A total of four U.S. men’s national team players have suffered unfortunate elimination from this season’s UEFA Champions League.
Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah and AC Milan were eliminated by Feyenoord in second leg action on Tuesday night. Both USMNT players started in the match but were unable to help the Rossoneri stave off the Dutch visitors.
Santiago Gimenez tied the match on aggregate after scoring in the opening minute. The Mexican national team forward joined AC Milan from Feyenoord during the January transfer window and got an early laugh against his former club.
However, former Philadelphia Union standout Julian Carranza tied the match 1-1 and gave Feyenoord a 2-1 aggregate lead with 17 minutes to play. Milan defender Theo Hernandez was sent off earlier in the half, which put the hosts at a disadvantage for 40+ minutes.
Pulisic created two offensive chances in 63 minutes played while Musah won six duels in 83 minutes played.
The Rossoneri will turn their sights back to Serie A on Saturday against Torino.
Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Celtic undone by Davies, Bayern Munich
Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic were moments away from forcing extra time against Bundesliga heavyweights Bayern Munich until Alphonso Davies broke their hearts.
Davies’ 94th minute deciding goal propelled Vincent Kompany’s men past Celtic 3-2 on aggregate after the two teams played out a 1-1 second leg over 90 minutes. Both Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty logged 90 minutes apiece in the defeat.
Nicolas Kuhn boosted Celtic in front 1-0 on the night after 63 minutes. The German winger delivered a low drive past Manuel Neuer after poor defending from Bayern’s Min-Jae Kim.
Bayern Munich picked up the pressure as the second half went on and got its breakthrough on the final play of the match. Leon Goretzka’s cross towards the back post was denied by Kasper Schmeichel but Davies bundled home Carter-Vickers’ attempted clearance for a 1-1 equalizer.
Both Trusty and Carter-Vickers won two duels apiece in the loss, which ends Celtic’s dreams of reaching the Round of 16.
The SPFL leaders resume league play on Saturday at Hibernian.
No team like AC Milan can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory better than they can. They are just loaded with talent but unable to properly mesh and play for each other. Compare their teamwork and tactics to how Juventus plays to see the difference. They really need to come together to push for an UCL spot in the remainder of Serie A.
No underdog team plays with such effort and abandon than Celtic. Credit needs to go to CCV and Trusty for holding off Bayern Munich for so long, who were by far the better side.
Agree with the Milan appraisal – especially the teamwork part. The team chemistry is terrible. It had a moment where it looked like the change in coach was going to change that then it tanked again. I think it comes down to Leao and Theo. They need to go. Hernandez needs to go ASAP because he’s in the last year of his contract. But Leao needs to go while his reputation is still high despite his contract running through 2028. together they should bring in more than enough to pay for adequate replacements. If you average Leao’s days of playing inspired with his lackadaisical days there are plenty of options. Also, DO NOT make the Walker loan permanent. He’s been woeful. I’d prefer to have Calbria back or have play Emerson Royal – as bad as he’s been.
For me with Leao, he is too predictable when he has the ball and does not track back well to regain possession. With him, you see flashes of individual brilliance along with many squandered opportunities. One has to think a good coach could temper his instincts given the talent surrounding him.
It has also become apparent that Musah, like McKennie at Juventus, has become the anchor of the midfield. He wins most of the duels compared with the other midfielders and is better at holding possession than the others. While Reijnders has impressive dribbling skills, he makes too many risky plays and loses possession too often. Like Leao, he needs to make better judgement during the attack. This really comes down to coaching, and it is up to Conceição to right the ship.
Right now, I disagree on Walker. Royal was a liability and Walker has been an upgrade. I’d like to see how he performs the rest of the season.
PN – Royal is pretty bad…it’s true – lol.
Leao might be the most frustrating player I’ve ever watched. One of the commentators mentioned it, and I agree, you know what you are going to get that day within the first 15 minutes of the game.
The point of your first point won’t change with him and Hernandez remaining on the team. The team chemistry is beyond a coach’s ability to repair.
Not sure your Juve take has aged well.
Well Juve pretty much did the same today.
Dang! Hats off to PSV! Great tactics in shutting down space and pressuring Juventus every time they touched the ball. 3 Serie A teams out this week, with only Inter left.
Weah’s goal was best from Juventus today – impressive shot.
Striker91,
At this point in the season, Bayern Munich are one of the most lethal attacking teams in the world. They lead the BL with a goal differential of 46. Forty six. 65 goals for vs. 19 against.
None of Celtic’s players would start for Bayern. They might not even sit on the bench for them.
Celtic do not belong on the same field with them, and should not be competitive with them but there they were anyway.
You might want to remember that when you go ripping CCV.
Felix has taken away Pulisics ability to be dangerous like he was. Conceicao needs to figure that out. Felix is taking up similar space that Pulisic attacks in. Pulisic is not an old fashion winger.
Just realized Joao Felix and Reyna have the same agent.
Completely agree. In addition, against better teams than Feyenood CP has been having to drop and help defend for Walker. These additions aren’t ideal for how CP was slotted in the team. I am not sure what Felix brings besides the occasional flash. Can’t believe the manager subbed out CP first today instead of Felix, makes no sense.
jb,
“Can’t believe the manager subbed out CP first today instead of Felix, makes no sense.”
It makes sense if you think about how clear it is that CP is suffering from overuse. And that Joao Felix, given his profile and skill set, should, in theory, be able to give CP a chance to rest.
There’s a part of the USMNT fan base that equates starts and minutes played with respect from the club and is instantly offended if those drop in any way.
?? At this point, it’s pretty clear just how valuable CP is to Milan. I would argue he is their MVP. and that what Milan are trying to do is not burn him the fuck out. Or get him injured more than he already is.
The season is not over yet.
Vacqui- well, their European season is over.
MotO,
They still have to make sure they qualify for Europe.
And I would think that the manager wants to not get his ass fired.
They have talent but right now it’s like the island of misfit toys.
The management don’t all seem to be on the same page so until they get their lonesome selves all pulling in the same direction, it looks like the manager is going to have to make do with what they hand him.
I’m biased, and they are not the only ones, but Milan are fucking lucky to have two very team oriented guys in CP and Yunus playing such important roles.
2tone – add to this that Kyle Walker has been a down grade to either Calabria or Royal as an attacking partner down the right side. The most he’s offered is winning a couple corners. He’s looked a shadow of himself.
CCV smh🤦♂️dude is a liability. He did a own goal last month. He kicked ball right into Davies which went in goal. Good game until that. Trusty played great. I want to see him on a better team than Celtic.
Striker91, Just an opinion here, but I’d be steady on the criticism of Carter Vickers on that play. Celtic were under serious pressure, and their backline were defending like madmen for large periods at the end of the match. Olise should have probably been closed a bit quicker. Kasper makes a killer save, and CCV is facing his own goal after that save, and does his best to whack it out (maybe a bit slower than Davies in his reaction), but Davies, just gobbled up the space. CCV actually looked to get to the ball 1st, but the pressure from Davies was so heavy. CCV can’t mark 3 Bayern players at once. Just an opinion brother.
I see your point Courey your right. Just frustrated with CCV and Celtic losing at the last minute.
Striker91,
At this point in the season, Bayern Munich are one of the most lethal attacking teams in the world. They lead the BL with a goal differential of 46. Forty six. 65 goals for vs. 19 against.
None of Celtic’s players would start for Bayern. They might not even sit on the bench for them.
Celtic do not belong on the same field with them, and should not be competitive with them but there they were anyway.
You might want to remember that when you go ripping CCV.
Striker: I described the own goal from January. Trusty was easily dispossessed which caused CCV to have to slide to block the cross. It hit off his trail leg and went in.
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I agreed we have better than CCV.
CCC doesn’t deserve this. My man and Trusty played great for 93 + minutes against THE MOST LETHAL team in the competition.
This was literally just dumb luck: 🍀
Ball is saved. Falls into a zone beyond his reach. He attempts clearance. Balled clatters off Davies and into the goal.
Not on him. Bad outcome. He balled out against VASTLY SUPERIOR competition. I hope he keeps his head up.
He did a own goal in the SPL last month. If he is giving up own goals in SPL that’s no good. He will def have mental lapsed against a top 15 teams of the world.
Striker 91
“He did a own goal in the SPL last month. ”
Own goals are accidents. No one intends to score an own goal; there are no drills for scoring own goals.
They don’t define any defender as good or bad. If Celtic decide to drop CCV, it won’t be just because of the own goal.
The most famous USMNT own goal was scored by Omar Gonzales in the TNT games that knocked the USMNT out of the 2018 World Cup. TNT were a lousy, shit team but the USMNT were worse. You would have an almost impossible task if you tried to recreate that goal. Gonzo, I think, never played for the USMNT again but that was because he otherwise sucked.
Striker if you watch the own goal Trusty is probably more at fault than CCV. Yes it deflects off CCV but it’s Trusty who get easily displaced of the ball leaving Carter Vickers all alone defending. CCV goes to ground to cut off the angle but an unlucky bounce sends the ball off his trail leg.
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Carter-Vickers was awful this summer during Copa America.
JR CCV was at fault, he kicked ball off Davies into goal, not going back with you all. CCV sucks and is overrated, could not break into the EPL. Did a dumb own goal against dundee on Jan 14th 2025 against Dundee and Celtic dropped points.