Meola's Milestone, a Record Assist and a Roster on the Line

On This Day in 2006, the US Drew with Jamaica in the Final Audition Before Bruce Arena Named His World Cup Squad

Three weeks after Germany handed the United States a 4-1 lesson in Kaiserslautern, which was a sobering reminder of the gap between being ranked seventh in the world and actually performing on European soil, Bruce Arena's squad returned to familiar ground. SAS Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina, had been the site of the team's training camp before the 2002 World Cup, and on April 11, 2006, it would host the last meaningful audition before Arena named his 23-man squad for Germany.

The Germany result had stung. But with the World Cup just eight weeks away, there was no time for extended reflection. Arena had rosters to finalize, fitness questions to answer, and decisions to make that would define an entire cycle of American soccer. Jamaica was a convenient opponent. The United States had never lost to them in 16 meetings, and the Reggae Boyz were carrying a roster heavy with MLS players. The setting, a sold-out SAS Soccer Park with 8,093 fans, was intimate and charged. But Arena was candid about what the scoreline would mean.

"Is the result important? No," he said. "What's important is to see where some of these guys are at and to try to confirm what I'm thinking. We have very little margin for error in this World Cup, and every bit of information we get is going to be helpful."

In his own mind, Arena believed two to five spots remained open. Among those with the most to prove: Steve Ralston, who had torn his quadriceps in January but had scored the September goal against Mexico that clinched World Cup qualification; Pat Noonan, versatile and highly regarded, who had impressed in earlier camp games before a hamstring injury cost him a month; Chris Albright, recovering from a knee injury; and John O'Brien, the most technically gifted American midfielder of his generation, whose body had spent the better part of a year betraying him. O'Brien hadn't played for the national team since the Gold Cup the previous summer.

Then there was the pregame ceremony. And Tony Meola.

No other American goalkeeper had reached 100 international appearances. On Tuesday evening in Cary, Meola became the ninth US player overall to reach the milestone, joining a list that included Cobi Jones, Jeff Agoos, Marcelo Balboa, Claudio Reyna, Paul Caligiuri, Eric Wynalda, Earnie Stewart and Joe-Max Moore. Before kickoff, he received a watch and an autographed ball.

Meola made his national team debut on June 10, 1988, as a teenager from Kearny, New Jersey, recruited by Arena himself while coaching at Virginia. He became the undisputed starter through the 1990 World Cup in Italy and the 1994 tournament on home soil, where his play and his ponytail made him a recognizable face across a country still learning the game. What came after nearly ended his international career: after floating the idea of pursuing a career as an NFL placekicker, he found himself frozen out of the national team setup until January 1999, by which point Keller and Brad Friedel had claimed the positions ahead of him. He came back anyway, earned a third World Cup in 2002 as third-choice keeper, and kept working.

"Any time you get to play for the national team, it is not a gift," Meola said, pushing back on the ceremonial framing. "Every time I play, I have a chance to impress."

The ceremony lasted longer than Meola's clean sheet. Within four minutes, a defensive breakdown undid the Americans. A corner kick headed away by Eddie Pope landed at the feet of Jamaican goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, who pushed immediately forward. Ricketts found Jermaine Hue in midfield, and Hue's pass split a sluggish American defense to release Teafore Bennett. Running past Frankie Hejduk, who Arena said failed to communicate with Pablo Mastroeni on the play, Bennett drew Meola off his line and tucked a shot inside the right post from ten yards.

The Americans regrouped. In the 25th minute, Pat Noonan was fouled, and Landon Donovan spotted Jamaica's wall still organizing. He took the free kick quickly, finding Ben Olsen arriving from the left. Olsen's low shot from twelve yards caught goalkeeper Ricketts's hands and bounced into the net.

"Landon did a great job recognizing that they were a little unorganized on their free kick defense," Olsen said. "They were scrambling for marks, and no one picked me up."

The assist was Donovan's 23rd for the national team, moving him past Galaxy teammate Cobi Jones to set the American record. The Americans dominated the remainder but could not find a winner. Wolff had a goal ruled out for offside in the 41st minute. Arena grew frustrated watching his domestic forwards squander chances. "We haven't gotten consistent enough performances and goals out of our front-runners in 2006," he said. The absence of Brian McBride, who was earning his minutes with Fulham, felt in nearly every attacking sequence.

O'Brien entered in the 67th minute for his first international appearance in nearly eight months. His 23 minutes were careful and encouraging. Albright defended with purpose and nearly scored twice from set pieces. Ralston, making his first appearance of the year, left in the second half with a groin strain. Meola finished with three saves and the result he would have least wanted.

"Bruce did a good job," he said afterward. "His speech yesterday was, 'Nobody's going to make the team tomorrow night, and nobody's going to get cut from the team tomorrow night.' He knows it's a process, and the guys know it's a process."

The United States left Cary unbeaten in 17 games against Jamaica and 4-2-1 (WDL) in friendlies in 2006. Arena would name his 35-player pool the following day and announce the final 23 on May 2, before the team returned to Cary on May 10 for a two-week training camp. The opening World Cup group match against the Czech Republic was on June 12.

Arena told the squad he intended to watch the next three MLS rounds before making cuts. Every player on the 18-man roster retained a theoretical chance.

Meola remained characteristically undefeated in spirit. "If the national team left for Germany today, the goalkeepers would be Kasey (Keller), Marcus (Hahnemann) and Tim (Howard)," he said a few days later. "But the team isn't leaving today. There's always a chance for me. A chance to go to my World Cup again. How would you feel?"

He would not make the trip. The watch and the ball from Cary, the memory of 8,093 fans marking the end of a career that had stretched across 18 years and three World Cups—that would have to be enough. For a team now weeks from naming the 23 that would carry American soccer onto the biggest stage in the world, the clock was running.

Balogan Keeps Scoring

Forward Has Now Scored in Seven Straight Ligue 1 Matches

Folarin Balogun continued his extraordinary run of form on Friday, but it wasn't enough to prevent Monaco from suffering a chastening 4-1 defeat to Paris FC in Ligue 1.

The American striker pulled one back in the 36th minute to score in a seventh consecutive league game—a feat that makes him the first player to achieve that in Ligue 1 since Neymar did so with PSG back in 2022. He now stands just one game away from equalling Monaco's all-time club record for consecutive scoring appearances, jointly held by Shabani Nonda and Rony Lopes.

The stats tell the story of a player in rampant form. Balogun had 10 touches inside the opposition box, won two of three aerial duels, and completed his only dribble attempt, though a big chance missed will have frustrated him on a night his side were well beaten. He now has nine goals in nine games across all competitions and 17 for the season in total.

For the USMNT, the numbers are deeply encouraging ahead of a home World Cup. Mauricio Pochettino will be watching closely as his striker builds the kind of momentum that could make him one of the tournament's most dangerous forwards come the summer.

Almost McKennie vs Musah

 One Midfielder is Suspended While the Other Comes Off the Bench

Two USMNT teammates find themselves on opposite sides of a crucial Serie A clash this weekend, as Juventus travels to Bergamo to face Atalanta in a match that could define both clubs' Champions League hopes.

Weston McKennie arrives in fine form. The midfielder was the standout performer in Juventus' 2-0 win over Genoa last Monday, netting after 17 minutes and earning man of the match honors. It was his fifth Serie A goal of the season, matching his personal best in the Italian top flight. He will, however, be absent on Saturday—a suspension rules him out of what would otherwise have been a marquee occasion for the American.

On the other side, Yunus Musah is fighting for relevance at Atalanta. Sent on loan from AC Milan after a difficult spell in which he was often played out of position, the midfielder has struggled to nail down a starting role, featuring as an unused substitute in five of his last nine league appearances. Despite flashes of form, including two goals in a week recently, his situation remains uncertain, with Milan needing to persuade Atalanta to trigger a €25 million purchase option this summer.

With McKennie watching on, Musah will be eager to seize his moment.

Richards and Palace in a Great Position

Crystal Palace Earned a Strong First-Leg Win in Europe

Chris Richards was a composed and reliable presence as Crystal Palace put one foot in the Conference League semi-finals with a dominant 3-0 victory over Fiorentina at Selhurst Park on Thursday night.

The American center-back played all 90 minutes, completing 41-of-47 passes at an 87% accuracy rate and contributing four defensive actions, including three clearances and a block, as Palace kept a clean sheet against a Fiorentina side that managed just two shots on target.

Richards, who won his sole aerial duel and was never dribbled past, also picked up a yellow card late on as the match grew increasingly physical in its closing stages—a small blemish on an otherwise controlled evening's work.

Speaking after the full-time whistle, the 26-year-old made clear that last season's FA Cup and Community Shield successes have only sharpened the squad's appetite for more. "With the trophies we won last season, the players have confidence," he told TNT Sports. "We want to win trophies at this club."

With a three-goal cushion heading into the second leg in Florence, Richards and Palace will feel well-placed to push on and reach the final four of the competition.

The Last Light at Ninian Park

On This Day in 2009, Eddie Johnson Finally Looked Like the Player Cardiff Had Been Waiting For

Eddie Johnson arrived at Ninian Park in August 2008 carrying a reputation that preceded him and a goalscoring record that hadn't followed. He was 24, a World Cup veteran, a former Golden Shoe winner at the FIFA World Youth Championships, and the youngest player ever to sign with MLS back in 2001. Fulham had bought him from Kansas City Wizards in January of that year, seen enough of him to loan him out, and Cardiff boss Dave Jones had been persuaded that a striker with 12 goals in 37 caps for the United States national team could rediscover that form in the Championship.

The early evidence was not encouraging. Johnson made his league debut as an 85th-minute substitute in a goalless draw with Sheffield United, which set the tone for much of what followed. He worked. He pressed. He created half-chances that didn't become chances, and full chances that didn't become goals. The shirt on his back—number nine—carried expectations he couldn't yet meet.

The season around him, at least, was going well enough. Cardiff opened with a last-minute winner over Southampton on the opening day, their first home opener in 11 years, and didn't lose until their ninth league match. Manager Dave Jones won the Championship's manager of the month award for October. A slump followed with three defeats in four matches, but Michael Chopra arrived on loan from Sunderland and converted a penalty on debut against Crystal Palace to steady things. From late November through to the end of February, Cardiff went unbeaten, climbing to fourth in the table. They were genuine promotion contenders.

Johnson was part of the squad but not quite part of the story. 22 league appearances, zero goals. Jones kept faith publicly, praising his work rate and his performances in training. The goals would come. They just hadn't yet.

The first came in March. On the 7th, against Doncaster, Johnson came on as a substitute for Jay Bothroyd and cut in from the right to curl the ball past keeper Neil Sullivan. Ninian Park erupted. Jones joked afterward that they'd be printing T-shirts to commemorate the occasion. "He works his socks off, and everyone is delighted for him," Jones said. Four days later, Johnson was named man of the match in a 3-1 win over Barnsley. Something had clicked.

Goal at 1:08

By the time Derby County came to Cardiff on April 8, the mathematics of the season had sharpened considerably. The Bluebirds sat just outside the automatic promotion places, chasing hard but needing results. Derby arrived in reasonable form and started the better side. John Eustace came close in the ninth minute, his acrobatic volley forcing Stuart Taylor into a save around the post. The visitors were comfortable on the ball, probing, looking like a team that could cause problems. Then Cardiff scored against the run of play. Peter Whittingham floated a free kick in from the right on 16 minutes, and center-back Roger Johnson rose to glance a header past Stephen Bywater. Against the flow of the game, Cardiff were ahead.

The second half belonged entirely to the home side. Gavin Rae latched onto a Stephen McPhail pass and rounded Bywater to make it 2-0 on 61 minutes, which was his first goal of the season. Two minutes later, Whittingham's corner found Bothroyd at close range, and suddenly it was three. Derby, as Jones would note afterward, was done. "The second goal knocked the stuffing out of them," he said, "and the third one killed them off."

Eddie Johnson came on as a substitute in the 65th minute. 14 minutes later, he had the goal the night deserved. Breaking clear through Derby's disorganized backline, he arrived one-on-one with Bywater and slotted the ball coolly past the keeper from the edge of the area. 4-0. Clean, composed, inevitable-looking in the way only the best finishes manage to be.

There was a footnote, one that history would make something of. Deep in injury time, with Gary Teale's late corner swinging in from the left, Johnson misjudged his clearance and sent the ball into his own net. Derby had their consolation. The scoreline read 4-1. But what lingered wasn't the own goal, it was the symmetry of what it represented: Eddie Johnson was the last Cardiff City scorer under the Ninian Park floodlights. The old ground, due to be replaced by the new Cardiff City Stadium the following season, had seen its final floodlit league match. Johnson had bookended it with a goal and an own goal, contribution and accident, in the way football sometimes arranges things without asking permission.

Jones was measured in his assessment, as was his way. "We didn't play as well as we are capable of," he said. "But our finishing was clinical. That was the highlight of our performance." Derby manager Nigel Clough was gracious and honest: "We played some very good stuff, we played good penetrating football against one of the best teams in the division... It wasn't a 4-1." He was probably right about that. But it was.

The win moved Cardiff above Burnley into fifth, and for a few weeks, the dream Jones kept referencing felt tangible. Back-to-back victories followed. With four games remaining, the club needed just two points to secure a playoff place.

They got one. A 2-2 draw with Charlton was all they could manage from their final four matches, and when the table settled, Cardiff finished seventh, eliminated from the playoffs on goals scored, pipped by Preston North End by the narrowest of margins. The collapse at the end made the April wins feel even more precious in retrospect, the Derby result among them.

Johnson returned to Fulham that summer, his loan concluded. He had made 30 Championship appearances and scored twice, with both goals coming in that final sprint of the season when he finally looked like the player Jones had always believed was there. For the number nine shirt, the wait tested everyone's patience. All of it resolved, briefly and vividly, under the last lights at Ninian Park.

Dempsey Destroys Bolton to Rewrite the Record Books

On This Day in 2012, the American Set a New Premier League Benchmark for Fulham

The hat-trick against Newcastle on January 21, 2012, had felt like a watershed moment, but Clint Dempsey wasn't finished writing history. He rarely was.

February brought further evidence of a player operating at the very peak of his powers. A composed finish in the 1-1 draw at West Brom on February 1 took his Premier League tally to 10 for the season—double figures for the first time in his Fulham career. Nine days later, against Stoke, the goals were coming in stranger ways: a 28th-minute shot cannoned back off the crossbar, clipped goalkeeper Thomas Sørensen on the way down, and crept over the line. Technically an own goal, but everyone at Craven Cottage knew whose effort had done the damage. Then came Wolverhampton, and Dempsey was back to his most ruthless, with two goals in a 5-0 rout that left the Midlanders shell-shocked and Fulham purring.

Off the pitch, the conversation was turning to his future. On March 8, the day before his 29th birthday, manager Martin Jol confirmed that the club had opened talks over a new three-year contract. It was an unmistakable signal of intent from a club that understood, perhaps better than anyone, what they had in their midst. Then, on March 31, Dempsey scored and assisted in a 2-1 victory over Norwich, a performance that served as the perfect dress rehearsal for what was to come.

By the time Fulham made the trip north to the Reebok Stadium on April 7, they were a side in rude health. Bolton, their opponents, were anything but.

Owen Coyle's team had given their supporters genuine cause for optimism in recent weeks. Three consecutive Premier League wins, their first such run since 2006, had lifted them two places and one point above the relegation zone, and Coyle had been rewarded with the Manager of the Month award for March. Their home form had been particularly encouraging: just one defeat in their last six at the Reebok. With Fulham sitting comfortably in mid-table and missing their Russian striker, Pavel Pogrebnyak, through injury, Bolton had every reason to believe a fourth straight win was within reach. The infamous Manager of the Month curse, however, had other ideas.

Danny Murphy was also absent for Fulham, but Jol had solutions. Alex Kacaniklic, a 20-year-old Swede with Liverpool roots, earned his first start on the left. More significantly, Dempsey was deployed centrally rather than from a wider position to compensate for Pogrebnyak's absence—a tactical tweak that would prove devastating for Bolton.

Fulham had the better of the early exchanges, though Bolton showed flashes of their recent form. Ryo Miyaichi, impressive throughout the first period, shot over from 12 yards after connecting with a Martin Petrov cross. Damien Duff tested Bolton goalkeeper Adam Bogdan twice from range, his first flying wide, the second charged down, and when the ball ricocheted toward Dempsey, the American spun and fired only to see the flag correctly raised for offside. The goal was coming, though. Everyone inside the Reebok could feel it.

It arrived on the half-hour. David Ngog was penalized for a foul on Mahamadou Diarra roughly 30 yards from goal, and Dempsey stepped up with the kind of self-assurance that only comes from scoring twenty-odd times in a season. The free-kick was magnificent, bending, swerving, struck with real venom from a central position, and though Bogdan stretched high to his left and got a hand to it, he could only watch it nestle into the net. One-nil. 13 Premier League goals for the season, drawing level with Louis Saha's long-standing club record.

Bolton pressed for an equalizer but was undone by their own defensive sloppiness in first-half stoppage time. Duff, who had tormented left-back Marcos Alonso all afternoon with a masterclass in direct wing play, whipped a cross in from the right. Dempsey, arriving unmarked six yards out, met it with a clean, powerful header. Bogdan had no chance. Jol was charitable in his assessment afterward. "Dempsey was allowed to run unmarked for a free header," Coyle admitted ruefully, but the truth was simpler: leaving a player of Dempsey's quality unchecked in the box is an invitation for disaster. Bolton's defenders had accepted that invitation without hesitation.

The home side trudged off to boos at the interval, two goals down and with nothing to show for their earlier promise.

Coyle threw on Kevin Davies, Chris Eagles and Ivan Klasnic in search of a lifeline, but Fulham, liberated by their lead and buoyed by Duff's continued dominance, were always more menacing on the counter. Bogdan made two excellent saves to deny Duff in the second half, and Dempsey fired wide when a hat-trick beckoned, but a third Fulham goal arrived regardless. With 10 minutes remaining, John Arne Riise drove forward and crossed low into the area. Diarra, sliding in, steered the ball home from eight yards for his first goal in Fulham colors. Three-nil. Bolton were booed off again at the final whistle.

For Dempsey, the numbers were staggering. 14 and 15 Premier League goals for the season and 21 in all competitions across 40 appearances. Saha's record, which was held for eight years, was not merely equaled but surpassed. And crucially, as Jol was quick to point out, most of those goals had come from wide positions rather than through the middle, making the return all the more remarkable.

"When you consider he has scored most of his goals operating from a wide position," Jol said, "his success is amazing."

For Fulham, the victory had a mathematical significance too. 40 points on the board meant the safety mark had been passed, and Jol was already looking ahead with the ambition of a manager who felt his side had underachieved. "We don't need to be looking over our shoulders," he said. "The objective between now and the end of the season has to be to create a winning mentality and get as many points as possible."

For Bolton, the picture was considerably grimmer. Their three-game winning run had been built on belief and determination in equal measure, but this performance exposed the fragility beneath the surface. Facing Newcastle away on the following Monday, with relegation looming and confidence shattered, Coyle would need to find answers quickly.

For Dempsey, meanwhile, the record books had been rewritten again. And with five games still remaining, there was every reason to believe he wasn't done yet.

Agyemang Injured

Striker Carted Off in Win Over Stoke City

Patrick Agyemang's promising debut season in Europe took a worrying turn on Monday when the Derby County striker was stretchered off in the first half of a 2-0 win over Stoke City with a non-contact injury.

In the 37th minute, Agyemang leaped to control the ball with his chest, landed awkwardly, and immediately collapsed to the ground. Derby medical staff attended to his left ankle for five minutes before he was carried off on a stretcher. Manager John Eustace confirmed afterward that Agyemang had been sent for scans, but was unable to provide any further update on the severity of the injury.

"We don't want to see any players coming off on a stretcher," Eustace said. "Hopefully it's not as bad as what it might be, but until we get the scan results, we'll have to wait and see."

The timing couldn't be worse for the 25-year-old American. Since joining Derby from Charlotte FC last summer, Agyemang has impressed in his first Championship season, tallying 10 goals and three assists across 37 appearances, second only to Carlton Morris among Derby's scorers this season. He had also cemented himself as a regular presence in Mauricio Pochettino's USMNT squads and, as recently as last month, scored in a 5-2 defeat to Belgium during the March international window.

With the World Cup beginning on home soil on June 12, when the U.S. opens Group D play against Paraguay, the stakes couldn't be higher. Pochettino is expected to name his final 26-man roster on May 26, leaving precious little time for Agyemang to prove his fitness. While Folarin Balogun leads the striker pecking order, Agyemang had been firmly in contention for a backup role alongside Ricardo Pepi and Haji Wright. A serious injury could now put that place in serious jeopardy.

McKennie Scores

Midfielder Picks Up Where He Left Off After the International Break

Weston McKennie was at the heart of Juventus' comfortable 2-0 win over Genoa on Monday, providing the Bianconeri with a crucial three points as they continue their push for a Champions League spot in Serie A.

McKennie's goal came in the 17th minute, capping off a slick team move that showed Juventus at their fluid best. Andrea Cambiaso and Kenan Yildiz worked the ball out of the back well, opening up space down the right flank. McKennie and Francisco Conceição then combined with a sharp, long one-two, and the American burst into the penalty area before sweeping Conceição's cutback into the bottom-left corner with power and precision—a finish that was as composed as it was clinical.

The goal was McKennie's reward for an energetic, all-around performance that stood out even on a night when Juventus controlled proceedings comfortably. He took a team-high three shots. He also contributed defensively, recording six defensive contributions and winning his only aerial duel of the night.

It wasn't a perfect evening for the 27-year-old American. He squandered two big chances, most notably turning a Yildiz cross over the bar from inside the six-yard box, and sliding another golden opportunity wide early in the second half after being set up generously by Khephren Thuram. On another night, McKennie could have had a hat-trick.

Still, the goal was pivotal. Juventus, who had won just two of their previous seven league matches, moved to within a point of the Champions League places, benefiting from favorable results elsewhere. McKennie's finish was, ultimately, the moment that put the game beyond doubt and helped Juventus close out a vital victory.

Balogun's Sublime Chip

Striker's Audacious Chip Extends Monaco's Stunning Revival

Folarin Balogun is in the form of his life, and Marseille were the latest victims.

The 24-year-old American striker scored for the sixth consecutive league match on Sunday, producing a moment of genuine quality to seal Monaco's 2-1 victory in a pivotal Ligue 1 clash at the Stade Louis II. With Monaco and Marseille both chasing Champions League qualification, the stakes could hardly have been higher, and Balogun delivered when it mattered most.

Aleksandr Golovin had given the hosts the lead in the 59th minute, stabbing home Jordan Teze's cross after goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli misjudged his attempt to collect it. Marseille pushed back hard, forcing goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky into a spectacular stop to deny Quinten Timber, but Monaco absorbed the pressure and struck decisively. Balogun latched onto a ball played over the top and, with Rulli advancing, coolly chipped the goalkeeper to double the advantage—a finish that was as composed as it was technically demanding. His xG for the effort was just 0.07, making the execution all the more impressive.

Amine Gouiri pulled one back late on to set up a nervy finish, but Monaco held firm to extend their unbeaten league run to ten matches—a remarkable turnaround for a side that had lost seven of eight games earlier in the season.

On the other side, fellow American Tim Weah started at right wing-back for Marseille, playing 89 minutes and completing 88% of his passes while creating two chances, including one big chance. It was an industrious enough shift, but his side's second successive defeat leaves them outside the top three and looking nervously over their shoulders at Monaco, who have now pulled level on points.

For Balogun, the goals just keep coming.

Aaronson Converts During FA Cup Shootout

Midfielder Played a Role as Leeds Reach FA Cup Semi-Finals

Brenden Aaronson will be heading to Wembley later this month, and his contribution to getting Leeds United there was more significant than the stat sheet might suggest.

The 25-year-old American came on as a first-half substitute after Anton Stach was forced off through injury, and he immediately made his presence felt. With Leeds leading 1-0 through Ao Tanaka's deflected opener, Aaronson drew a lunging foul from Max Kilman inside the penalty area in the 75th minute—the kind of intelligent, combative play that changes matches. Dominic Calvert-Lewin stepped up and converted the resulting spot-kick to make it 2-0, and at that point, a routine victory looked assured.

What followed was anything but. West Ham produced a stunning stoppage-time comeback, scoring twice in three minutes through Mateus Fernandes and Axel Disasi to force extra time, sending thousands of home fans who had left early scrambling to get back into the London Stadium. Leeds had to endure a frantic additional period in which two West Ham goals were ruled out for offside before the tie was settled on penalties.

Goalkeeper Lucas Perri was the hero of the shootout, saving efforts from Jarrod Bowen and Pablo, while Pascal Struijk tucked away the decisive kick to seal a 4-2 victory. Aaronson played 82 minutes in total, contributing three tackles, five recoveries and winning the penalty that proved pivotal, while converting a penalty of his own in the shootout, which gave Leeds a slim 2-1 lead.

It sends Leeds to their first FA Cup semi-final since 1987, where Chelsea await them at Wembley on the weekend of April 25th. For Aaronson, it is another big moment in what has been an eventful season and a chance to shine on one of English football's grandest stages.