A rare red card for John Brooks, Christian Pulisic shines again and Sergino Dest’s big bet all play a part in this week’s USMNT tracker.
Each Monday, we bring you updates on how the American players who play in various leagues around Europe fared over the weekend.
With the Copa America this year and the 2026 World Cup on home soil looming ever larger on the horizon, we’re keeping tabs on how they are performing.
Issue of the weekend
He has played himself back into contention for a Copa America spot and Brooks certainly had the sort of weekend that will keep him in the headlines.
Brooks, 31, has enjoyed an impressively consistent season in Germany, helping Hoffenheim chase qualification for European competition next season.
Last month, he was named in Gregg Berhalter’s 60-man initial roster for next week’s CONCACAF Nations League semi-final against Jamaica. If Brooks makes the cut to the final squad and then plays, it would mark his first USMNT appearance since September 2021.
But he may hope that any international camp observers of his display on Sunday against Eintracht Frankfurt switched off after 21 minutes.
At that stage, the centre-back’s header had given Hoffenheim the lead at Deutsche Bank Park and the visitors had momentum against their rivals for a European qualifying spot.
But, in the 22nd minute, his afternoon changed dramatically. The home side broke and as Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush raced through on goal, Brooks’ attempt to stop him as last man backfired.
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The referee produced a red card for Brooks’ first sending-off in his professional career, which has seen him play more than 300 first-team games, and things went downhill fast for Hoffenheim thereafter. Brooks tends to provide a steadying presence in the back line but, for all that Hoffenheim were resolute in his absence, Frankfurt ratcheted up the pressure and eventually won 3-1.
Ozan Kabak was also sent off after receiving his second yellow card in the 78th minute, meaning Hoffenheim finished with nine players on the pitch.
Unsurprisingly, manager Pellegrino Matarazzo was not a cheerful man afterwards. “I’m very unhappy with how we started the game,” he said. “Even though we took the lead, we did not defend well and were not compact. The (first) red card also came as a result of our defensive game. After the red card, we defended better.”
It would be harsh to use the incident as a factor in judging whether Brooks makes the cut for the Jamaica game, but he would certainly have hoped for a better sign-off than watching Hoffenheim’s next game from the stands.
Player of the weekend
Once again, Pulisic showed he is the main man for AC Milan, supplying a starring turn in his team’s win over Empoli on Sunday.
He scored the only goal of the game to ensure Milan edged into second place ahead of Juventus, who dropped points with a draw at home against Atalanta.
Pulisic was named man of the match and his influence on Stefano Pioli’s side shows no sign of waning, with his latest exploits coming days after he scored in a 4-2 Europa League win over Slavia Prague.
The USMNT captain has now been involved in 14 goals (eight goals and six assists) in Serie A this term, more than in any of his previous seasons in Europe’s top five leagues. His numbers are bolstered further with two goals across the Europa League and Champions League campaigns and an assist in the Coppa Italia.
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His latest, assisted by Noah Okafor, came after a tried and tested move having already played out against Lazio this season.
“We’ve tried this movement often, I knew exactly where to find Chris,” said the Swiss winger after the game.
Isma’s through ball 🎯
Noah’s cutback 🧠
Puli’s finish 💪
The wait 😨#SempreMilan
Brought to you by @SN4IFUN pic.twitter.com/lwKf2dBcN9
— AC Milan (@acmilan) March 11, 2024
Quote of the weekend
Dest’s remarkable solo goal ensured PSV Eindhoven remain unbeaten on the road to the Eredivisie title this season.
The full-back’s audacious effort clinched a 1-0 win over Go Ahead Eagles on Friday and Dest said he was partly inspired by a desire not to get his hands wet when the campaign is over.
“A wonderful goal, I can’t say anything else. I am proud of it,” he said afterwards. “I need one more. I had a bet with Rob Maas (PSV’s assistant coach).
“I have to score three goals before the end of the season. If not, I’ll have to wash his car by hand. And I’m not going to do that. If I score three times, he has to fill my car with gas. I have a big car.”
How did other U.S. players get on?
Name: Haji Wright
Club: Coventry City
Position: Striker
Appearances: 39
Goals: 14
Wright scored both of Coventry’s goals in their 2-1 win at Watford on Saturday. The first was a penalty just before half-time to level the score, with the winner coming 18 minutes from time.
Afterwards, Wright insisted he never doubts himself from the spot. “It’s just kind of confidence in the moment,” he told Coventry City’s website. “I feel confident taking penalties — I always have — and I believe in my ball-striking abilities. So I know if I hit it correctly, no goalkeeper’s going to save it.”
That’s 13 Championship goals (and another in the FA Cup) and six assists this term.
All glory to the most high 🤲🏾 pic.twitter.com/usH4BvrQRg
— Haji Wright (@HajiWright) March 9, 2024
GO DEEPER
Haji Wright on his 'crazy' World Cup goal: 'I was like, "OK, I’ll take it!"’
Name: Weston McKennie
Club: Juventus
Position: Midfield
Appearances: 27
McKennie was in prime creative mode on Sunday, supplying both of Juve’s goals for team-mates within four second-half minutes.
McKennie has seven assists in Serie A this season and, not for the first time, his father was watching closely and taking issue with some who ignored the star display and criticised his son’s performance on social media. “He puts it on the line risking further injury and it’s still not enough for the couch pundits,” wrote John McKennie on X, formerly Twitter.
He puts it on the line risking further injury and it’s still not enough for the couch pundits! https://t.co/0V5kP2CNMM
— john mckennie (@airborne69) March 10, 2024
Name: Damion Downs
Club: Cologne
Position: Striker
Appearances: Four
Goals: One
Downs, 19, scored his first Bundesliga goal in an exciting 3-3 draw at Borussia Monchengladbach.
The 6ft 4in (193cm) striker is eligible to represent Germany and the United States and has played for both nations’ youth teams. USMNT defender Joe Scally also played a part in the game on Saturday, assisting one of the hosts’ goals.
Name: Paxten Aaronson
Club: Vitesse Arnhem
Position: Midfield
Appearances: 14 (for Eintracht Frankfurt), five (on loan at Vitesse)
Goals: Two
Aaronson, 20, scored a consolatory goal during his team’s 3-1 defeat at RKC Waalwijk. That’s two goals in five loan appearances in the Eredivisie.
GO DEEPER
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What’s coming up?
(All times Eastern)
Watch Dest, Malik Tillman and Ricardo Pepi try to help PSV beat Borussia Dortmund in their Champions League round-of-16 second leg on Wednesday (2pm, Paramount +, TUDN, Univision).
The following day, Pulisic and Yunus Musah will hope to feature for Milan against Slavia Prague in the Europa League (1:45pm, Paramount +).
Kevin Paredes will look to build on his exciting Wolfsburg displays when the German side take on Augsburg on Saturday (10:30am, ESPN+).
(Top photos: Getty Images)