Dutch side FC Groningen moved one step closer from escaping the Eredivisie relegation zone and Ricardo Pepi helped majorly in Saturday’s league win over fellow strugglers Excelsior.
Pepi scored his ninth league goal of the campaign as FC Groningen defeated Excelsior 3-0 on Saturday. The U.S. men’s national team forward has enjoyed a positive spell in Holland this season, and that trend continued with Pepi helping Dennis van der Ree’s squad earn only their fourth win of the campaign.
Pepi’s left-footed finish in the 50th minute doubled FC Groningen’s lead, capping off a fast break by the hosts and adding breathing room to the final result. The 20-year-old finished the match with four shots on goal, four duels won, and three recoveries.
Up next for FC Groningen is a huge test at league-leaders Feyenoord on Saturday.
In England, Antonee Robinson assisted once in Fulham’s 1-1 draw with Wolves. Daryl Dike scored twice as West Bromwich Albion defeated Zack Steffen and Middlesbrough.
In Spain, Yunus Musah and Luca De La Torre both started in their clubs’ respective victories.
In France, Tim Weah continued his role as left back for Lille in a 2-1 win over Brest on Friday.
Elsewhere, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Celtic captured the Scottish League Cup against Rangers. Mark McKenzie delivered a stellar shift in Genk’s league victory while Marlon Fossey also started for Standard Liege. Reggie Cannon helped Boavista claim an important three points in Portuguese league play.
Here is a closer look at this weekend’s Americans Abroad:
England
Premier League
Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams started and played 90 minutes in Leeds United’s 1-0 win over Southampton on Saturday.
Brenden Aaronson started and played 75 minutes for Leeds United.
Antonee Robinson started, registered ONE ASSIST, and played 90 minutes in Fulham’s 1-1 draw with Wolves on Friday.
Tim Ream started and played 90 minutes for Fulham.
Chris Richards dressed but did not play in Crystal Palace’s 0-0 draw with Liverpool on Saturday.
Matt Turner dressed but did not play in Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Leicester City on Saturday.
Christian Pulisic is OUT (Injury) for Chelsea.
Championship
Daryl Dike started, scored TWO GOALS, and played 78 minutes in West Bromwich Albion’s 2-0 win over Middlesbrough on Saturday.
Zack Steffen started, made TWO SAVES, and played 90 minutes for Middlesbrough.
Ethan Horvath started, made ZERO SAVES, and played 90 minutes in Luton Town’s 1-0 win over Birmingham City on Saturday.
Auston Trusty did not dress for Birmingham City.
Josh Sargent is OUT (Injury) for Norwich City.
Duane Holmes is OUT (Injury) for Huddersfield.
Lynden Gooch is OUT (Injury) for Sunderland.
League Two
Jonathan Tomkinson did not dress in Stevenage’s 1-0 loss to Tranmere Rovers on Saturday.
PL2
Gabriel Slonina started, made FOUR SAVES, and played 90 minutes in Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Arsenal on Monday.
Germany
Bundesliga
Jordan Pefok started and played 63 minutes in Union Berlin’s 3-0 loss to Bayern Munich on Sunday.
Joe Scally came off the bench and played 10 minutes in Borussia Moenchengladbach’s 4-0 loss to Mainz on Friday.
Kevin Paredes came off the bench and played two minutes in Wolfsburg’s 2-0 win over Cologne on Saturday.
Gio Reyna dressed but did not play in Borussia Dortmund’s 1-0 win over Hoffenheim on Saturday.
John Brooks dressed but did not play for Hoffenheim.
Paxten Aaronson dressed but did not play in Eintracht Frankfurt’s 2-1 loss to RB Leipzig on Saturday.
Timmy Chandler did not dress for Eintracht Frankfurt.
Justin Che is OUT (Injured) for Hoffenheim.
2. Bundesliga
Terrence Boyd started, scored ONE GOAL, and played 86 minutes in Kaiserslautern’s 3-1 win over Greuther Furth on Saturday.
Julian Green came off the bench and played 45 minutes for Greuther Furth.
George Bello dressed but did not play in Arminia Bielefeld’s 1-0 loss to Heidenheim on Sunday.
3. Liga
Nico Carrera started and played 87 minutes in FSV Zwickau’s 5-3 loss to SpVgg Bayreuth on Saturday. Carrera was sent off in the 87th minute.
Johan Gomez started and played 71 minutes for FSV Zwickau.
Spain
La Liga
Yunus Musah started and played 78 minutes in Valencia’s 1-0 win over Real Sociedad on Saturday.
Luca De La Torre started and played 73 minutes in Celta Vigo’s 3-0 win over Real Valladolid on Sunday.
Italy
Serie A
Sergino Dest did not dress in AC Milan’s 2-0 win over Atalanta on Sunday.
Serie B
Gianluca Busio started and played 90 minutes in Venezia’s 0-0 draw with Cagliari on Saturday.
Andrija Novakovich came off the bench and played 13 minutes for Venezia.
Tanner Tessmann did not dress for Venezia.
Anthony Fontana did not dress in Ascoli’s 0-0 draw with Benevento on Sunday.
France
Ligue 1
Tim Weah started and played 90 minutes in Lille’s 2-1 win over Brest on Friday.
Folarin Balogun started and played 83 minutes in Stade Reims 3-0 win over Toulouse on Sunday.
Erik Palmer-Brown came off the bench and played eight minutes in Troyes 2-1 loss to AC Ajaccio on Sunday.
Netherlands
Eredivisie
Ricardo Pepi started, scored ONE GOAL, and played 90 minutes in FC Groningen’s 2-0 win over Excelsior on Saturday.
Taylor Booth started and played 69 minutes in FC Utrecht’s 3-0 win over Sparta Rotterdam on Friday.
Richie Ledezma dressed but did not play in PSV’s 3-1 win over FC Twente on Sunday.
Djordje Mihailovic dressed but did not play in AZ Alkmaar’s 2-1 win over Cambuur on Saturday.
Portugal
Liga Portugal
Reggie Cannon started and played 90 minutes in Boavista’s 3-1 win over Pacos de Ferreira on Sunday.
Alex Mendez came off the bench and played 21 minutes in Vizela’s 2-0 loss to Benfica on Saturday.
Scotland
League Cup Final
Cameron Carter-Vickers started and played 90 minutes in Celtic’s 2-1 win over Rangers on Sunday.
Malik Tillman started and plated 65 minutes for Rangers.
James Sands did not dress for Rangers.
Premiership
Dante Polvara did not dress in Aberdeen’s 1-0 win over Livingston on Saturday.
Matthew Hoppe and Hibernian are off this weekend.
Ian Harkes is OUT (Injury) for Dundee United.
Joe Efford is OUT (Injury) for Motherwell.
Belgium
Pro League
Mark McKenzie started and played 90 minutes in Genk’s 3-0 win over Oostende on Saturday.
Bryan Reynolds started and played 90 minutes in Westerlo’s 4-2 win over Union St. Gilloise on Saturday.
Marlon Fossey started and played 90 minutes in Standard Liege’s 2-2 draw with Anderlecht on Sunday.
Sam Vines is OUT (Injury) for Royal Antwerp.
Hungary
NB I
Henry Wingo came off the bench and played one minute in Ferencvaros 2-0 win over Debrecen on Sunday.
Denmark
Superliagen
Emmanuel Sabbi started and played 90 minutes in Odense’s 4-2 loss to Nordsjaelland on Friday.
Christian Cappis dressed but did not play in Brondby’s 1-0 win over Midtjylland on Monday.
Austria
Bundesliga
Sebastian Soto dressed but did not play in Austria Klagenfurt’s 2-1 win over Sturm Graz on Saturday.
Croatia
1. HNL
Rokas Pukstas started and played 90 minutes in Hajduk Split’s 4-0 loss to Dinamo Zagreb on Sunday.
Sweden
Cup
Joe Gyau started and played 84 minutes in Degerfors 1-0 win over Skovde AIK on Monday.
Turkey
Super Lig
Haji Wright did not dress in Antalyaspor’s 0-0 draw with Besiktas on Sunday.
Israel
Ligat HaAL
Josh Cohen started and played 90 minutes in Maccabi Haifa’s 2-1 win over Beitar Jerusalem on Saturday.
Brazil
Gaucho
Johnny Cardoso came off the bench and played 23 minutes in Internacional’s 2-0 win over CF Aimore on Saturday.
Mexico
Liga MX
Alan Sonora came off the bench and played 23 minutes in FC Juarez’s 1-0 loss to Cruz Azul on Saturday.
Ventura Alvarado started and played 35 minutes for FC Juarez.
Joel Sonora dressed but did not play for FC Juarez.
Sebastian Saucedo came off the bench and played 12 minutes in Toluca’s 2-0 win over Atletico San Luis on Sunday.
Alejandro Zendejas is OUT (Injury) for Club America.
Dike, Sargent (if healthy), Pepi would be my 3. I’m not opposed to bringing a 4 CF, which would be Pefok for me. Split the minutes up 60/30. Pepi & Dike v Grenada. Pefok & Sargent v ES. I would like to see Vasquez score in a few matches before I call him. (Preseason) In comparison to Pefok, who has been in a drought. (Mid-season). Having him, would be boost for his club play, plus it would let him know he still has value. He didn’t make the WC roster; doesn’t mean he can’t contribute v CONCACAF opponents like ES or Grenada. (Honorable mention- J Mo would be the 1st forward from the MLS, I would have in the NL, at the moment, with Ebobisse a close 2nd).
Couldn’t the added travel and ES’s bunkering defense (held him scoreless in 26 minutes in WCQ) just further sink a striker lacking confidence and form?
I’ve always seen Pefok as a mix between the Dutch center-forwards ( Wout Weghorst & Luuk De Jong). All forwards go thru droughts at some point, I think he’s in one now. Plus, he hasn’t been called in since he made the transfer to the Bundesliga. He’s on a very good team and is a step up from the Swiss league. Every metric I’ve seen CFs prime are between 27-30. Playing for your country, would be a nice change up from the pressures of club life. I also think it happens the opposite sometimes like Gio for example. Club play can be a change up from pressures of international life. Jedi & J Mo are the only 2 that have scored on ES in the last 3 matches. There’s plenty of attacking players that played more than 26 minutes that didn’t score against ES in the last 3 matches.
I’m just not sure it’s this lock benefit. Brooks repeatedly got benched by his Bundesliga managers no matter how he played after traveling to US. Also none of Union’s other forwards are likely to be called so he’s gone and everyone else is training together.
Dike, Sargent (if fit), Pepi, Wright, Vazquez, Ferreira, and Pefok who do you bring for strikers in March.
I believe Wright is still injured.
Right now I am taking: Dike, Pepi, Sargent( if he is healthy) and Vazquez. Yes 4 strikers. Let’s get more of these guys in and see how they stack up against each other.
Players I would like to see called up.
Booth, Reynolds, Fossey, Paredes
I think Dest should be left off this up coming roster. He needs to find a club this summer and more importantly I would like to see Dest moved up as a winger. I don’t think he has the defensive tools necessary. The last time he started for AC Milan it was brutal to see his lack of physicality he was easily brushed aside multiple times and his continued lack of defensive awareness. I think he would be a perfect fit as a winger or attacking CM. His technical skill should be utilized further up in attack.
For me my FBs would be RB: Dest, Reynolds, Scally LB: Jones/Tolkin (don’t care which) and Jedi. Now both Dest and Scally have had recent injuries so there may be more spots available. For Dest, we should have most of the ball and he adds an extra attacker that will be more needed against these Concacaf opponents. If this was better opponents you might be able to convince me.
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Paredes if there’s an agreement to release him for U20 WC I think he’ll be with U20 camp in last prep camp before WC. If Wolfsburg says he’s not going to WC he might as well be brought in.
What people need to remember is the Dest is not a finished product. He’s a 22 yr old attacker who Ajax transitioned/converted to a defender about 4 years ago. It is going to take time & repetition for him to finish learning all the defensive responsibilities and tricks. If USSF/USNT want to help him in his progress they need to look at a change of formation…a 3-4-3 or 3-5-2. That’d give him more freedom to express his creativity & link-up play (his strengths) while giving him coverage if he makes defensive mistakes.
Either that or we use Scally as the starter (he’s a defense 1st RB) and use Dest as the relief/back-up.
A three back system would also help Jedi and whomever we designate as his back-up.
What going on with Geo Reyna at the moment. I think that is at least 3 games in a row that he has not seen the field at Dortmund. They are getting good results, but he used to be one of the first off the bench. Has he been misbehaving?
The guys in front of him are playing well so why switch up what’s working. I think if they need goals he’ll come on, but they’re hot right now and they’re riding the wave. If they keep going in CL and Pokal they’ll need to rotate some.
“Has he been misbehaving?”
There are two midfielders at BVB who are un-droppable right now, Brandt and Bellingham.
Gio missed nearly one and half seasons injured and I’m not sure that BVB believes he is fully fit yet. Remember this is a team that lives with Marco Reus playing every once in a while.
BVB are playing well and as JR has pointed out why fix it if it ain’t broke?
BVB have a lot more depth and options than the USMNT have.
They don’t need Gio right now. Don’t worry, at some point soon Bellingham will go to Real Madrid or Liverpool, etc., and that will leave a big hole in midfield for Gio to fill.
A lot of bench warmers at the moment. But some good positives this weekend for Americans abroad.