USMNT REWIND: Pulisic Grabs Headlines with Mother’s Day Weekend Brace, and More

In Europe, Christian Pulisic grabbed the headlines and gave his mother an early Mother’s Day present with not one, but two goals in an AC Milan triumph. Meanwhile, Cameron Carter-Vickers and his Celtic teammates found themselves on the verge of clinching the Scottish Premiership crown.

Domestically, Jesús Ferreira reached an important MLS milestone for FC Dallas and Ben Cremaschi’s second-half heroics lifted Inter Miami CF to a road win north of the border.

Additionally, Joe Scally, Djordje Mihailovic and Folarin Balogun all assisted on goals as members of the US Men’s National Team pool produced some more headlines last week.

FOR MOTHER AND CLUB

Like all AC Milan players, Christian Pulisic wore his mother’s maiden surname – Harlow – on the back of his jersey to honor his mom a day early of Mother’s Day on Saturday, May 11. He struck twice for Milan in a 5-1 home break over Cagliari in Italian Serie A, and then dedicated his goals to his mother, Kelley. The victory snapped a six-game winless streak across all competitions for the Rossoneri.

The USMNT star is enjoying a career year for Milan, having tallied 12 goals in the league and 15 across all competitions.

After Ismael Bennacer opened the scoring in the 35th minute, Pulisic doubled the lead in the 59th minute, driving in Rafael Leao’s through ball into the left side of the net past goalkeeper Simone Scuffet. He added another goal, the final score of the match, in the 86th minute. The ball had appeared to be cleared off the goal line, but the game officials ruled it had crossed entirely over the line.

With two games remaining in the season, Milan (22-6-8, 74 points) has been assured of a second-place finish, 18 points behind rival and champions Inter (29-2-5, 92).

MILESTONE GOAL

Jesús Ferreira became the youngest player in MLS history to score 50 goals in the regular season, in FC Dallas’ 2-1 home win over Austin FC on Saturday, May 11. Ferreira scored Dallas’ second goal, converting Petar Musa’s lead pass for his second goal of the season in the 56th minute. Ferreira went 1-v-1 with goalkeeper Brad Stuver before slotting home his 12-yard shot into the lower right corner to become the third player in league history to reach 50 goals before his 24th birthday (23 years, 132 days), edging out New England Revolution’s midfielder Diego Fagundez (23 years, 256 days old) for the mark.

ALMOST THERE

After Celtic’s 2-1 home win over Rangers in the Glasgow Derby on Saturday, May 11, defender Cameron Carter-Vickers and his teammates need only a draw in their last two Scottish Premiership matches to clinch the league title. Celtic (87) enjoys a six-point advantage over Rangers (81) as it will visit Kilmarnock on Wednesday, May 15 and close out the campaign at home against St. Mirren on Saturday, May 18. Carter-Vickers played the entire way for Celtic. A tie or a loss by Rangers in its final two matches would also give its foes the crown. Celtic and Rangers will also tussle for the Scottish Cup on May 25.

GAME-WINNER

Midfielder Ben Cremaschi snapped a 2-2 tie in the 59th minute to lift Inter Miami CF to a 3-2 comeback triumph at CF Montreal on Saturday, May 11. Matias Rojas led an onrushing Cremaschi on the right flank. With a defender on his back and while falling to the ground, the 19-year-old Cremaschi slipped the ball past keeper Jonathan Sirois from 10 yards for his second goal of the campaign.

A VERY GOOD WEEK

Crystal Palace defender-midfielder Chris Richards enjoyed a memorable week in the English Premier League as his side won twice, outscoring his foes, 7-1. Richards played the entire way in both victories. He assisted on Palace’s second goal in their 4-0 home break over Manchester United on Monday, May 6 (on Jean-Philippe Mateta’s 40th-minute goal) and helped the team to a 3-1 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, May eleven).

Off the pitch, Richards was also honored at the Professional Football Association Community Awards dinner for his work with the Palace For Life Foundation. The foundation is the official charity of Crystal Palace, which has been working with the south London community for more than 25 years.

PERMANENT MOVE

Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven exercised their option to purchase midfielder Malik Tillman’s contract from Bayern Munich on Friday, May 10. He played on loan with the Eredivisie club this past season.

SOME ASSISTANCE

Joe Scally, Djordje Mihailovic and Folarin Balogun set up goals for their teams over the past weekend.

Scally, on defense, assisted on Robin Hack’s ninth-minute goal, which lifted Borussia Monchengladbach into the lead in their 1-1 home draw with Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga on Saturday, May 11.

Mihailovic fed Rafael Navarro for the Colorado Rapids’ first goal in the 33rd minute of their 3-2 loss to the visiting San Jose Earthquakes in MLS action on Saturday, May 11.

After coming on in the 44th minute, Balogun assisted on Monaco’s first goal in their 2-0 victory at Montpellier in French Ligue 1 on Sunday, May 12. Balogun set up Kassoum Ouattara’s tally in the 52nd minute.

SEMIFINAL BOUND

Three USMNT players and their teams have reached the Liga MX Clausura semifinals. Alejandro Zendejas and Club America won their quarterfinal series with Pachuca as it advanced because it was the higher seeded team after playing to a 2-2 aggregate draw over two legs, after a pair of 1-1 ties. Cade Cowell and Guadalajara moved on after securing a 1-0 victory aggregate past Toluca over both legs, on the strength of a 1-0 home win. And Brandon Vazquez and Monterrey captured their series over Tigres UANL, 3-2, after winning the first leg on the road, 2-1, and then playing to a 1-1 home draw.

Guadalajara (first leg host) and America will play on May 15 and May 18, and Monterrey (first leg host) and Cruz Azul will meet on the same dates.

GOING OUT IN STYLE

Goalkeeper Gaga Slonina recorded her sixth shutout of the Belgian Pro League season Eupen’s 2-0 home victory over RWDM on Saturday, May 11. Slonina, who played on loan from Chelsea, made seven saves. Eupen was relegated to the second division last week.

NOTHING DOING

Josh Sargent and his Norwich City played Leeds United to a scoreless home draw in the first leg of the English Championship semi-finals on Sunday, May 12. Norwich City will visit Leeds in the second leg on Thursday, May 16.

FULL RUNDOWN

• Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin; Bundesliga) – 54 minutes in 3-2 loss at Köln (May 11)
• Paxten Aaronson (Vitesse; Dutch Eredivisie) – 84 minutes in 3-1 win at Heerenveen (May 12)
• Kellyn Acosta (Chicago Fire; MLS) – 82 minutes in 3-1 loss at ST. LOUIS City (May 11)
• Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth; English Premier League) – 9 minutes as a substitute in 2-1 loss vs. Brentford (May 11)
• Folarin Balogun (Monaco; French Ligue 1) – 46 minutes as a substitute, ASSIST, in 2-0 win at Montpellier (May 12)
• Taylor Booth (Utrecht; Dutch Eredivisie) – 56 minutes in 1-0 loss vs. Sparta Rotterdam (May 12)
• Gianluca Busio (Venezia; Italian Serie B) – 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at Spezia (May 10)
• Drake Callender (Inter Miami CF; MLS) – 90 minutes in 3-2 win at CF Montreal (May 11)
• Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis; Spain La Liga) – 60 minutes in 3-2 win vs. Almeria Osasuna (May 12)
• Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic; Scottish Premiership) – 90 minutes in 2-1 win vs. Rangers (May 11)
• Cade Cowell (Guadalajara; Liga MX) – 21 minutes as a substitute in 0-0 draw at Toluca in Clausura playoffs (May 11); 10 minutes as a substitute in 1-0 win vs. Toluca in Clausura playoffs (May 8)
• Ben Cremaschi (Inter Miami CF; MLS) – 72 minutes, GOAL, in 3-2 win at CF Montreal (May 11)
• Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) – Injured, DNP in 1-1 draw at Fortuna Sittard (May 12)
• Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo, Spain La Liga) – 2 minutes as a substitute in 1-0 loss at Atletico Madrid (May 12)
• Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas; MLS) – 71 minutes, GOAL, in 2-1 win vs. Austin FC (May 11)
• Julian Gressel (Inter Miami CF; MLS) – 79 minutes, GOAL, in 3-2 win at CF Montreal (May 11)
• DeJuan Jones (New England Revolution; MLS) – Injured, DNP in 4-2 loss at New York Red Bulls (May 11)
• Kristoffer Lund (Palmero; Italy Serie B) – 90 minutes in 1-0 win at Sudtirol (May 10)
• Lennard Maloney (Heidenheim; Bundesliga) – 24 minutes as a substitute in 1-1 draw at Freiburg (May 11)
• Weston McKennie (Juventus; Italy Serie A) – 45 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Salernitana (May 12)
• Mark McKenzie (Genk; Belgian Pro League) – 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at Anderlecht in Jupiler Pro League playoffs (May 11)
• Djordje Mihailovic (Colorado Rapids; MLS) – 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 3-2 loss vs. San Jose Earthquakes (May 11)
• Shaq Moore (Nashville SC; MLS) – 16 minutes as a substitute in 1-0 loss at Charlotte FC (May 11)
• Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew; MLS) – 70 minutes in 2-1 loss vs. FC Cincinnati (May 11)
• Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders; MLS) – 81 minutes in 2-1 win at Portland Timbers (May 12); Not in 18, DNP in 2-2 draw vs. Louisville City (5-4 penalty kick win) in US Open Cup (May 8)
• Yunus Musah (AC Milan; Italy Serie A) – 90 minutes in 5-1 win vs. Cagliari (May 11)
• Jalen Neal (LA Galaxy; MLS) – 90 minutes in 2-2 draw vs. Real Salt Lake (May 11)
• Erik Palmer-Brown (Panathinaikos; Greek Super League) – No games
• Kevin Paredes (Wolfsburg; Bundesliga) – 79 minutes in 2-0 loss at Bayern Munich (May 12)
• Jordan Pefok (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) – In 18, DNP in 1-1 draw at Borussia Mönchengladbach (May 11)
• Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) – 21 minutes as a substitute in 1-1 draw at Fortuna Sittard (May 12)
• Christian Pulisic (AC Milan; Italy Serie A) – 90 minutes, TWO GOALS, in 5-1 win vs. Cagliari (May 11)
• Tim Ream (Fulham; English Premier League) – In 18, DNP in 4-0 loss vs. Manchester City (May 11)
• Gio Reyna (Nottingham Forest; English Premier League) – Not in 18, DNP in 3-2 loss vs. Chelsea (May 11)
• Bryan Reynolds (Westerlo; Belgian Pro League) – No games
• Chris Richards (Crystal Palace; English Premier League) – 90 minutes in 3-1 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers (May 11); 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 4-0 win vs. Manchester United (May 6)
• Antonee Robinson (Fulham; English Premier League) – 90 minutes in 4-0 loss vs. Manchester City (May 11)
• Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; MLS) – 90 minutes in 2-1 win at Columbus Crew (May 11)
• James Sands (New York City FC; MLS) – 90 minutes in 3-2 win at Toronto FC (May 11)
• Josh Sargent (Norwich City; Championship) – 84 minutes in 0-0 draw vs. Leeds United in EFL playoffs (May 12)
• Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach; Bundesliga) – 90 minutes, ASSIST, in 1-1 draw vs. Eintracht Frankfurt (May 11)
• Gaga Slonina (Eupen; Belgian Pro League) – 90 minutes, SHUTOUT, in 2-0 win vs. RWDM (May 11)
• Zack Steffen (Colorado Rapids; MLS) – 90 minutes in 3-2 loss vs. San Jose Earthquakes (May 11)
• Tanner Tessmann (Venezia; Italy Serie B) – 90 minutes in 2-1 loss at Spezia (May 10)
• Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven; Dutch Eredivisie) – 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Fortuna Sittard (May 12)
• Timmy Tillman (Los Angeles FC; MLS) – 68 minutes in 3-0 win vs. Vancouver Whitecaps (May 11)
• John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls; MLS) – 90 minutes in 4-2 win vs. New England Revolution (May 11)
• Auston Trusty (Sheffield United; English Premier League) – 90 minutes in 1-0 loss at Everton (May 11)
• Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest; English Premier League) – In 18, DNP in 3-2 loss vs. Chelsea (May 11)
• Brandon Vazquez (Monterrey; Liga MX) – 45 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Tigres UANL in Clausura playoffs (May 12); 62 minutes in 2-1 win at Tigres UANL in Clausura playoffs (May 9)
• Tim Weah (Juventus; Italy Serie A) – SUSPENDED, DNP in 1-1 draw vs. Salernitana (May 12)
• Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United; MLS – 90 minutes in 3-2 loss vs. DC United (May 11)
• DeAndre Yedlin (FC Cincinnati; MLS) – Injured, DNP in 2-1 win at Columbus Crew (May 11)
• Alejandro Zendejas (Club America; Liga MX) – 75 minutes in 1-1 draw vs. Pachuca in Clausura playoffs (May 11); 90 minutes in 1-1 draw at Pachuca in Clausura playoffs (May 8)
• Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; MLS) – 45 minutes as a substitute in 1-0 loss at Charlotte FC (May 11)