The United States men’s national team striker competition is heating up as the March international window nears.
USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino looks spoiled for choice right now, with all of his top options finding the net on a regular basis with their clubs.
While Pochettino will be pleased with his forward pool, there was a major negative during the weekend in the form of a significant injury to a key part of the USMNT’s defense.
Before we get to the good news, this week’s Five has to lead on Sergiño Dest’s untimely injury.
Sergiño Dest goes down
Sergiño Dest went down with a nasty-looking hamstring injury on Saturday, which appears to have put his World Cup place at risk.
The PSV right back took a fall chasing an AZ player, going down in serious pain while clutching his hamstring. Dest had to be helped from the field, unable to put any weight on his left leg.
How bad is the injury? PSV wouldn’t put a timeframe on Dest’s return, but the defender has already outlined a goal to return before the end of the season.
‘I will do everything within my power to be fully fit again towards the end of the season, and I’m confident that will happen,’ Dest said.
PSV’s season ends May 17, just a week before the USMNT’s World Cup roster is announced. Any setback would appear likely to spell the end of Dest’s World Cup hopes.
Ricardo Pepi picks up where he left off
There was a small silver lining from PSV’s game against AZ, as Ricardo Pepi scored an 86th-minute winner in a 2-1 victory for the Dutch champion.
Pepi had scored in five consecutive league matches when he suffered a broken arm Jan. 10, which PSV said would keep him out for two months.
But the striker returned ahead of schedule last month, scoring a brilliant long-range goal against Heerenveen just minutes after coming off the bench.
Pepi now has two goals in three matches since his return. All told, that’s seven goals in eight for Pepi, who looks ready for a step up to a bigger league after this season.
The striker is set to conclude his PSV spell with three Eredivisie titles in three seasons. PSV currently has a 19-point lead atop the table as it strolls to a three-peat.
Folarin Balogun can’t stop scoring
Folarin Balogun has been trying, mostly without success, to rediscover the form he showed during his breakout campaign at Reims in 2022-23.
Balogun scored 22 times while on loan that season, earning a €40 million move to Monaco from Arsenal.
The USMNT striker has shown flashes in his two-and-a-half-year spell with Les Monégasques, but the past month has seen Balogun look back to his menacing best.
After a goal and an assist in Friday’s 3-1 win at Paris Saint-Germain, the 24-year-old has five goals in his past five games – including three in two matches against PSG.
Balogun has appeared to be the favorite to start for the USMNT at the World Cup for a while now, and his form at Monaco is only solidifying his spot.
Haji Wright turns it around
After a three-month goal drought, Haji Wright is back to the prolific form he displayed at the beginning of the season.
The Coventry striker made it three straight matches with a goal on Saturday, finding the net in a 2-0 win over Bristol City. Wright snapped his barren run on Jan. 17. Since then, he’s netted eight in 10 games.
The 27-year-old now has 16 goals this season, just one off the top of the Championship leaderboard.
Coventry has a five-point lead atop the Championship and, perhaps more importantly, a nine-point lead over third-place Millwall in the race for automatic promotion. If things stay on track, Wright may be playing in a World Cup and the Premier League in the coming months.
Hard work pays off for Benjamin Cremaschi
It’s been a trying campaign at Parma for Benjamin Cremaschi, but the young American had a moment to remember on Sunday.
Cremaschi made his first Serie A start, playing the full match for Parma in a 0-0 draw at Fiorentina. The 21-year-old played as a right wingback in Parma’s 3-5-2 setup, putting in a strong two-way shift while going the full 90 minutes.
‘Cremaschi is a perfect example of hard work paying off,’ Parma head coach Carlos Cuesta said after the game. ‘He’s versatile and can play multiple roles, originally a mezzala (inside winger).
‘Today he had an excellent match, both offensively and defensively. He earned this opportunity through training, the right attitude, and giving his all, physically, mentally, and emotionally.’
Cremaschi has barely featured for Parma since joining on loan from Inter Miami in the fall. His future may still be away from both Parma and Inter Miami, but the Florida native now has something to build on.