USMNT REWIND: After Three Goals in CNL, Ricardo Pepi Finds Back of the Net Again for Groningen

Ricardo Pepi, Malik Tillman, Jordan Morris, Alex Zendejas and Ethan Horvath were five U.S. Men's National Team players who grabbed the spotlight for their outstanding performances in the United States and Europe this past weekend.

Tillman connected for a brace, Morris and Pepi continued their hot hands, Zendejas set up a lovely goal, and Horvath added yet another clean sheet to his burgeoning collection this season.

PEPI STAYS HOT

Ricardo Pepi, who tallied three times in across last month’s Nations League matches, found the net again in Groningen's 3-1 defeat at Fortuna Sittard in Dutch Eredivisie action on Sunday, April 2.

El Tren is FULL STEAM AHEAD 🚂 pic.twitter.com/JRolIi0kes

— U.S. Men's National Soccer Team (@USMNT) April 2, 2023

Teammate Florian Krüger completed a long ron through midfield before finding the 20-year-old forward at the top of the box where he fired a shot from to slice his team's deficit to 2-1 in the 76th minute.

Pepi has 11 goals across all competitions for Groningen (4-18-5, 17), which is languishing in 17th place out of 18 teams. He struck twice in a 7-1 victory in Grenada and added the lone goal in a 1-0 win past El Salvador as the USA reached the CNL semifinals for the second consecutive time.

DOUBLING UP

Midfielder Malik Tillman struck on either side of halftime to pace Rangers to a 2-0 victory over Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday, April 1.

Two for Tillman 🙌

The American midfielder helped himself to a brace at Ibrox#cinchPrem | @RangersFC pic.twitter.com/yOtuE1vlN9

— SPFL (@spfl) April 3, 2023

He gave the hosts all the scoring they needed in the 38th minute, drilling Todd Cantwell’s pass with a low drive from eight yards past goalkeeper Mark Birighitti. Tillman, named man of the match, added an insurance tally in the 55th minute off a Ryan Kent assist.

On loan from Bayern Munich, the 20-year-old Tillman has 12 goals across all competitions, 10 in league play. Rangers (24-2-4, 76 points), which trails Celtic (28-1-1, 85) by nine points, will tussle with its Old Firm rivals on Saturday, April 8.

MORRIS TOPS MLS SCORING CHARTS

Jordan Morris, who smashed the nets for a career-high four goals in a 4-1 triumph at Sporting Kansas City on March 25, added another in the Seattle Sounders' 2-1 win at the LA Galaxy on Saturday, April 1.

THIS MAN CAN NOT STOP SCORING.

🔥🔥🔥 @JmoSmooth13 🔥🔥🔥

🎥 » @SoundersFC pic.twitter.com/SXd3ZkhSLT

— U.S. Men's National Soccer Team (@USMNT) April 2, 2023

The forward finished from point-blank range off Leo Chu's left-wing cross past goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann to give the visitors a 1-0 lead in the 21st minute.

It was the fifth consecutive time that Chu set up a Morris goal. Morris, who was named MLS Player of Matchday 5 last week, leads the league's Golden Boot race with eight goals.

HELPING OUT

Alex Zendejas came off the bench in the 54th minute to set up Henry Martin's 68th-minute goal in Club America's 2-2 home draw with Leon in LIGA MX on Saturday, April 1.

El Tren is FULL STEAM AHEAD 🚂 pic.twitter.com/JRolIi0kes

— U.S. Men's National Soccer Team (@USMNT) April 2, 2023

Kevin Paredes, who entered the match in the 60th minute, assisted on Felix Nmecha's equalizing header six minutes into stoppage time, practically the last kick of the match, in Wolfsburg's 2-2 home draw against Augsburg in the Bundesliga on Sunday, April 2.

Right back Shaq Moore recorded his first assist for Nashville SC this season on the team's second goal in its 2-0 win over Orlando City SC on Saturday, April 1. Dax McCarty found Moore up the right flank. The defender then threaded a ball in between defenders to Hany Mukhtar, who scored from close range for an insurance goal in the 74th minute.

THE REIGNING 〽️VP AND GOLDEN BOOT WINNER HAS HIS FIRST GOAL OF 2023 🫡 pic.twitter.com/UvuLC8jKGc

— Nashville SC (@NashvilleSC) April 2, 2023

CLEANING UP

Goalkeeper Ethan Horvath made one save to record his joint, league-leading 17th shutout of the English Championship season in Luton Town's 2-0 home win over Watford on Saturday, April 1. Luton Town sit fourth in the Championship table, firmly in the Promotion Playoff places with seven matches to go.

FULL RUNDOWN

• Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United; English Premier League) - 65 minutes in 4-1 loss at Arsenal (April 1)
• Paxton Aaronson (Eintracht Frankfurt; Bundesliga) - In 18, DNP in 1-1 draw vs. Bochum (March 31)
• Kellyn Acosta (Los Angeles FC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 0-0 draw at Colorado Rapids (April 1)
• Tyler Adams (Leeds United; MLS) - Injured, DNP in 4-1 loss at Arsenal (April 1)
• Paul Arriola (FC Dallas; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Portland Timbers (April 1)
• George Bello (Arminia Bielefeld; 2. Bundesliga) - Not in 18, DNP in 3-2 win at Holstein Kiel (April 1)
• Taylor Booth (Utrecht; Dutch Eredivisie) - Vs. Volendam (Monday, 8:30 a.m. ET)
• John Brooks (Hoffenheim; Bundesliga) – 90 minutes in 2-1 win at Werder Bremen (April 2)
• Gianluca Busio (Venezia; Italian Serie B) - Not in 18, DNP in 3-2 win vs. Como (April 1)
• Reggie Cannon (Boavista; Portuguese Primeira) - 90 minutes in 4-2 loss at Maritmo (April 2)
• Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic; Scottish Premiership) - 90 minutes in 2-0 win at Ross County (April 2)
• Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes; MLS) -86 minutes in 2-1 win vs. Houston Dynamo (April 1)
• Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo, Spain La Liga) - 57 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Almeria (April 2)
• Sergiño Dest (AC Milan; Italy Serie A) - Not in 18, DNP in 4-0 win at Napoli (April 2)
• Daryl Dike (West Bromwich Albion; English Championship) - 26 minutes as a substitute in 0-0 draw vs. Millwall (April 1)
• Jesus Ferreira (FC Dallas; MLS) - 89 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Portland Timbers (April 1)
• Matthew Hoppe (Hibernian; Scottish Premiership) - 81 minutes in 3-1 loss vs. Motherwell (April 1)
• Ethan Horvath (Luton Town; English Championship) - 90 minutes, SHUTOUT, in 2-0 win vs. Watford (April 1)
• Sean Johnson (Toronto FC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Charlotte FC (April 1)
• Richy Ledezma (New York City FC; MLS) - 25 minutes as a substitute in 1-1 draw at New England Revolution (April 1)
• Aaron Long (Los Angeles FC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 0-0 draw at Colorado Rapids (April 1)
• Weston McKennie (Leeds United; English Premier League) - 25 minutes as a substitute in 4-1 loss at Arsenal (April 1)
• Mark McKenzie (Genk; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 2-1 win vs. OH Leuven (April 2)
• Matt Miagza (FC Cincinnati; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Inter Miami CF (April 1)
• Djordje Mihailovic (AZ Alkmaar; Dutch Eredivisie) - 16 minutes as a substitute in 1-1 draw vs. Heerenveen (April 1)
• Shaq Moore (Nashville SC; MLS) - 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 2-0 win at Orlando City SC (April 1)
• Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders; MLS) - 89 minutes, GOAL, in 2-1 win at LA Galaxy (April 1)
• Yunus Musah (Valencia; Spain La Liga) - At Vallecano (Monday, 3 p.m. ET)
• Erik Palmer-Brown (Troyes; French Ligue 1) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at Auxerre (April 1)
• Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg; Bundesliga) - 30 minutes as a substitute, ASSIST, in 2-2 draw vs. Augsburg (April 2)
• Jordan Pefok (Union Berlin; Bundesliga) - 13 minutes as a substitute in 3-0 win vs. Stuttgart (April 1)
• Ricardo Pepi (Groningen; Dutch Eredivisie) - 90 minutes, GOAL, in 3-1 loss at Fortuna Sittard (April 2)
• Christian Pulisic (Chelsea; Premier League) - 10 minutes as a substitute in 2-0 loss vs. Aston Villa (April 1)
• Tim Ream (Fulham; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at AFC Bournemouth (April 1)
• Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund; Bundesliga) - Injured, DNP in 4-2 loss at Bayern Munich (April 1)
• Bryan Reynolds (Westerlo; Belgian Pro League) - 90 minutes in 3-2 loss vs. Sporting Charleroi (April 1)
• Chris Richards (Crystal Palace; English Premier League) - Injured, DNP in 2-1 win vs. Leicester City (April 1)
• Antonee Robinson (Fulham; English Premier League) - 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at AFC Bournemouth (April 1)
• Miles Robinson (Atlanta United; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. New York Red Bulls (April 1)
• Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-1 win at LA Galaxy (April 1)
• James Sands (New York City FC; MLS) – 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at New England Revolution (April 1)
• Josh Sargent (Norwich City; English Championship) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss vs. Sheffield United (April 1)
• Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) - 90 minutes in 0-0 draw at Köln (April 2)
• Alan Sonora (FC Juarez; Liga MX) - 26 minutes as a substitute in 2-0 loss vs. Puebla (March 31)
• Zack Steffen (Middlesbrough; English Championship) - 90 minutes in 4-2 loss at Huddersfield Town (April 1)
• Tanner Tessmann (Venezia; Italian Serie B) - 90 minutes in 3-2 win vs. Como (April 1)
• Malik Tillman (Rangers; Scottish Premiership) - 85 minutes, TWO GOALS, in 2-0 win vs. Dundee United (April 1)
• John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls; MLS) - Injured, DNP in 1-0 loss at Atlanta United (April 1)
• Auston Trusty (Birmingham City; English Championship) - 90 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Blackburn Rovers (April 1)
• Matt Turner (Arsenal; English Premier League) - In 18, DNP in 4-1 win vs. Leeds United (April 1)
• Brandon Vazquez (FC Cincinnati; MLS) - 87 minutes in 1-0 win vs. Inter Miami CF (April 1)
• Tim Weah (Lille; French Ligue 1) – 82 minutes in 3-1 win vs. Lorient (April 2)
• Eryk Williamson (Portland Timbers; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at FC Dallas (April 1)
• DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami CF; MLS) - 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at FC Cincinnati (April 1)
• Alex Zendejas (Club America; Liga MX) - 36 minutes as a substitute, ASSIST, in 2-2 draw vs. Leon (April 1)
• Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; MLS) - 90 minutes in 2-0 win at Orlando City SC (April 1)