tim Weah’s cross from the right to spark another 2-0 triumph over Mexico in a FIFA World Cup qualifier in Cincinnati, Ohio.
· WATCH: Behind The Crest: USMNT Revives “Dos a Cero” vs. Mexico
The first-place Blues (9-1-2, 29 points) own a three-point lead over second-place Manchester City (8-2-2, 26) with two matches this week. They host Juventus and USMNT midfielder Weston McKennie at Stamford Bridge in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday and welcome Manchester United on Sunday.
BIG ASSIST
Gianluca Busio set up the lone goal in Venezia’s 1-0 away win over Bologna in Italy's Serie A on Sunday. The midfielder dribbled into the attacking third in the 61st minute and found David Okereke, who slotted his effort past goalkeeper Lukasz Skorpuski. The 19-year-old midfielder has one goal and two assists through 12 matches in his first Serie A campaign.
It was Venezia's second-straight league victory and first over Bologna since 2000. In the Serie A relegation zone just two weeks ago, Venezia has shot up to 13th place following the two successive wins.
Gianluca Busio beats a few players and finds David Okereke who scores another winner 🔥 pic.twitter.com/e5AIp4pcyc
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) November 21, 2021
MOVING ON
Goalkeeper Sean Johnson and midfielder/defender James Sands helped New York City FC dispatch Atlanta United 2-0 in the MLS Cup Playoffs Eastern Conference First Round on Sunday. Johnson made four saves to keep the clean sheet in the win at Yankee Stadium. Johnson and Sands will faces USMNT teammate Matt Turner and the New England Revolution in the Eastern Conference Semifinal on Nov. 30.
FULL RUNDOWN
-- Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig; German Bundesliga) – 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at Hoffenheim (Nov. 20)
-- Brenden Aaronson (Red Bull Salzburg; Austria Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 0-0 draw vs. Admira (Nov. 20)
-- George Bello (Atlanta United; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at New York City FC (Nov. 21)
-- John Brooks (Wolfsburg; Germany Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 2-2 draw at Arminia Bielefeld (Nov. 20)
-- Gianluca Busio (Venezia; Italy Serie A) - 80 minutes and an ASSIST in 1-0 win at Bologna (Nov. 21)
-- Johnny Cardoso (Internacional; Brazilian Serie A) - In 18, DNP in 2-1 loss vs. Flamengo (Nov. 20); 71 minutes in 1-0 loss at Cuiaba (Nov. 17)
-- Konrad de la Fuente (Marseille; French Ligue 1) - Match suspended vs. Olympique Lyon (Nov. 21)
-- Luca de la Torre (Heracles; Dutch Eredivisie) - 90 minutes in 3-1 win vs. Fortuna Sittard (Nov. 20)
-- Sergiño Dest (Barcelona; Spain La Liga) - Injured, DNP in 1-0 win vs. Espanyol (Nov. 20)
-- Nicholas Gioacchini (Montpellier; French Ligue 1) - 45 minutes in 2-0 loss at Rennes (Nov. 20)
-- Julian Green (Greuther Fürth; German Bundesliga) - 45 minutes in 4-0 loss at Borussia Mönchengladbach (Nov. 20)
-- Brad Guzan (Atlanta United; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at New York City FC (Nov. 21)
-- Ethan Horvath (Nottingham Forest; English Championship) - In 18, DNP in 1-1 draw at Reading (Nov. 20)
-- Sean Johnson (New York City FC; MLS) - 90 minutes and SHUTOUT in 2-0 win vs. Atlanta United (Nov. 21)
-- Weston McKennie (Juventus; Italian Serie A) – 90 minutes in 2-0 win at Lazio (Nov. 20)
-- Mark McKenzie (Genk; Belgian Pro League) - In 18, DNP in 2-0 loss at Beerschot (Nov. 21)
-- Matt Miazga (Alaves; Spanish Primera) - 17 minutes as a substitute in 2-2 draw at Sevilla (Nov. 20)
-- Yunus Musah (Valencia; Spain La Liga) - 13 minutes as a substitute in 0-0 draw at Real Sociedad (Nov. 21)
-- Erik Palmer-Brown (Troyes; French Ligue 1) - In 18, DNP in 1-0 loss vs. Saint-Etienne (Nov. 21)
-- Christian Pulisic (Chelsea; English Premier League) - 28 minutes as a substitute and a GOAL in 3-0 win at Leicester City (Nov. 20)
-- Tim Ream (Fulham; English Championship) - 90 minutes in 4-1 win vs. Barnsley (Nov. 20)
-- Bryan Reynolds (Roma; Italy Serie A) - In 18, DNP in 2-0 win at Genoa (Nov. 21)
-- Chris Richards (Hoffenheim; German Bundesliga) - 17 minutes as a substitute in 2-0 win vs. RB Leipzig (Nov. 20)
-- Antonee Robinson (Fulham; English Championship) - 85 minutes in 4-1 win vs. Barnsley (Nov. 20)
-- Miles Robinson (Atlanta United; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at New York City FC (Nov. 21)
-- James Sands (New York City FC; MLS) – 90 minutes in 2-0 win vs. Atlanta United (Nov. 21)
-- Josh Sargent (Norwich City; English Premier League) - 45 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 win vs. Southampton (Nov. 20)
-- Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) - 74 minutes in 4-0 win vs. Greuther Fürth (Nov. 20)
-- Zack Steffen (Manchester City; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 3-0 win vs. Everton (Nov. 21)
-- Tanner Tessmann Venezia; Italy Serie A) - 31 minutes as a substitute in 1-0 win at Bologna (Nov. 21)
-- Sam Vines (Royal Antwerp; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at Sint-Truiden (Nov. 21)
-- Tim Weah (Lille; French Ligue 1) - 90 minutes in 2-2 draw at Monaco (Nov. 19)
-- DeAndre Yedlin (Galatasaray; Turkish Super Lig) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Fenerbahce (Nov. 21)