Midfielder Continued His Fine Form During a Draw With Everton
Brenden Aaronson delivered an energetic performance in Leeds United's 1-1 draw at Everton on Monday, though his impact waned in the second half as the newly promoted side was forced to settle for a point at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The 25-year-old American attacking midfielder was at the heart of Leeds' attacking play during the opening period, playing a crucial role in James Justin's first-half goal despite not touching the ball. His intelligent decision to leave Anton Stach's low cross from the right flank allowed Justin to strike cleanly and give the Whites a deserved lead approaching the half-hour mark.
Beyond his involvement in the goal, Aaronson was everywhere for Daniel Farke's side, constantly showing for the ball and turning away from defenders to initiate attacks. He combined effectively with right-back Jayden Bogle on multiple occasions, with their link-up play nearly producing a second goal when Dominic Calvert-Lewin rattled the post from close range.
Aaronson completed 85 minutes before being substituted for Noah Okafor, finishing with 22 successful passes from 25 attempts—an 88% completion rate. He registered one shot on target and created one chance, though his dribbling was less successful, completing none of his five attempted take-ons. Defensively, he contributed with three tackles, one block, two clearances, and six recoveries.
However, as one observer noted, his "tank emptied too long before he came off," with his influence diminishing significantly after halftime as the entire Leeds team dropped their intensity. Thierno Barry's equalizer for Everton in the second half denied Leeds all three points.
Despite the draw keeping Leeds eight points above the relegation zone and four points off mid-table, Aaronson's performance demonstrated why he's been integral to their Premier League survival hopes. The only element missing from his display was the goal or assist that has characterized his excellent recent form heading into a crucial World Cup year.
Defender Sent Off During Top-of-the-Table Clash With Hearts
Auston Trusty's controversial red card proved costly for Celtic in their 2-2 draw with Hearts at Tynecastle on Sunday, sparking fierce debate about the VAR decision that left the champions down to 10 men for the second time in four days.
The 27-year-old American center-back was initially shown a yellow card by referee Steven McLean in the 77th minute after pulling down Landry Kabore as the Hearts player broke through Celtic's defense. However, VAR official John Beaton intervened, advising McLean to review the incident on his pitchside monitor. After consultation, the yellow was upgraded to red for denying a goalscoring opportunity, and Celtic subsequently conceded an equalizer to Claudio Braga with three minutes remaining.
Celtic manager Martin O'Neill was furious with the decision, accusing Beaton of "re-refereeing the game." O'Neill argued that covering defenders Dane Murray and Liam Scales were positioned nearby, and that the ball was traveling away from goal, requiring Kabore to control it before shooting. "It's no more a red card than a blue card - which don't exist," O'Neill stated emphatically.
Before his dismissal, Trusty had completed 77 minutes, winning seven of ten aerial duels and making two clearances. He completed 24 of 40 passes but struggled with his distribution, connecting on just two of nine long balls. The sending-off left Celtic trailing Hearts by six points and Rangers by two in third place, continuing a troubling pattern after they had also played an hour with 10 men against Bologna on Thursday.
After Missing Last Weekend, Defender Notched an Assist on a Short Throw in a Win Over Stade Brest
Mark McKenzie made a triumphant return to Toulouse's starting lineup on Sunday, providing the assist for the opening goal in their 2-0 victory over Stade Brestois after missing the previous weekend's 5-1 rout of Nice due to a foot injury.
The 26-year-old American center-back demonstrated his versatility and creative thinking in the 27th minute with an assist that caught the Brest defense completely off guard. Taking his time during a throw-in on the left wing, McKenzie executed what was described as a "long throw-in dummy" before playing a short pass to new signing Pape Demba Diop. The Senegalese central midfielder took a touch just outside the penalty area before unleashing a powerful 25-meter strike that found the back of the net, opening his Ligue 1 account for Toulouse.
McKenzie's creative contribution helped unlock what had been a tight contest, allowing Toulouse to take control before Yann Gboho doubled the advantage just before halftime with his sixth goal of the season.
Beyond his attacking contribution, McKenzie delivered a commanding defensive performance over the full 90 minutes. Operating as part of a three-man defensive partnership with Charlie Cresswell and captain Rasmus Nicolaisen, he recorded seven clearances—five of them headers—while winning all three of his ground duels and both aerial challenges. He also made two tackles, one interception, and eight recoveries without being dribbled past once.
The Philadelphia native completed 40 of his 45 passes for an 89% accuracy rate, including two successful long balls and eight passes into the final third, demonstrating his comfort in possession and ability to initiate attacks from deep.
The victory marked Toulouse's third consecutive win across all competitions, lifting them to within two points of sixth-place Racing Club de Strasbourg and European qualification. McKenzie's return from injury proved crucial as Toulouse continued their impressive push toward continental competition.
Defender Nodded Home a Consolation Goal in Defeat to Chelsea
Chris Richards provided a bright moment in an otherwise disappointing afternoon for Crystal Palace, scoring a late consolation goal in their 3-1 defeat to Chelsea at Selhurst Park on Sunday. The American center-back's 88th-minute header marked a special milestone, coming in his 100th club appearance for the Eagles.
Despite Chelsea dominating the match and building a commanding 3-0 lead through goals from Estevão, João Pedro, and Enzo Fernández's penalty, Richards refused to give up. His close-range header came moments after goalkeeper Robert Sánchez had made a terrific save to deny Jefferson Lerma, showing Palace's determination to fight until the final whistle.
The 25-year-old defender's goal demonstrated excellent positioning in the opposition's penalty area. Richards found himself in attacking positions three times during the match, eventually converting his only shot of the game with precision.
Beyond his attacking contribution, Richards fulfilled his defensive duties admirably, completing the full 90 minutes and recording 51 accurate passes from 56 attempts—a 91% success rate. He made two tackles, two clearances, and six recoveries while winning three of his four ground duels. His composure on the ball was evident as he completed his only dribble attempt and wasn't dispossessed throughout the contest.
However, Richards' goal proved to be merely a footnote in a miserable day for Palace, who had Adam Wharton sent off for a second yellow card following a late tackle on Moisés Caicedo. The defeat extended the FA Cup winners' winless streak to 11 matches across all competitions, leaving them just eight points above the relegation zone and facing mounting pressure ahead of difficult fixtures against Nottingham Forest and rivals Brighton.
For Richards, though, reaching his century of appearances with a goal provided a personal highlight amid the team's struggles.
On This Day in 2025, Pulisic Converted His 12th Straight Penalty Kick Before Milan Scored Twice in Stoppage Time in a Wild Comeback
The Olimpico against Club Brugge had been one chapter in Christian Pulisic's remarkable autumn. What followed in January would cement his status as AC Milan's most indispensable player.
Just over two months after that fortuitous corner found the net at San Siro, Pulisic stood in Riyadh for the Supercoppa Italiana final against Inter Milan. When Inter took an early lead, the pressure mounted. But Pulisic responded in the 52nd minute, firing home the equalizer to drag Milan back into contention. Then he threaded a perfectly weighted pass to Rafael Leão, who converted the eventual winner in a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory.
The American had his first trophy in Rossoneri colors. He'd also reached double-digit goals in consecutive seasons across Europe's top five leagues, a feat not accomplished by an American since Clint Dempsey. But the celebrations proved short-lived. The Supercoppa success couldn't mask the underlying issues plaguing Milan's domestic campaign.
Milan arrived at their January 26 home fixture against Parma in a peculiar position—thriving in the Champions League while languishing in Serie A's congested middle. Their midweek victory over Girona had secured a fifth consecutive European win, propelling them into the knockout phase playoffs with 15 points from a possible 15 after their disastrous opening two matches.
Yet domestically, the picture looked considerably bleaker. A lifeless 2-0 defeat to Juventus in their previous league outing had left Milan sitting eighth with fewer than 35 points through 20 matches. Four draws in their last five home league games had them closer to mid-table anonymity than Champions League qualification. Parma, meanwhile, hovered precariously above the relegation zone in 17th place, though they'd already shocked Milan once this season—a 2-1 victory at Stadio Tardini back in August that felt like a distant embarrassment the Rossoneri desperately wanted to avenge.
Parma struck first in the 24th minute when Matteo Cancellieri curled a low shot into the far corner after Theo Hernández slipped at the critical moment. Milan's attack struggled to manufacture clear opportunities until the 38th minute, when Parma goalkeeper Zion Suzuki—the American-born Japan international—shoved Strahinja Pavlović in the back at a corner kick.
Pulisic stepped forward, his penalty record unblemished—11 successful conversions for club and country spanning his entire professional career. Suzuki guessed correctly, diving to his right, but Pulisic's execution was flawless. He drilled the ball low into the corner with enough pace that the goalkeeper's outstretched hand couldn't prevent it from nestling into the net. 12 goals from 12 spot kicks. The perfect record intact. Milan level at 1-1.
The goal marked Pulisic's first Serie A goal since October, ending a domestic drought that stretched across three months even as he'd continued contributing in other competitions. The second half saw both sides create chances without finding the decisive breakthrough. Then, in the 80th minute, disaster struck. Ismaël Bennacer's poor pass out from the back gifted possession to Parma, and Enrico Delprato poked home the rebound after Mike Maignan saved the initial shot. San Siro fell into frustrated silence.
Sérgio Conceição had introduced Samuel Chukwueze and Tammy Abraham in search of fresh attacking impetus, and those changes would prove decisive. Pavlović thought he'd rescued a point two minutes from time, only for the offside flag to deny him. But Milan refused to surrender. In the second minute of stoppage time, Yunus Musah—the other American in Milan's squad—threaded a perfectly weighted through ball that split Parma's defensive line. Tijjani Reijnders beat the offside trap and calmly slipped his shot past Suzuki. 2-2. San Siro erupted.
Incredibly, there was still time for more drama. Three minutes later, Pavlović's header bounced off Chukwueze's thigh directly in front of the goal, and though Suzuki got a hand to it, he couldn't keep the ball from crossing the line. Milan had completed an improbable comeback, turning certain defeat into a stunning victory. The victory moved Milan to sixth place with 34 points, keeping their top-four ambitions alive while demonstrating the resilience Conceição demanded from his players.
Yet Pulisic's perfect penalty record wouldn't survive February. Against Torino on the 22nd, Vanja Milinković-Savić blocked his attempt, ending the unblemished streak in a 2-1 defeat. But Pulisic's response demonstrated his mental fortitude. Two weeks later, against Lecce, he scored twice in another dramatic 3-2 comeback, including winning and converting the match-winning penalty.
On April 27, his goal against Venezia marked his 16th across all competitions, surpassing his previous career-best scoring campaign. When the season concluded, Pulisic finished as Milan's top scorer with 17 goals and 10 assists across all competitions. His nine league assists ranked second in Serie A behind only Romelu Lukaku. For the second consecutive season, he earned selection to the Serie A Team of the Season.
Milan's campaign ended in contradictions—reaching the Champions League knockout phase while finishing eighth in Serie A, claiming the Supercoppa but suffering defeat in the Coppa Italia final. But Pulisic had answered every question asked of him. The penalty against Parma—number 12 in his perfect streak—represented just one moment in a season where he'd evolved from star player to genuine leader. The American who'd struggled to find his place at Chelsea had become the American who carried AC Milan through their most challenging moments, one decisive contribution at a time.
