Sergiño Dest, Ethan Horvath, Gio Reyna highlight historic week for USMNT players
It turned out to be a busy and successful week for players in the U.S. Men’s National Team pool, who made history in Europe’s top leagues.
Last Tuesday, Tyler Adams, Sergiño Dest, Ethan Horvath, Christian Pulisic and Gio Reyna all saw action in the UEFA Champions League, marking the first time that five U.S. players appeared in the competition on the same day.
Horvath grabbed the biggest headlines. Having learned he was going to start after Belgian international goalkeeper Simon Mignolet tested positive for COVID-19, the 25-year-old overcame a freakish own goal to backstop Club Brugge to a 2-1 win against Zenit St. Petersburg. It was the first goal Horvath had allowed in four career UCL matches. Horvath made two important saves down the stretch, denying Artur Dzyuba (79th minute) and Wendel (89th) before Charles De Ketelaere tallied the stoppage-time game-winner for Brugge.
"I couldn't have been prouder of myself and of my teammates…"
Ethan Horvath joins @kate_abdo to discuss @ClubBrugge's win yesterday. pic.twitter.com/QnopalYyls
— Champions League on CBS Sports (@UCLonCBSSports) October 21, 2020
Coming off the bench at the start of the second half, Reyna also made his mark by providing yet another assist to Erling Haaland on Borussia Dortmund’s only goal in a 3-1 defeat to Lazio. Since making his first-team debut last December, Reyna has registered six assists for Dortmund across all competitions, five of which have gone to Haaland.
The assist. The finish ?
Gio Reyna finds Erling Haaland to put the @BlackYellow back in it! pic.twitter.com/I19oV1Kh7W
— Champions League on CBS Sports (@UCLonCBSSports) October 20, 2020
Dest, who became the fifth American to appear in the competition for two different clubs, was also part of the build-up for Barcelona’s second goal of its 5-1 rout of Hungarian champions Ferencváros.
Dest and Reyna were also introduced to a couple of rivalries in their domestic leagues on Saturday. Dest, 19, became the first American to participate in the 118-year history of El Clásico. The former Ajax defender acquitted himself well, earning praise from several news outlets after he played the full 90 minutes in Barcelona’s 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid.
Reyna, 17, started and played 73 minutes in Dortmund’s 3-0 win against Schalke in the Revierderby.
OTHER QUICK HITS:
Weston McKennie ended his COVID-19 isolation by making the bench for Juventus’ 1-1 draw with Hellas Verona in Italy’s Serie A on Sunday. He did not play. The USMNT midfielder was forced to miss Juve’s last two games, including last Tuesday’s Champions League match, due to isolation protocols.
Aron Johannsson continued his hot streak, scoring the final goal in the 74th minute of Hammarby’s 3-1 victory at Ostersunds in Sweden on Sunday. The striker has scored eight goals in his last nine appearances and raised his season total to 10.
Aron Johannsson’s 10th
pic.twitter.com/9B2W4ZOiTI— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) October 25, 2020
A member of the USA’s 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup team, Sebastian Soto came on as a halftime substitute and scored both goals in SC Telstar’s 2-0 win Helmond Sport in Dutch Eerste Divisie (Second Division) on Oct. 23. The striker found the back of the net in the 49th and 63rd minutes, the first goal off a powerful volley. On loan from Norwich City, Soto has five goals in his first six matches.
Sebastian Soto, take a bow! ?
— Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) October 23, 2020
