Pepi's Impactful Comeback

Striker Makes Triumphal Return From Injury

Ricardo Pepi provided an exciting return from his arm injury. The 23-year-old American striker marked his return from a six-week injury in emphatic fashion, coming off the bench for PSV Eindhoven and curling a composed effort into the right corner three minutes from stoppage time to seal a 3-1 Eredivisie victory over Heerenveen—his 11th goal of the season across all competitions.

Pepi had been sidelined since January 10, and his absence coincided with a turbulent period off the pitch as well. Fulham had shown significant interest during the winter window, and both clubs reportedly agreed on a transfer fee on Deadline Day, only for the deal to collapse when PSV couldn't find a suitable replacement. He stayed, and on Saturday, he reminded everyone exactly why he was so difficult to replace.

Introduced in the 75th minute with PSV leading 2-1, where Ivan Perisic had equalized before halftime, and Myron Boadu added a second just after the break, Pepi wasted little time making his mark. Despite having a goal ruled out right after subbing on, patience paid off when, in the 87th minute, he collected the ball just outside the box and curled a right-footed strike into the corner. 

In just 15 minutes of action, he registered two shots, both on target, and created a chance—a cameo that belied its brevity. With PSV now 17 points clear at the top of the Eredivisie table and the March international window approaching, the timing of Pepi's return could hardly be better. The USMNT's World Cup preparations are starting to come together at exactly the right moment.