It was a weekend of contrasting fortunes for USMNT forwards. There was heartache for one striker, further momentum for another — and that disconcerting goalless streak for Christian Pulisic drags on.
Welcome to this week’s USMNT Player Tracker.
Agyemang injury, Balogun’s sensational goal
As he went down the tunnel at Pride Park on a stretcher, his hands over his face, Derby County’s Patrick Agyemang was clearly distraught. Minutes earlier, the striker had jumped to challenge for the ball in the latter stages of the first half, but landed awkwardly.
The 25-year-old’s rise to the national team roster and his strong first season in the English second tier had echoes of a Hollywood script.
Four years ago, he was playing college soccer in Connecticut. His rapid ascent from that level to the Championship and the brink of being selected for Mauricio Pochettino’s squad for this summer’s World Cup — he played over an hour across the USMNT’s two March friendlies, scoring against Belgium — was a feel-good tale. But his dreams have been dashed, with scans showing the forward has ruptured an Achilles, ruling him out of the World Cup.
A day earlier, Folarin Balogun cemented his status as one of Europe’s most in-form centre-forwards.
Unlike Agyemang, the 24-year-old didn’t deliver for the USMNT in those defeats against Belgium and Portugal, but he remains a key man for his resurgent Monaco side in Ligue 1. Balogun reached double figures for Ligue 1 goals this season in sensational fashion on Sunday.
Folarin Balogun scores against Marseille (Frederic Dides/AFP via Getty Images)
His 10th league goal was Monaco’s second in a 2-1 win over Marseille that saw the hosts move level on points with their rivals in the race for a Champions League qualifying slot. Using his considerable pace, Balogun burst into a 50-yard dash before sending an immaculate lob into the far corner, leaving Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli grasping at thin air.
Even Olympic sprinting great Usain Bolt, a matchday guest of Monaco, was on his feet to applaud.
“We know he can score goals at any moment,” team-mate Lamine Camara said in the mixed zone afterwards, as reported by L’Equipe. “I told him it was one of the most beautiful goals I’ve seen in my career.”
It took Balogun’s overall tally for the club to 16 for the campaign. Now the challenge is to convert that form onto the big stage this summer.
Finally, Haji Wright, who did not travel for the most recent USMNT roster after a groin injury, could do with another scoring streak to round off what still looks like a promotion-winning season with Coventry City.
Frank Lampard’s side were held to a draw by Hull City on Monday, as Wright failed to register a shot on target before being replaced on 64 minutes. The forward has put together an impressive season, with 16 Championship goals, although he has not scored in his last three games.
Aaronson is on his way to Wembley
In England, Brenden Aaronson played his part in Leeds United’s progress to the FA Cup semi-finals.
He confidently scored his spot kick in the penalty shootout against West Ham United after a pulsating quarter-final tie, giving Daniel Farke’s side some momentum.
Aaronson, who came on for the USMNT against Portugal last week, went second in the shootout, sparking wild celebrations at London Stadium.
Brenden Aaronson celebrates scoring his penalty against West Ham (Steve Bardens/Getty Images)
The New Jersey native and his team-mates will face Chelsea at Wembley in the semi-final this month.
Their battle to stay safe in the Premier League (Leeds are 15th and four points ahead of West Ham in the relegation zone) continues with a trip to Manchester United on Monday.
Pulisic starts on the bench
Milan lost 1-0 to Napoli in Serie A on Sunday, extending Pulisic’s goalless streak this year.
The USMNT attacker was left out of Massimiliano Allegri’s starting line-up in Naples, a big call in what was an opportunity to keep their title hopes alive against another contender.
In the end, Pulisic got just 21 minutes to try and turn things around with the visitors trailing, and it wasn’t enough. Milan lost, their receding title dream took a major blow and questions over Pulisic’s form linger.
Christian Pulisic has not scored since December (Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
It was a deflating defeat at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona for Allegri’s squad, who are now nine points off league leaders Inter.
At least Monday was cheerier for Weston McKennie. The Texan scored his team’s second goal, finishing a wonderful counter-attack, as Juventus recorded a 2-0 win over Genoa. It boosted their Champions League qualification hopes, moving the Turin side to within a point of Como in fourth.
McKennie’s sweeping right-footed finish in the first half was his ninth goal of the season. To cap it off, he was also man of the match.
What’s coming up this week?
All kick-offs ET
Johnny Cardoso is the last American standing in this season’s Champions League. But he must recover from the thigh injury he picked up on international duty if he is to make Atletico Madrid’s quarter-final first leg on Wednesday. They have a tough task against a Barcelona team that just beat them in La Liga on Saturday at Camp Nou. See if the midfielder, who featured for 45 minutes in the Belgium defeat, can recover to be involved on Wednesday (3pm, Paramount +).
On Thursday in south London, Chris Richards will try to help Crystal Palace to a strong start in their Conference League quarter-final first leg against Fiorentina (3pm, Paramount +). On the same day, midfielder Lennard Maloney will hope for some minutes at the same stage for his team, Mainz, who face Strasbourg at the Mewa Arena (3pm, Paramount +). Maloney was an 87th-minute substitute for Mainz in their 2-1 win over Cole Campbell’s Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
In the Premier League on Saturday, eyes will be on whether Antonee Robinson and Fulham can inflict further pain on Liverpool as Arne Slot’s team travel to west London (12:30pm, Peacock Premium).
