American Players Abroad

Maybe Chelsea should try to start scoring goals in regulation of domestic cup finals. Or maybe coach Thomas Tuchel should give more respect to American penalty takers. For the third time in three years and second in a manner of months, the Blues missed a chance to bring home hardware via a penalty shootout defeat after a scoreless draw.

Liverpool outlasted Chelsea 6-5 in a dramatic shootout following 120 minutes of scoreless football to claim the 2022 FA Cup trophy. The win kept Liverpool’s hopes for an unprecedented quadruple alive.

Christian Pulisic has started two Premier League games in a row for Chelsea and has picked up an assist and a goal. Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel had repeatedly snubbed Pulisic from the starting 11 for the past two months. Hopefully this Pulisic goal vs Leeds United on Wednesday will earn him a start in the FA Cup final against Liverpool on Saturday.

Pulisic’s goal was Chelsea’s second in a 3-0 victory on Wednesday.

Pulisic Goal vs Leeds

Christian Pulisic doubles Chelsea's lead!

The new American owner was at Stamford Bridge watching. Christian Pulisic played the full 90 for the first time since March and had a lovely assist. Romelu Lukaku scored a brace for just the second time all season and first since September. 

And Chelsea still couldn’t get the win it needed to stop its recent slide that could put its place in next season’s Champions League at risk. 

Christian Pulisic needs to get out of Chelsea. Simple as that. 

The American star made an appearance as a substitute during Chelsea’s Sunday defeat to Everton. This was his ninth appearance off the bench in the Premier League this season and the fifth in a row. Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel doesn’t seem to trust starting Pulisic, even if he comes off the bench and scores a game-winner.

The lack of playing time has helped spark Pulisic Juventus transfer rumors.

The UEFA Women’s Champions League final is set as Barcelona will seek to defend its title against seven-time winners Lyon. For the first time in five years the final will have American representation with Lindsey Horan and Catarina Macario on Lyon. 

United States men's national team defender Sergiño Dest is the latest member of the squad to go down with an injury that will put his summer availability for the team in question.

The standout 21-year-old came away with a hamstring injury Sunday while playing for his club team, Barcelona, in a 1-0 loss to Rayo Vallecano. Dest left the game at halftime.

Injury update!

American goalkeeper Zack Steffen had an all-time fail in the FA Cup semifinal vs. Liverpool to give the Reds a 2-0 lead early in the game. This is the second year in-a-row that Steffen has gotten the start in a FA Cup semifinal and made a horrible blunder. Here’s Saturday’s Steffen fail vs. Liverpool.

Zack Steffen Fail Vs Liverpool

MANE CATCHES ZACK STEFFEN SLEEPING pic.twitter.com/X7GYqHqB04