USMNT REWIND: Adams, Aaronson Key in Leeds Win vs. Liverpool; Acosta Headed to MLS Cup

As the games whittle down to a remaining precious few prior to the FIFA World Cup, several U.S. Men's National Team either continued to refine their game or make a push to be included on the 26-man roster for Qatar.

Gregg Berhalter will reveal his squad on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at Brooklyn Steel in New York City, live at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and ESPN+.

 

ADAMS, AARONSON BOOST LEEDS

After a muscle injury kept him out of the team’s previous match, Tyler Adams rejoined USA teammate Brenden Aaronson in the Starting XI for Leeds United, with both U.S. internationals going 90 minutes in the club’s crucial 2-1 win at Liverpool on Sunday.

With the teams trading early goals, Aaronson came close to putting Leeds back ahead, but his 19^th minute volley came back off the cross bar. In the second half, the Medford, N.J. product threaded a picture perfect pass for Rodrygo, but the Brazilian attacker couldn’t beat Liverpool ‘keeper and fellow countryman Alisson.

 

 

Meanwhile, Adams received high praise for his control of the Leeds midfield, snuffing out attacks and frustrating the likes of Thiago and Fabinho throughout the match, all setting the stage for Crysencio Summerville’s 89^th minute winner.

“For me, Tyler Adams has been one of the best players on the pitch in almost every game we've played…So I'm not surprised to see him be able to deliver like that,” Leeds United head coach Jesse Marsch said after the game.

 

LAST MAN STANDING

Midfielder Kellyn Acosta is headed to the MLS Cup Final after LAFC defeated Austin FC 3-0 in Sunday’s Western Conference Final. Acosta played the entire way as Supporters' Shield winners dominated the second-year side.

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Kellyn Acosta (@kellynacosta)

 

Goalkeeper Sean Johnson was not as fortunate as New York City FC dropped a 3-1 decision at the Philadelphia Union later in the day.

Acosta and LAFC will host Philly in the MLS Cup Final at Banc of California Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 5 (3 p.m. ET on ABC, ESPN Deportes).

MAKING THE MOST OF HIS TIME

Christian Pulisic set up the game-winning goal for Chelsea in its 2-1 UEFA Champions League victory over host Red Bull Salzburg on Tuesday, Oct. 25.

With the score tied at 1-1 in the 64th minute, Pulisic ran toward the right side, noticed there were three defenders in his way and dropped the ball off to Kai Havertz, who fired from outside the area for the winner. The ball went in off the underside of the crossbar past goalkeeper Philipp Köhn. It was Pulisic’s eighth career Champions League assist.

 

 

MOVING ON UP

Weston McKennie scored his fourth career UCL goal and second of the season in Juventus’ 4-3 loss to Benfica on Tuesday, Oct. 25.

McKennie pounced on a loose ball in the box, slotting the ball past goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos to cut the Serie A side’s deficit to a goal in the 79th minute.

 

 

The goal tied him with DaMarcus Beasley for second place on the USMNT all-time Champions League scoring list. He also moved into second place past Jermaine Jones with 24 UCL games played by a USMNT player. Christian Pulisic is the all-time leader with 46.

The week did not end well for the 24-year-old midfielder as he suffered a thigh injury in Juve's 1-0 win at Lecce on Saturday, Oct. 29. McKennie, who was pulled at halftime will be out of action for approximately two weeks.

 

EARLY BIRD

Auston Trusty got Birmingham City off to a good start, connecting for his third goal of the season in the fourth minute in a 2-0 victory over Queens Park Rangers in the English Championship on Friday, Oct. 28.

After QPR failed to clear a corner kick, Krystian Bielik sent the ball to Trusty, who cleverly flicked it over goalkeeper Seny Dieng and into the net.

 

 

HELPING OUT

Six minutes after visiting Aberdeen grabbed a 21st-minute lead, Malik Tillman set up Rangers' equalizer in its 4-1 win on Saturday, Oct. 29. Tillman, on a counterattack, sent a pass across the penalty area to Antonio-Mirko Cola, who beat keeper Kelle Willem Roos.

Bryan Reynolds also assisted on his team's first goal, but the result did not end as well for Westerlo in its 3-2 Belgian Pro League defeat to Sint-Truiden on Saturday, Oct. 29. His cross allowed Maxim De Cuyper to beat goalkeeper Daniel Schmidt in 54th minute, which cut the hosts' deficit to 2-1.

JUST DESSERTS

A player doesn't have to record a goal or an assist to win Man of the Match, as left back Antonee Robinson proved on Saturday. Robinson excelled at both ends of the field in a scoreless home draw with Everton.

 

 

The 25-year-old defender won possession of the ball seven times. He also delivered five crosses and made 16 successful passes in the final third. USMNT teammate Tim Ream also played 90 minutes in the match, with the U.S. duo helping Fulham to seventh in the Premier League table.

 

INJURED LIST

After experiencing groin tightness, Arsenal goalkeeper Matt Turner was held out of the squad for both its Europa League match against PSV on Thursday and the club’s Premier League encounter with Nottingham Forest on Sunday. Of the injury, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said, “It didn’t look a serious injury, no."

Turner has played admirably for Arsenal in the Europa League, appearing in four matches and keeping three clean sheets while conceding only one goal.

After going 90 minutes in Norwich City’s 2-2 draw at Sheffield United last Tuesday, striker Josh Sargent, who has enjoyed a productive English Championship season, did not play in Norwich City’s match against Stoke City on Saturday because of a calf strain.

 Norwich City manager Dean Smith downplayed the severity of the injury, saying last week, “He felt it Tuesday, played on. But it was just too tight today. ... He's got the opportunity to maybe get called up for the World Cup as well. We can't risk him. And he didn't feel it was right to go today."

Additionally, midfielder Luca de la Torre suffered a torn muscle in his left leg following his substitute appearance Celta Vigo’s 1-1 draw with Getafe last Monday. The injury is expected to keep de la Torre out for three weeks.

 

FULL RUNDOWN

 

-- Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 2-1 win at Liverpool (Oct. 29)

 

-- Kellyn Acosta (Los Angeles FC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 3-0 win vs. Austin FC in MLS Cup Playoffs (Oct. 30)

 

-- Tyler Adams (Leeds United; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 2-1 win at Liverpool (Oct. 29)

 

-- Cole Bassett (Fortuna Sittard; Dutch Eredivisie) - 1 minute as a substitute in 3-1 loss at Sparta Rotterdam (Oct. 29)

 

-- George Bello (Arminia Bielefeld; 2. Bundesliga) - 10 minutes as a substitute in 1-0 loss at Greuther Fürth (Oct. 28)

 

-- John Brooks (Benfica; Portuguese Primeira) – In 18, DNP in 5-0 win vs. Chaves (Oct. 29); In 18, DNP in 4-3 win vs. Juventus in UCL (Oct. 25)

 

-- Gianluca Busio (Venezia; Italian Serie B) - Not in 18, DNP in 2-0 loss vs. Ascoli (Oct. 29)

 

-- Reggie Cannon (Boavista; Portuguese Primeira) - 90 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Vizela (Oct. 30)

 

-- Johnny Cardoso (Internacional; Brazilian Serie A) – Not in 18, DNP in 2-1 win vs. Ceará (Oct. 26)

 

-- Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic; Scottish Premiership) - 90 minutes in 3-0 win at Livingston (Oct. 30); 90 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Shakhtar Donetsk in UCL (Oct. 25)

 

-- Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo; Spain La Liga) - 12 minutes as a substitute in 1-1 draw vs. Getafe (Oct. 24)

 

- Sergiño Dest (AC Milan; Italy Serie A) - 45 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 loss at Torino (Oct. 30); Injured, DNP in 4-0 win at Dinamo Zagreb in UCL (Oct. 25)

 

-- Matthew Hoppe (Middlesbrough; English Championship) - Not in 18, DNP in 2-1 loss at Preston North End (Oct. 29)

 

-- Ethan Horvath (Luton Town; English Championship) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Sunderland (Oct. 29)

 

-- Sean Johnson (New York City FC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 3-1 loss at Philadelphia Union in MLS Cup Playoffs (Oct. 30)

 

-- Richy Ledezma (PSV; Dutch Eredivisie) - 7 minutes as a substitute in 3-0 win vs. NEC (Oct. 30); In 18, DNP in 2-0 win vs. Arsenal in Europa League (Oct. 27)

 

 -- Weston McKennie (Juventus; Italy Serie A) - 45 minutes in 1-0 win at Lecce (Oct. 29); 90 minutes, GOAL, in 4-3 loss at Benfica in UCL (Oct. 25)

 

-- Mark McKenzie (Genk; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 3-1 win vs. Mechelen (Oct. 28)

 

-- Yunus Musah (Valencia; Spain La Liga) - Suspended, DNP in 1-0 loss vs. Barcelona (Oct. 29)

 

-- Erik Palmer-Brown (Troyes; French Ligue 1) - 90 minutes in 4-2 loss at PSG (Oct. 29)

 

-- Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg; Bundesliga) - Not in 18, DNP in 4-0 win vs. Bochum (Oct. 29)

 

-- Jordan Pefok (Union Berlin; Bundesliga) - 59 minutes in 2-1 win vs. Borussia Mönchengladbach (Oct. 30); 63 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Sporting Braga in Europa League (Oct. 27)

 

-- Ricardo Pepi (Groningen; Dutch Eredivisie) - 90 minutes in 0-0 draw at Emmen (Oct. 30)

 

-- Christian Pulisic (Chelsea; English Premier League) - 79 minutes in 4-1 loss at Brighton (Oct. 29); 75 minutes, GOAL, in 2-1 win at Red Bull Salzburg in UCL (Oct. 25)

 

-- Tim Ream (Fulham; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 0-0 draw vs. Everton (Oct. 29)

 

-- Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund; Bundesliga) - 29 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 win at Eintracht Frankfurt (Oct. 29); 87 minutes in 0-0 draw vs. Manchester City in UCL (Oct. 25)

 

-- Bryan Reynolds (Westerlo; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 3-2 loss vs. Sint-Truiden (Oct. 29)

 

-- Antonee Robinson (Fulham; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 0-0 draw vs. Everton (Oct. 29)

 

-- Josh Sargent (Norwich City; English Championship) - Not in 18, DNP in 3-1 win vs. Stoke City (Oct. 29); 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at Burnley (Oct. 25)

 

-- James Sands (Rangers; Scottish Premiership) – 90 minutes in 4-1 win vs. Aberdeen (Oct. 29); 90 minutes in 3-0 loss at Napoli in UCL (Oct. 26)

 

-- Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at Union Berlin (Oct. 30)

 

-- Zack Steffen (Middlesbrough; English Championship) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at Preston North End (Oct. 29)

 

-- Malik Tillman (Rangers; Scottish Premiership) - 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 4-1 win vs. Aberdeen (Oct. 29); 67 minutes in 3-0 loss at Napoli in UCL (Oct. 26)

 

-- Auston Trusty (Birmingham City; English Championship) - 90 minutes, GOAL, in 2-0 win vs. Queens Park Rangers (Oct. 28)

 

-- Matt Turner (Arsenal; English Premier League) - Injured, DNP in 5-0 win vs. Nottingham Forest (Oct. 30); Injured, DNP in 2-0 loss at PSV in Europa League (Oct. 27)

 

-- Sam Vines (Royal Antwerp; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at Sporting Charleroi (Oct. 30)

 

-- Tim Weah (Lille; French Ligue 1) – 70 minutes in 1-0 loss at Lyon (Oct. 30)

 

-- Haji Wright (Antalyaspor; Turkish Super Lig) - at Sivasspor (Monday, 1 p.m. ET)