USMNT REWIND: Pulisic, McKennie, Acosta Collect Assists in League Play

U.S. Men's National Team players returned to their clubs after the September FIFA international window and several wound up making an impact last weekend.

Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Kellyn Acosta assisted on goals to help their respective teams to important wins on both sides of the Atlantic.

Ricardo Pepi scored for the second time in three games and Walker Zimmerman also added a goal.

PULISIC GAME-WINNING ASSIST

Christian Pulisic made the most of his limited playing time on Saturday, Oct. 1, setting up the game-winning goal in Chelsea's 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in London.

Six minutes after replacing Mason Mount, Pulisic slipped a deft pass through traffic to Conor Gallagher who lobbed home the game-winner in the 90th minute.

It was his first assist of the season and ninth career assist for Chelsea, good enough for second among U.S. internationals in the Premier League, behind only Clint Dempsey (20 assists).

Pulisic and Chelsea will meet AC Milan and USMNT teammate Sergiño Dest in a UEFA Champions League match at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, Oct. 5.

McKENNIE’S LOVELY ASSIST

Weston McKennie did well to give Juventus some breathing room in its 3-0 triumph over visiting Bologna in Italy's Serie A on Sunday, Oct. 2.

With Juve enjoying a 1-0 lead in the 59th minute, McKennie, off a counterattack, placed a picture-perfect cross from the right flank to Dušan Vlahović, who headed it into the net on one bounce. It was also McKennie’s first league assist of the season and third overall in Serie A, tying him with Michael Bradley for the most assists by a U.S. international in the Italian top-flight.

McKennie almost scored in the 13th minute as he found himself unmarked, but his header went straight to goalkeeper Łukasz Skorupski.

Juventus hosts Maccabi Haifa in the UCL on Wednesday, Oct. 5.

ASSIST FOR THE SHIELD

Kellyn Acosta helped start LAFC to a 2-1 win at the Portland Timbers as it clinched the MLS Supporters' Shield on Sunday, Oct. 2.

The USMNT midfielder sent a long square pass to Carlos Vela near the right edge of the penalty area before the Mexican attacker fired a curling shot inside the left post to give the visitors a 1-0 lead in the 51st minute.

Coached by former U.S. international defender Steve Cherundolo, LAFC secured the top seed and home-field advantage throughout the MLS Cup Playoffs and will compete in the 2023 Concacaf Champions League. Acosta has recorded five assists this season, which ties the career high he first reached with FC Dallas in 2016.

PEPI STAYS HOT FOR GRONINGEN

Forward Ricardo Pepi continued to be productive for Groningen, recording the team's lone goal in a 4-1 home loss vs. AZ Alkmaar in the Dutch Eredivisie on Saturday, Oct. 1.

Pepi latched onto Neraysho Kasanwirjo's long pass down the right flank, beat one defender and after slipping to the ground,  drilled a shot past goalkeeper Hobie Verhulst to cut the deficit to 2-1 in the 42nd minute.

The 19-year-old striker became the first non-Dutch teenager to register three goal contributions through in his first three Eredivisie matches. Pepi scored in his club debut – a 1-0 win against Cambuur on Sept. 11 – and registered an assist in a 2-1 defeat to Sparta Rotterdamn on Sept. 17.

FOURTH GOAL FOR ZIMMERMAN

Defender Walker Zimmerman connected for his fourth goal of the MLS season, tying a career high. He headed in Daniel Lovitz's corner kick in the sixth minute of second half stoppage time in Nashville SC's 2-1 home loss to the Houston Dynamo on Sunday, Oct. 2.

Zimmerman has twice preciously scored four goals in one campaign, doing so with FC Dallas in 2016 and LAFC in 2018. in 2016 (FC Dallas) and 2018 (LAFC).

Several hours prior, Zimmerman and defender Shaq Moore learned that Nashville had qualified for the MLS playoffs when LAFC defeated Portland.

HOME, SWEET, HOME

Goalkeeper Sean Johnson backstopped New York City FC's 2-1 comeback win over Orlando City in Harrison, N.J. on Sunday, Oct. 2, which secured at least one home game in the MLS Cup Playoffs. Johnson did not have to make a save. NYCFC climbed into third place in the Eastern Conference, one point ahead of its archrivals, the New York Red Bulls.

KEEPING IT CLEAN

Keeper Ethan Horvath recorded his second consecutive shutout in Luton Town's 2-0 win at Hull City on Friday, Sept. 30. The 27-year-old Horvath, who wasn't severely tested, has four clean sheets in 11 English Championship appearances this season.

STEPPING FORWARD

After missing six matches following groin surgery, Cristian Roldan made his first appearance in more than a month, replacing Abdoulaye Cissoko in the 55th minute of the Seattle Sounders' 1-1 home draw with FC Cincinnati on Tuesday, Sept. 27. Roldan last played in a 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake on Aug. 14. He started and played 74 minutes in Seattle's 1-0 loss at Sporting Kansas City on Sunday, Oct. 2.

Similarly, Tim Weah took a significant step forward in his return from a foot injury. The U.S. international made the bench for the first time this season, but was an unused sub in Lille’s 2-1 defeat at Lorient on Sunday.

Weah will hope to gain his first minutes of the season when the Ligue 1 side hosts Lens on Sunday, Oct. 9.

FULL RUNDOWN

-- Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United; English Premier League) - 79 minutes in 0-0 draw vs. Aston Villa (Oct. 2)

-- Kellyn Acosta (Los Angeles FC; MLS) - 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 2-1 win at Portland Timbers (Oct. 2)

-- Tyler Adams (Leeds United; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 0-0 draw vs. Aston Villa (Oct. 2)

-- Paul Arriola (FC Dallas; MLS) – Suspended; Not in 18 for 1-0 loss at Colorado Rapids (Oct. 1)

-- Cole Bassett (Fortuna Sittard; Dutch Eredivisie) - 9 minutes as a substitute in 2-0 win vs. Volendam (Oct. 2)

-- George Bello (Arminia Bielefeld; 2. Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 4-1 loss at Fortuna Düsseldorf (Oct. 1)

-- John Brooks (Benfica; Portuguese Primeira) – 1 minute as a substitute in 0-0 draw at Vitoria Guimaraes (Oct. 1)

-- Gianluca Busio (Venezia; Italian Serie B) - 89 minutes in 4-1 win at Cagliari (Oct. 1)

-- Reggie Cannon (Boavista; Portuguese Primeira) - Injured, DNP in 4-0 loss at Familicão (Oct. 2)

-- Johnny Cardoso (Internacional; Brazilian Serie A) – 63 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Santos (Oct. 1)

-- Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic; Scottish Premiership) - Injured, DNP in 2-1 win vs. Motherwell (Oct. 1)

-- Konrad de la Fuente (Olympiakos; Greek Super League) - Not in 18, DNP in 2-0 win vs. Artomitos (Oct. 2)

-- Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo; Spain La Liga) - 21 minutes as a substitute in 1-0 win vs. Real Betis (Oct. 2)

- Sergiño Dest (A.C. Milan; Italy Serie A) - 45 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 loss vs. Napoli (Oct. 1)

-- Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at Colorado Rapids (Oct. 1)

-- Nicholas Gioacchini (Orlando City; MLS) - In 18, DNP in 2-1 loss at NYCFC (Oct. 2)

-- Matthew Hoppe (Middlesbrough; English Championship) - Not in 18, DNP in 1-0 loss at Coventry City (Oct. 1)

-- Ethan Horvath (Luton Town; English Championship) - 90 minutes, SHUTOUT, in 2-0 win at Hull City (Sept. 30)

-- Sean Johnson (New York City FC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 win vs. Orlando City SC (Oct. 2)

-- Richy Ledezma (PSV; Dutch Eredivisie) - 10 minutes as a substitute in 3-0 loss at Cambuur (Oct. 1)

-- Sebastian Lletget (FC Dallas; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at Colorado Rapids (Oct. 1)

-- Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls; MLS) - Not in 18, DNP in 2-1 loss at Columbus Crew (Oct. 1)

-- Weston McKennie (Juventus; Italy Serie A) - 60 minutes, ASSIST, in 3-0 win vs. Bologna (Oct. 2)

-- Mark McKenzie (Genk; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 2-1 win at KV Oostende (Oct. 1)

-- Matt Miazga (FC Cincinnati; MLS) - 90 minutes in 3-2 loss vs. Chicago Fire (Oct. 1)

-- Shaq Moore (Nashville SC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. Houston Dynamo (Oct. 2)

-- Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC; MLS) - 76 minutes in 1-0 loss at Sporting Kansas City (Oct. 2)

-- Yunus Musah (Valencia; Spain La Liga) - Injured, DNP in 2-2 draw at Espanyol (Oct. 2)

-- Erik Palmer-Brown (Troyes; French Ligue 1) - 90 minutes in 2-2 draw at Reims (Oct. 2)

-- Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg; Bundesliga) - 14 minutes as a substitute in 3-2 win vs. Stuttgart (Oct. 1)

-- Jordan Pefok (Union Berlin; Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 2-0 loss at Eintracht Frankfurt (Oct. 1)

-- Ricardo Pepi (Groningen; Dutch Eredivisie) - 81 minutes, GOAL, in 4-1 loss vs. AZ (Oct. 1)

-- Christian Pulisic (Chelsea; English Premier League) - 6 minutes as a substitute, ASSIST, in 2-1 win at Crystal Palace (Oct. 1)

-- Tim Ream (Fulham; English Championship) - 90 minutes in 4-1 loss vs. Newcastle United (Oct. 1)

-- Bryan Reynolds (Westerlo; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 2-0 win vs. Zulte-Waregem (Oct. 1)

-- Chris Richards (Crystal Palace; English Premier League) - Injured, DNP in 2-1 loss vs. Chelsea (Oct. 1)

-- Antonee Robinson (Fulham; English Championship) - Injured, DNP in 4-1 loss vs. Newcastle United (Oct. 1)

-- Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders; MLS) - 76 minutes in 1-0 loss at Sporting Kansas City (Oct. 2); 35 minutes as a substitute in 1-1 draw vs. FC Cincinnati (Sept. 27)

-- Josh Sargent (Norwich City; English Championship) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win at Blackpool (Oct. 1)

-- James Sands (Rangers; Scottish Premiership) – 45 minutes as a substitute in 4-0 win at Hearts (Oct. 1)

-- Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) - 77 minutes in 5-1 loss at Werder Bremen (Oct. 1)

-- Gaga Slonina (Chicago Fire; MLS) - Injured, DNP in 3-2 win at FC Cincinnati (Oct. 1)

-- Zack Steffen (Middlesbrough; English Championship) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at Coventry City (Oct. 1)

-- Malik Tillman (Rangers; Scottish Premiership) - 27 minutes as a substitute in 4-0 win at Hearts (Oct. 1)

-- Auston Trusty (Birmingham City; English Premiership) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Sheffield United (Oct. 1)

-- Matt Turner (Arsenal; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 3-1 win vs. Tottenham (Oct. 1)

-- Sam Vines (Royal Antwerp; Belgian Pro League) - 77 minutes sin 2-1 loss at Kortrijk (Oct. 2)

-- Tim Weah (Lille; French Ligue 1) – In 18, DNP in 2-1 loss at Lorient (Oct. 2)

-- DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami CF; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win at Toronto FC (Sept. 30)

-- Eryk Williamson (Portland Timbers; MLS) - 16 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 loss vs. LAFC (Oct. 2)

-- Gyasi Zardes (Colorado Rapids; MLS) - 80 minutes in 1-0 win vs. FC Dallas (Oct. 1)

-- Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; MLS) - 90 minutes, GOAL, in 2-1 loss vs. Houston Dynamo (Oct. 2)