Consistent threat in the final third: Aside from his goal, Pulisic remained a consistent threat in the final third for Dortmund as he was by far the most active on the ball and routinely sought opportunities to run at Werder’s defense with speed. In fact, with a bit more help from his teammates, Pulisic could have had several assists on the night - most notably after Diallo failed to convert a skillful Pulisic cross from point-blank range in the first half. Lastly, just before the final whistle, Pulisic almost became a hero in Dortmund when he skillfully paved his way into the Werder box, only to see his driven shot fly just wide of the Werder Bremen goal.

Efficiency in front of goal this season: Above all, we have been thoroughly impressed with how Pulisic has persevered through what many consider a “tough season” for the young American star given frequent injuries and tough competition for playing time. For perspective, after this game, Pulisic now stands at six goals and five assists on the season in just over 1,500 minutes - averaging a goal involvement nearly every ~135 minutes (vs. last season at over 250 minutes), underscoring just how dangerous Pulisic has remained. At just 20 years old, we continue to think he’ll be the face of the USMNT for years to come and are excited for what he can do at Chelsea in the Champions League next season.

Other Notable Performances

Brenden Aaronson (18, Medford, NJ) - Philadelphia Union, MLS



Strong Performance against Cincinnati: Brenden Aaronson continued his growth with another strong performance in Philadelphia Union’s midweek victory. Aaronson’s excellence on the ball helped him pull away from defenders using a combination of explosive acceleration and close control. His first touch gave him the upper hand when bursting into space ahead of playing a pass into the final third or in transition from defense to attack. He is consistently providing a spark to Philly’s midfield, especially in the absence of Marco Fabian (injury). It’ll be interesting to see how Union head coach Jim Curtin plays the two of them together.



Still has some growing to do: While Brenden has impressed with his skills on the ball and effective passing, he lacked true conviction in his opportunities to shoot. Aaronson had several loose balls fall to his feet during the game, but he was unable to strike on target. He often smashed a ball right through the center, hitting a defender in the way. In addition, although Aaronson isn’t afraid to get stuck in a tackle, he can be shrugged off or bullied into losing possession up against a much more physical player. Not to take too much away from the 18-year-old - with some bulking up and consistent minutes for the Union, he can grow into one of the best midfielders in the league.



Matt Miazga (23, Clifton, NJ) - Reading FC, Championship



Rock-solid as usual for Reading: Matt Miazga looks to end his season the same way he started for Reading: absolutely rock-solid at the back. In this week’s 0-0 tie vs. Birmingham City, the 23-year-old center back was once again crucial for Reading as he single-handedly came up with 12 key clearances in the game to deny Birmingham virtually any real goal scoring opportunity. He rounded out his performance with 92% passing accuracy (including six searching long balls) and two critical blocked shots. Above all though, Miazga stood out as a real leader on the field, as he frequently took charge of organizing the entire Reading backline, despite arriving at the club just a few months ago.

Where will he be next season? Perhaps one of the most interesting upcoming USMNT questions as we approach the summer transfer window: where will Miazga play next season? His impact at Reading has been undeniable. Since he joined the Championship side in the winter, Reading has been unbeaten in 14 out of 18 games and have secured safety for next season. Not only has he advanced to become a real leader on the pitch, but he’s looked more than capable at keeping up with the physicality in the league. Miazga also looks composed at passing out of the back and with 7.2 clearances per game, he ranks 4th overall in the league. We continue to think he looks ready for a move to a top five league but also wouldn’t be surprised to see Reading fight tooth and nail to keep the American center back for one more year, which could see him link up with fellow American Andrija Novakovich who is set to return to Reading from loan.



Cameron Carter-Vickers (21, Baton Rouge, LA) - Swansea, Championship

95% pass accuracy indicative of CCV’s progress this season: Cameron Carter-Vickers was among the better performers in Swansea’s 1-1 tie vs. Derby County from mid-week with an all around solid defensive display that was crowned by a last minute clearance after a dangerous Derby cross. More importantly, however, was his 95% pass accuracy - something the 21-year-old has made great strides at improving this year. In fact, with a ~92% pass accuracy for the season, Carter-Vickers leads the entire English Championship.



This sentiment has recently been echoed by Swansea’s Assistant Manager Billy Reid who commented on Carter-Vickers’ immense development after he took over the starting CB role from Joe Rodon, who picked up an injury.



"Unfortunately Joe picked up his injury, but Cameron has come into the team and, in my opinion, he has made huge progress throughout the season. We asked him to step into the game in terms of how he played on the ball and the progress he has made on that side of his game has been excellent, and he has been a big part of the run we have been on. He is a player who has been an excellent signing. He is a strong boy, he is still 21 years of age but he looks a lot older than that, to be honest with you. But I think there is further progress to come from him over the next few seasons."



Link to full article: https://www.swanseacity.com/news/reid-hails-excellent-signing-carter-vickers



Paul Arriola (24, Chula Vista, CA) - DC United, MLS



Consistency for DC United: Paul Arriola has been a key part of DC United’s overall success this season, having started every single game. Above all, Arriola’s persistence and grit has helped them see off opponents as games begin to die down - a hallmark trait for the 24 year old.



His victory sealing goal against Columbus this weekend exemplified his drive, as Arriola did well to quickly get up the field on a counter (all the way from his own half), despite already leading by two goals 60 minutes into the game. He finished the play with a great strike, hitting it low into the side netting after a backheel lay off from Jara. Though Paul did have some choice words for teammate Luciano Acosta during the game, the friendly fire seemed to be doused as Acosta said he loves Arriola “like a brother” after the match. How’s that for squad chemistry



Arriola Goal against Columbus: