The U.S. men’s national team’s No. 9 job is Folarin Balogun to lose at this rate.
Balogun continued his blistering run of form on Friday, scoring his 13th goal of the season in a 3-1 statement win over reigning Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain. The American forward also assisted once, which helped him earn SBI Americans Abroad Player of the Week honors.
Balogun helped Sebastien Pocagnoli’s squad grab a 1-0 first half lead after setting up Maghnes Akilouche for a clever finish.
Aleksandr Golovin doubled Monaco’s lead immediately after stepping on as a second-half substitute but PSG pulled one goal back after the hour mark. However, Balogun had the final say in the scoreline, finishing off Akilouche’s assist with 17 minutes to play.
With five goals in his last five appearances, Balogun is flying high ahead of the USMNT’s March camp. It’s very likely that he will be Mauricio Pochettino’s first choice striker for the March 28 friendly against Belgium and could very well get the nod against Portugal three days later.
However, Balogun will have to stay healthy though in final matches against Stade Brest and Lyon before the squad gets together in Atlanta.
Here is a closer look at this week’s top Americans Abroad performances:
Haji Wright
With three-straight goalscoring performances and six goals in his last five outings, Haji Wright isn’t too far behind Folarin Balogun.
Wright took his season tally to 17 in all competitions as Coventry City defeated Bristol City 2-0 away from home on Saturday. The American forward helped Frank Lampard’s squad continue their grasp over the top spot in the EFL Championship, while also continuing his strong run of form.
The Sky Blues will have three league matches before the international break, giving Wright further chances to reach the 20-goal plateau.
Rokas Pukstas
Rokas Pukstas is also picking up steam after scoring for the second time this week.
Pukstas netted his seventh goal of the Croatian season despite Hajduk Split’s 3-1 rivalry loss to Dinamo Zagreb on Sunday. The American midfielder has continued to consistently start for the club this winter, which is a great sign for his overall development abroad.
At 21-years-old, Pukstas remains a top prospect for the USMNT going forward.
Weston McKennie
Weston McKennie continued his busy run with Juventus, helping the Bianconeri snap their winless run in Serie A play.
McKennie played 90 minutes on Saturday in Juventus’ 4-0 victory over Pisa. The American played as a wide midfielder in Luciano Spalletti’s starting lineup, winning six duels, drawing one foul, and creating three offensive chances.
Juventus will look to close March’s schedule with consecutive wins against Udinese and Sassuolo respectively.
Auston Trusty
Auston Trusty made his return to Celtic’s starting lineup on Sunday and delivered a strong performance at Ibrox Stadium.
Trusty started and played 120 minutes in Celtic’s 4-2 penalty shootout win over Rangers, advancing Martin O’Neill’s squad into the Scottish Cup semifinals. The American defender scored with his spot kick opportunity while also delivering several key blocks and tackles in the result.
Trusty will hope he can get into the USMNT squad this month, but first Celtic faces Motherwell and Dundee United in back-to-back league matches.
What did you think of this weekend’s slate of Americans Abroad action? Is there anyone else deserving of a shout on this list?
Share your thoughts below.
Hope to see Rokas make a move to a better league in the summer. Serie A or Ligue 1 would be a good next move.