USMNT Saturday roundup: Luna brace, Sarge volley, Pulassist, Dest out again

Here’s a bullet-point rundown of the USMNT players whose clubs were in action on Friday and Saturday. I divided players by position groups (that helps my depth-chart-oriented brain to process this information most usefully). Within position groups, players are listed chronologically, in order of when their games took place.

Strikers

Injured: Ricardo Pepi (knee, out for season), Damion Downs (hand, back on the field), Jordan Pefok (hamstring, back in the squad), Jordan Morris (hamstring, mid-April)

Sargent was also named Norwich’s Player of the Month for March (that’s back-to-back months for him).

• Folarin Balogun played 4 minutes off the bench in Monaco’s 1-2 loss to Brest on Saturday.
• Patrick Agyemang played 76 minutes in Charlotte FC’s 2-1 win over Nashville SC on Saturday.
• Damion Downs returned from his hand injury, playing 13 minutes off the bench in Köln’s 0-1 loss to Hertha Berlin on Saturday.
• Duncan McGuire played 45 minutes off the bench and created 1 chance as Orlando City drew 0-0 with the Philadelphia Union on Saturday.
• Brandon Vázquez played the full 90 in Austin FC’s 0-0 draw with the Portland Timbers on Saturday.
• Brian White played the full 90, scored a goal, and created 1 chance in the Vancouver Whitecaps’ 2-0 win over the Colorado Rapids on Saturday.

Wingers and attacking mids

Injured: Kevin Paredes (ankle, back in squad), Brian Gutiérrez (muscle injury, mid-April), Taylor Booth (unknown, mid-April), Cole Campbell (knock, a few days)

• Haji Wright played the full 90 and scored in Coventry’s 1-2 loss to Burnley on Saturday.

• Luca Koleosho was an unused sub in that Burnley win over Coventry.
• Brenden Aaronson played 11 minutes off the bench as Leeds United drew 1-1 with Luton on Saturday. Leeds will be disappointed to drop points against Luton, who are in the relegation zone. The loss drops Leeds out of automatic promotion position.
• Gio Reyna was an unused sub in Borussia Dortmund’s 4-1 win over Freiburg on Saturday.
• Griffin Yow played the full 90, scored, and created 1 chance in Westerlo’s 2-2 draw with OH Leuven on Saturday. Larry Henry Jr. reported that both Yow and fellow American, right back Bryan Reynolds, will need to leave Westerlo in the summer so that Westerlo can avoid Financial Fair Play penalties.
• Malik Tillman played the full 90, scored, and created 1 chance in PSV’s 3-1 win over Groningen on Saturday. Tillman was rated Man of the Match by FotMob. He also won 5 tackles, the most in the match.

• Christian Pulisic played 80 minutes, provided an assist, and created 2 chances as AC Milan drew 2-2 with Fiorentina on Saturday.

• Diego Luna scored both goals and created 1 chance in Real Salt Lake’s 2-0 win over the LA Galaxy on Saturday. FotMob rated him Man of the Match (duh). USMNT assistant coach Miki D’Agostino was reportedly in attendance.

• Matko Miljevic scored a brace and created 3 chances in Huracán’s 3-3 draw with Aldosivi on Saturday. Miljevic was rated Man of the Match by FotMob.
• Alex Zendejas played 45 minutes in Club América’s 0-1 loss to Pachuca on Saturday.
• Lucho Acosta played the full 90 and created 4 chances as FC Dallas drew 1-1 with Atlanta United on Saturday.
• Cade Cowell played 67 minutes in Chivas’ 1-3 loss to Monterrey on Saturday.
• Djordje Mihailovic played the full 90 and created 2 chances in the Colorado Rapids’ 0-2 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday.
• Jesús Ferreira played 62 minutes in the Seattle Sounders’ 0-3 loss to San Diego on Saturday.

Center mids

Injured: James Sands (broken leg, mid-July), Niko Tsakiris (muscle injury, mid-April)

• Aidan Morris played the full 90 in Middlesbrough’s 2-0 win over Blackburn Rovers on Friday. Morris won the most duels (14), and drew the most fouls (5). He was 14/21 on duels in total (13/19 ground, 1/2 aerial).
• Lennard Maloney was an unused sub as Mainz drew 1-1 with Holstein Kiel on Saturday.
• Tyler Adams played the full 90 in Bournemouth’s 2-2 draw with West Ham on Saturday. Adams won 10 duels, the most in the match. He was 10/16 on duels (7/13 ground, 3/3 aerial).
• Rokas Pukštas played 10 minutes off the bench as Hajduk Split won 1-0 over Slaven on Saturday.
• Yunus Musah made an error that led to a goal, and was subbed off after just 23 minutes in AC Milan’s 2-2 draw with Fiorentina on Saturday.
• Johnny Cardoso played 79 minutes and created 1 chance as Real Betis drew 1-1 with Barcelona on Saturday. Barça was able to play through Johnny on their only goal.
• Tanner Tessmann played the full 90 in Lyon’s 2-1 win over Lille on Saturday – a big win for Lyon’s European hopes.
• Quinn Sullivan played 81 minutes and created 3 chances in the Philadelphia Union’s 0-0 draw with Orlando City on Saturday.
• Owen Wolff played 89 minutes and created 2 chances in Austin FC’s 0-0 draw with the Portland Timbers on Saturday.
• Jack McGlynn played the full 90, scored the only goal, and created a game-high 4 chances in the Houston Dynamo’s 1-0 win over LAFC on Saturday.

• Luca de la Torre played 80 minutes and created 1 chance in San Diego FC’s 3-0 win over the Seattle Sounders on Saturday.

Fullbacks

Injured: Sergiño Dest (unknown, one week)

• John Tolkin played 76 minutes and created 1 chance as Holstein Kiel drew 1-1 with Mainz on Saturday. The loss will be costly for Holstein Kiel, who are in a relegation fight.
• Caleb Wiley played 79 minutes and created 1 chance as Watford lost 1-2 to Bristol City on Saturday.
• George Bello was suspended for yellow card accumulation, missing LASK Linz’s 1-0 win over Grazer AK on Saturday.
• Bryan Reynolds played the full 90 and created 2 chances in Westerlo’s 2-2 draw with OH Leuven on Saturday. Reynolds also made 8 passes into the final third. Larry Henry Jr. reported that both Reynolds and fellow American, forward Griffin Yow, will need to leave Westerlo in the summer so that Westerlo can avoid Financial Fair Play penalties.
• Nathaniel Brown played the full 90 and created 1 chance in Frankfurt’s 0-2 loss to Werder Bremen on Saturday.
• Sergiño Dest was not in PSV’s squad for their 3-1 win with Groningen on Saturday. PSV insider Rik Elfrink reported “Dest is not expected to have a serious injury and hopes to be back next week”.
• Richy Ledezma played 67 minutes and provided an assist in PSV’s 3-1 win over Groningen on Saturday.

• Shaq Moore played the full 90 in FC Dallas’ 1-1 draw with Atlanta United on Saturday.
• Peyton Miller played the full 90 in the New England Revolution’s 0-1 loss to FC Cincinnati on Saturday.

Center-backs

Injured: Chris Richards (calf/thigh, mid-April), Auston Trusty (calf, back on the bench), Walker Zimmerman (face, unknown), Miles Robinson (leg, late April), Anrie Chase (groin, mid-April), Jalen Neal (knee, back on the bench), Matt Miazga (knee, back on the bench), John Brooks (ankle, mid-April)

• Noahkai Banks was an unused sub in Augsburg’s 1-3 loss to Bayern Munich on Friday. Banks started for Augsburg’s reserves.
• Tim Ream played the full 90 and made 5 passes into the final third as Charlotte FC won 2-1 over Nashville SC on Saturday.
• Walker Zimmerman played 78 minutes and created 1 chance in that Nashville loss to Charlotte. He had to be evaluated at a local hospital after a bicycle kick to the face.
• Matt Miazga is back in the squad for FC Cincinnati, returning after getting reconstructive surgery for a PCL and meniscus tear in June 2024. He was an unused sub in their 1-0 win over New England on Saturday.
• Jalen Neal is also back in the squad, returning from a knee injury. He was an unused sub for CF Montréal in their 1-2 loss to the Columbus Crew on Saturday.

Goalkeepers

Injured: Gaga Slonina (finger, mid-April)

• Diego Kochen was not with Barça Atlètic for their 1-3 loss to Celta Vigo B on Friday (he was with the senior team for their game on Saturday, as you’ll see 4 bullet points down from here).
• Jonathan Klinsmann played the full 90, making no saves as Cesena drew 1-1 with Südtirol on Saturday.
• Matt Turner was an unused sub in Crystal Palace’s 2-1 win over Brighton on Saturday.
• Ethan Horvath played the full 90 and made 4 saves in Cardiff’s 0-0 draw with QPR on Saturday. Horvath was rated Man of the Match by FotMob. Cardiff are still in the relegation zone.
• Diego Kochen was an unused sub as FC Barcelona drew 1-1 with Real Betis on Saturday.
• Patrick Schulte played the full 90, making 0 saves in the Columbus Crew’s 2-1 win over CF Montréal on Saturday.
• Roman Celentano played the full 90 and made 2 saves in FC Cincinnati’s 2-0 win over New England on Saturday.
• Chris Brady played the full 90 and made 4 saves in the Chicago Fire’s 1-2 loss to the Red Bulls on Saturday.
• Zack Steffen played the full 90 and made 3 saves as the Colorado Rapids lost 0-2 to the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday.

What were your takeaways? What changes would you make to the format of these articles? Hit the comments to discuss.