FC Utrecht’s KNVB Cup hopes came to an end on Wednesday night, but Taylor Booth delivered a positive performance despite the road loss.
Booth scored his first goal of the season across all competitions as FC Utrecht lost 2-1 at Feyenoord. The U.S. men’s national team winger/midfielder pulled one goal back for the visitors, ending the match as one of the few bright spots. Booth has been in-and-out of the FC Utrecht squad this season, and although his domestic cup hopes took a hit this week, the 22-year-old will be hoping his goalscoring performance gives him a confidence boost heading into 2024.
FC Utrecht sits 13th in the Eredivisie table through 16 matches played and will return to action on January 14 at Vitesse Arnhem.
Elsewhere, Antonee Robinson and Fulham reached the EFL Cup semifinals for the first time. Brenden Aaronson helped Union Berlin close out an important Bundesliga victory. Luca De La Torre and Celta Vigo lost at Villarreal. Dante Polvara went the distance for Aberdeen. Marlon Fossey and Standard Liege suffered a shutout loss at Mechelen.
Here is a closer look at this week’s Americans Abroad:
England
Premier League
Chris Richards started and played 90 minutes in Crystal Palace’s 1-1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion on Thursday.
EFL Cup
Antonee Robinson started and played 90 minutes in Fulham’s 7-6 penalty shootout win over Everton on Tuesday. The teams were tied 1-1 after 90 minutes.
Tim Ream did not dress for Fulham.
Germany
Bundesliga
John Brooks started and played 90 minutes in Hoffenheim’s 3-3 draw with SV Darmstadt on Tuesday.
Joe Scally started and played 90 minutes in Borussia Moenchengladbach’s 2-1 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday.
Paxten Aaronson, Timmy Chandler did not dress for Eintracht Frankfurt.
Jordan Pefok did not dress for Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Lennard Maloney started and played 75 minutes in Heidenheim’s 3-2 win over Freiburg on Wednesday.
Kevin Paredes came off the bench and played 18 minutes in Wolfsburg’s 2-1 loss to Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
Gio Reyna came off the bench and played 18 minutes in Borussia Dortmund’s 1-1 draw with Mainz on Tuesday.
Brenden Aaronson came off the bench and played five minutes in Union Berlin’s 2-0 win over Cologne on Wednesday.
Spain
La Liga
Luca De La Torre started and played 45 minutes in Celta Vigo’s 3-2 loss to Villarreal on Wednesday.
La Liga2
Jonathan Gomez started and played 90 minutes in CD Mirandes 0-0 draw with Elche on Tuesday.
Konrad De La Fuente came off the bench and played one minute in Eibar’s 1-1 draw with Sporting Gijon on Wednesday.
France
Ligue 1
Folarin Balogun started and played 56 minutes in AS Monaco’s 2-1 win over Toulouse on Wednesday.
Emmanuel Sabbi started and played 58 minutes in Le Havre’s 1-0 loss to Stade Reims on Wednesday.
Scotland
Premiership
Dante Polvara started and played 90 minutes in Aberdeen’s 2-1 win over Livingston on Wednesday.
Netherlands
KNVB Cup
Sergino Dest, Ricardo Pepi, Malik Tillman and PSV’s scheduled match vs. FC Twente was postponed on Thursday.
Taylor Booth started, scored ONE GOAL, and played 90 minutes in FC Utrecht’s 2-1 loss to Feyenoord on Wednesday.
Djordje Mihailovic dressed but did not play in AZ Alkmaar’s 3-2 extra time win over HHC on Wednesday.
Belgium
First Division A
Marlon Fossey started and played 79 minutes in Standard Liege’s 3-0 loss to KV Mechelen on Wednesday.
Hopefully Taylor Booth will have a good second half of the season. Another player vying for an Olympic roster spot.
Will be interesting which wingers/attacking midfielders go to the Olympics.
Booth
Paredes
Paxten Aaronson
Diego Luna
Cade Cowell
Mathew Hoppe
Declan Firth( English-American at Valencia who recently put in a change of association to rep the USA)
Quinn Sullivan
Du Pietro
Going to be fun to see what happens this summer.
Not to mention De La Fuente.
Also Brian Gutierrez. Sheesh going to be a hard selection potentially for attackers.
As always who will be released will be a deciding factor. MLS and USSF having disagreements won’t help.
Both Booths, Zach has started last 3 for Volendam (who are terrible) and got his first assist last weekend.
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-Griffin Yow 2g 2a in 9 app for Westerloo
-Johan Gomez (the less hyped of the Gomez brothers) regular starter in 2Bundesliga 2g 1a as CF and 10.
– Bernard Kamungo 8g 5a in 24 app for FCDallas (far better production than Hoppe and Cowell combined)
I don’t see how Hoppe is anywhere near this team come the Olympics. He’s done absolutely nothing of note the last 1.5yrs and has bounced around several teams in different leagues with the same results, which was not playing. What also will hurt Hoppe’s chances is you can bank on there being an overage player taking up one of the ST positions for the Olympics because the position is just lacking at this level. I could see Jesus Ferreira, Haji Wright or Brandon Vazquez going as one of the ST, maybe 2 of them. The other overage player is undoubtedly going to be at the back, more specifically a CB ala EPB, Mark Mackenzie or a Walker Zimmerman
Well, Hoppe is age eligible and had more goals in 7 matches for SJ than hype train machine Cowell had in 3 times the appearances. He had pushed Cowell out of the starting lineup as well. I believe his loan runs thru June so Middlesbrough would also be likely to release him so he can state his case to potential buyers.
Cowell isn’t a ST though, he’s a winger. I think that’s the position to get the best out of him, and I’m pretty sure management see it the same way! I do hope that Hoppe gets his stuff together, specifically his attitude and starts putting in the requisite work to reach his full potential, because there is a player there as we all have seen, albeit in some time
Hoppe played LW for SJ, they figured Ebobisse was a better striker than either of them and that Hoppe was giving them more than Cade. A huge caveat that Cowell had the U20 WC and Gold Cup that probably took a lot out of him. We’ll see how they start out in February.
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Cowell had 1g 3a in MLS last season. Booth has 1g in 10 app this season. P.Aaronson 0g 2a in 14 appearances. Firth is in the 4th tier in Spain with 0g 0a in 6 appearances. Paredes 1g 14 appearances. Sullivan 2g 1a 22 app. Luna 7g 1a 32 appearances. DuPietro 5g 3a. Ronnie a lot of these guys are far from in great form that’s why they are being looked at because if they were finished products they’d be with the NT. I would guess many won’t be released anyway and the roster is only 18 spots. Wouldn’t be surprised if MLS blames US Open Cup fixtures for not releasing players.
Hadsomeone clown me asking me why Polvara should be called up. If he gets nat team exposure and do good bigger more competing teams will come. Also we call up CCV does he not play in SPL? Oh just because he play for Celtic a well known team to always finish top 2 in SPL! Aberdeen is playing Europa league may not be Champions league buts it’s still competitive!
He only starts half the time for the 8th place team in Scotland. 2g 2a in 21 appearances. Polavara’s numbers are pretty similar to Ian Harkes in Scotland and much lower than Christian Ramirez. Polovara is too old for the Olympics (unless brought as overage player) and shouldn’t be anywhere near the NT unless it’s a B, C team roster like 2025 Gold Cup. Good on him for going to Europe and challenging himself but he’s got to improve to get a chance to compete with guys who are regular starters in Spain, Italy, and Germany.
And I’m not “clowning” you, I just disagree with your assessment. Ask yourself why does he have no goal contributions during league play (in league that isn’t very good), but he does have them in midweek competitions?