Italy took centre stage at the weekend as a contingent of U.S. players continued to make a positive impression in Serie A.
Welcome to the USMNT player tracker, where we will be bringing you updates on the USMNT players plying their trade in various leagues around Europe.
With the Copa America next year, and a World Cup on home soil on the horizon, we’ll be keeping tabs on how they perform every weekend.
Issue of the weekend
Weston McKennie featured in a Harry Potter-themed Serie A advert to promote the recent AC Milan versus Juventus game, and he is a self-confessed fan of all things Hogwarts.
But there is no magic behind McKennie’s Turin revival. No secret spell. Just old-fashioned ceaseless hard work.
The 25-year-old has turned around his club fortunes so far this season thanks to that impressive graft and an ability to fit in wherever manager Max Allegri has decided to deploy him.
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McKennie’s father had complained on Twitter that his son was a better midfielder than wing-back, where he had been used earlier in the campaign, and in recent weeks it seems Allegri has started to agree. Against Hellas Verona on Saturday, Allegri used the Texan in the middle with his international team-mate Timothy Weah next to him in the more defensive wing-back role.
It proved a winning combination as Juve ground out another 1-0 win and climbed into second place in the table. And McKennie’s performance justified Allegri’s decision to stick with the midfielder in the summer when all signs pointed to an exit after a dismal time on loan at Leeds United last season.
“One who I hope continues like this and performs like this is McKennie. As a midfielder, he made I don’t know how many runs,” said Allegri after the game, which was sealed by Andrea Cambiaso’s 96th-minute goal.
McKennie’s selfless style, putting in the hard yards to cover for team-mates and willing to do a job wherever he’s asked, is making him a fan favourite at the Allianz Stadium.
U.S. head coach Gregg Berhalter has some enticing options in central midfield and seeing McKennie consistently shine will be encouraging.
However, not as positive was the post-match news on Weah, who had to be withdrawn at half-time. Scans have since shown a low-grade muscle tear in his right thigh and Juventus hope to have him back for the Derby d’Italia against Inter after the next international break.
This means Weah is a big doubt for the USMNT’s double-header against Trinidad and Tobago next month. The two-legged tie will decide whether the USMNT advance to the semi-final stage of the CONCACAF Nations League.
Player of the weekend
He was the youngest player on the pitch, yet Yunus Musah seemed to cover every blade of grass on it.
The Milan midfielder produced an influential performance in the Rossoneri’s 2-2 draw with Napoli on Sunday.
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Musah started his third consecutive match for his club, playing the full game in each, and — similar to McKennie in Turin — his work-rate was a huge part in ensuring Stefano Pioli’s side came away from the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona with a point after a tough encounter.
A metronome in midfield 💪#SempreMilan
Brought to you by @skrill pic.twitter.com/yB0bHZ05Jr— AC Milan (@acmilan) October 29, 2023
His heat map was telling, with the former Valencia man covering over 10km and making four recoveries, five touches in the opponents’ box and dealing well with Napoli’s lively left-sided midfield of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Piotr Zielinski.
He went close to scoring too, drawing a strong save from Alex Meret. Even if it wasn’t a flawless display, with a few shaky moments in possession, Musah is maturing by the week in the spotlight at one of world football’s biggest clubs.
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Quote of the weekend
“Pulisic felt a twinge in the adductor and it was not worth the risk there, even if he was having a great game.”
It’s clear that Milan manager Pioli is not keen to take anything for granted when it comes to Captain America.
Having put in a stellar 45 minutes, creating a goal for AC Milan with a pinpoint cross for Olivier Giroud to score — something that is becoming a familiar pattern this term — Pulisic did not emerge for the second half in Naples.
On Sunday, he was playing in his 17th game of the campaign already: 10 Serie A games, three in the Champions League and four USMNT fixtures. Piolo was clearly concerned about overusing one of his star attackers.
In his half on the pitch, Pulisic created two chances, made four passes into the final third and both his crosses were accurate.
He now has a full week to recover before Milan’s next game against Udinese on Saturday and everyone, Pioli and Giroud especially, will be hoping Pulisic’s problem is nothing serious.
How did other U.S. players get on?
Name: Auston Trusty
Club: Sheffield United
Position: Centre-back
League appearances: Five (three starts)
Sheffield United have had more than their fair share of difficult afternoons on their return to the Premier League, and the 5-0 thrashing by Arsenal was up there with their most humbling.
Rock bottom after losing nine of their 10 league games so far, it can’t be fun for anyone in a Blades jersey — but especially their beleaguered defenders.
Trusty has broken into the team of late, starting in United’s last three defeats. And, as expected, his performance against his former club Arsenal was a busy one: he won three of his five ground duels, made some solid blocks, made one goal-line clearance and a goal-saving tackle on Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Name: Joe Scally
Club: Borussia Monchengladbach
Position: Right-back
League appearances: Nine (six starts)
Scally was impressive in his side’s 2-1 win over Heidenheim on Saturday, making five ball recoveries, three interceptions and three clearances to ensure a frustrating day for USMNT team-mate Lennard Maloney in the opposing ranks.
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Name: Folarin Balogun
Club: AS Monaco
Position: Striker
League appearances: Seven (five starts; three goals)
Balogun has often been the main man for his new club already this season, but things did not go to plan on Sunday.
Monaco lost 2-0 at Lille and Balogun was substituted at half-time after a quiet showing. The former Arsenal man had no shots and only three touches in Lille’s territory. Manager Adi Hutter had seen enough and the striker made way for Myron Boadu.
Name: Sergino Dest
Club: PSV Eindhoven
Position: Full-back
League appearances: Five (all starts)
It was a happy afternoon for Dest as PSV thrashed Ajax 5-2 in the Eredivisie.
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The on-loan Barcelona man put in a quietly effective shift, with two of his three dribbles being successful, three touches in Ajax’s box and three passes into the final third as he linked up well with star man Hirving Lozano, who scored a hat-trick.
What’s coming up?
Kevin Paredes will hope to feature for Wolfsburg, who face RB Leipzig in the DFB Pokal on Halloween (Tuesday, 1pm EST, ESPN +), while Jordan Pefok could start for Gladbach against Heidenheim in the same competition (Tuesday, 3.45pm EST, ESPN +).
Luca Koleosho has been one of Burnley’s few bright lights in the Premier League, and he could start against Everton in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday at Goodison Park (3.45pm EST, ESPN +).
(Top photos: Getty Images)