American Players Abroad

Cristiano Ronaldo, like every other footballer on the planet, is underrated when it comes to headers.

On top of having one of the most badass names on the USMNT, Duane Octavious Holmes scored one of the best goals you’ll see from the past weekend. This Duane Holmes goal vs Swansea City was his second of the game and an absolute beauty.

Holmes might have had the most impressive weekend out of all USMNT players in Europe. Holmes bagged a brace in his fifth game back with boyhood club Huddersfield Town. His two goals in the second half came only three minutes apart. The first was a cool finish that followed an excellent string of passes.

On Wednesday, Juventus began its knockout campaign in the Champions League against FC Porto, a 2-1 defeat. With some big names such as Paulo Dybala and Juan Cuadrado limited for the Bianconeri, it was a big stage for young American Weston McKennie to make his mark in the competition. 

Thursday’s Europa League Round of 32 first leg between Lille and Ajax featured a heavy dose of CONCACAF as the USMNT’s Timothy Weah and Canada’s Jonathan David started for the French side while Mexico’s Edson Álvarez went the full 90 for the Dutch team in their dramatic 2-1 win at Stade Pierre Mauroy.

Christian Pulisic is better than Landon Donovan. That’s not my opinion — that’s Landon Donovan’s. At the age of 22, Pulisic has established himself at Chelsea. Donovan, at 22, was experiencing one of his least productive MLS seasons with an average San Jose Earthquakes team.

Liverpool secured a vital 2-0 away victory in Budapest against RB Leipzig on Tuesday in the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16 clash. The Reds’ goals came courtesy of two absolutely horrendous Leipzig errors that could spell the end of the Bundesliga side’s time in the Champions League.

The two bizarre mistakes fit the theme of an unusual night. Due to fears of the UK Covid-19 strain Leipzig was forced to play its “home” leg in a country in which the club has never played. 

It’s been 10 years since Lille OSC captured its last Ligue 1 title, but one look at the table sees the club from northern France setting the pace ahead of last season’s Champions League semifinalist Lyon and, of course, three-time defending champion Paris Saint-Germain. 

If it’s a position that Lille didn’t anticipate being in with just 14 matches remaining, 20-year-old American forward Timothy Weah isn’t letting on to any sense of disbelief. 

An FA Cup last-16 tie between Premier League leaders Manchester City and Championship promotion hopefuls Swansea took on significant importance stateside on Wednesday as USMNT No. 1 Zack Steffen started in goal for City while Seattle Sounders loanee Jordan Morris got his first Swansea start and D.C. United loanee Paul Arriola made his debut off the bench.