The highlight from the weekend for Mauricio Pochettino and the U.S. men’s national team wasn’t about Ricardo Pepi’s goal-scoring or a stunning play by Sergiño Dest. Instead, Pochettino was most heartened by seeing Anthony Robinson back in a Fulham jersey for the first time in over two months, marking his return to the Premier League starting lineup since May.
The experienced left-back has come back from a persistent knee injury and, despite a rough beginning, played a vital role in Fulham’s 3-2 victory over Burnley—earning the club their first win at Turf Moor in 74 years.
Fulham manager Marco Silva praised Robinson, saying, “There was never any doubt.” He acknowledged Robinson’s athleticism and importance to the team, emphasizing what he can contribute.
Robinson hadn’t played since a brief stint against Aston Villa on September 28, with his last start in all competitions occurring on September 23 in a League Cup match against fourth-placed Cambridge United. In Premier League terms, his absence stretched back to the final game of last season against Manchester City on May 25.
It has been over a year since Robinson last represented the U.S. national team; although he was called into camp in October, he faced another setback and missed two friendly matches. His inability to participate in last month’s camp was another blow.
Robinson played 90 minutes and assisted in a goal, a positive sign for the U.S. men’s national team.
(Alex Livesey via Getty Images)
If Robinson can maintain his health and secure regular playing time, Pochettino is likely to include him in the March training camp in Atlanta ahead of friendlies against Belgium and Portugal. This camp will be crucial, as it precedes Pochettino’s announcement of his World Cup roster in late May, just two weeks before the tournament begins.
In Robinson’s absence, Pochettino has relied on players like Columbus Crew’s Max Alfsten and, to a lesser extent, Holstein Kiel’s John Tolkien. Alfsten, in his inaugural year with the national team, has made a strong impression and gained confidence in contributing to the attack.
Alfsten has played 16 matches for the U.S. this year, sitting just behind Real Salt Lake’s Diego Luna, who leads at 17. Robinson’s experience will likely give him an edge for the World Cup opener against Paraguay if he remains fit.
In other European news…
Netherlands
Pepi, vying for one of three striker roles on the U.S. national team, continued his scoring spree with a penalty in the 20th minute as PSV Eindhoven triumphed 4-3 over Hercules.
According to Opta, Pepi is the first U.S. player in the Netherlands to score in four successive matches since Aaron Johansson did it for AZ Alkmaar in the 2013-14 season.
After missing much of the season due to injuries, Pepi has now started three Eredivisie matches in a row, scoring in each. His other goal during this streak came off the bench against Atlético Madrid in the Champions League.
Pepi isn’t the only American shining at PSV; right-back Dest made a brilliant run in the 81st minute, assisting Guus Till’s decisive goal. PSV’s record improved to 14 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw, extending their lead over Feyenoord to nine points.
Italy
Christian Pulisic logged 73 minutes in AC Milan’s 2-2 draw with Sassuolo, a frustrating outcome that left them trailing new leaders Inter Milan by one point but still maintained their unbeaten streak in the league at 14 games.
Pulisic almost scored his eighth goal in Serie A during the 57th minute, but a teammate was penalized, ruling it out.
Weston McKennie played a full 90 minutes for Juventus, earning them a 1-0 victory over Bologna, moving them to fifth place.
Yunus Musa came on in the 66th minute for Atalanta, contributing to their 2-1 win against Cagliari.
Jonathan Klinsmann helped his team Cesena come back from two goals down to secure a 3-2 win against Mantua in Serie B, getting them closer to automatic promotion.
England
Chris Richards and Crystal Palace faced Manchester City’s star Erling Haaland, who scored twice in their 3-0 defeat.
Brendan Aaronson came off the bench in the 73rd minute as Leeds United managed a 1-1 draw against Brentford, keeping them three points clear of relegation.
Tyler Adams is anticipated to return from suspension for Leeds’ match against Manchester United following a yellow card incident.
In the Championship, forward Haji Wright played 81 minutes for Coventry City, who edged out Bristol City 1-0, securing a five-point lead over Middlesbrough.
Aidan Morris from Middlesbrough missed four matches due to a foot injury, and Josh Sargent is sidelined with a concussion. Meanwhile, Patrick Agyeman prepares to take on bottom-placed Sheffield on Monday.
Germany
After a quite uneventful game, Gio Reyna had his third consecutive start for Mönchengladbach last only 57 minutes in a 3-1 home loss to Wolfsburg, although he made a key contribution with a cross that led to an own goal.
Coach Eugen Polaski expressed satisfaction with Reyna’s development, noting how well he’s integrated into the team.
Joe Scally was suspended for yellow cards during this match.
Malik Tillman received praise for his strong performance during Bayer Leverkusen’s 2-0 victory against Cologne, where he played for 86 minutes.
Noah Kinsella played a full 90 minutes in Augsburg’s narrow 1-0 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt, and James Sands experienced a similar result with St. Pauli, losing 2-1.
In the second division, Holstein Kiel fought back to draw with Magdeburg at 3-3, featuring Tolkien’s late goal.
France
Tim Weah of Olympique Marseille and Folarin Balogun of Monaco faced off in a tightly contested match that ended 1-0, with Marseille scoring the winner shortly after a disallowed goal for Balogun.
Mark McKenzie helped Toulouse claim a 3-0 win over Paris FC, contributing to their second consecutive shutout.
Olympique Lyon’s midfielder and defender Tanner Tessman missed their 1-0 win against Le Havre due to a thigh injury.
Others
In the Scottish League Cup final, Auston Trusty played 90 minutes for Celtic, who lost 3-1 to St Mirren, marking their third straight defeat.
In Spain’s La Liga, while Johnny Cardoso was in uniform for Atlético Madrid, he did not see action in their 2-1 victory over Valencia, marking the third time in four games he has remained on the bench.
Fan Take: This news is significant for soccer enthusiasts as it reflects the ongoing developments of U.S. players abroad and their potential impact on the national team ahead of the World Cup. Keeping an eye on player performances like Robinson’s can greatly influence squad selections and strategies, ultimately shaping the future of U.S. soccer on the global stage.
