Latest news with #MalikTillman
New York Times
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
USMNT Tracker Awards: Player of the season? Who made the best XI? Who disappointed?
It's that time of year again. Throw on a tux, practice your fake smiles, heck, boycott it if you don't like your chances, because football's awards season is here. To wrap up another season of following the Americans playing for clubs in Europe, we're dishing out gongs in a range of hotly contested categories. So dim the stage lights, strike up the band and let's see who has won a coveted (ahem) Ballon d'Tracker. Sorry. There's a forceful strand of logic that suggests this has to go to the USMNT's most high-profile, most naturally-gifted senior player, who has had another strong individual season at a top European club. Despite Milan's troubled, mid-table campaign, Christian Pulisic (top left) has registered his highest tally of goals in a single season, and been a standout performer on several occasions. He has scored in a cup final to help his team win a trophy (their only one this term, January's SuperCoppa Italiana) and been Milan's most creative force. Advertisement But it's too easy to dish out the top award to Pulisic, especially in a season when Milan have not only failed to challenge for the Scudetto but missed out on any form of European qualification. Instead, step forward one of the USMNT's younger playmakers: a midfielder who has ridden the ups and downs of injury to have a sensational solo season and end it with major domestic success. Malik Tillman made his mark yet again during the thrilling climax of the Eredivisie in the Netherlands last weekend, scoring the third goal as PSV beat Sparta Rotterdam 3-1 and dramatically clinched the title after rivals Ajax stumbled. It was the 22-year-old's 12th league goal of the season (he got 16 overall, including three in the Champions League) and made him second only to striker Luuk de Jong in the club's top-scorer chart. Tillman's haul, especially for a midfielder, was even more impressive because it came in just 26 league games, with a serious ankle injury causing him to miss eight matches earlier this year. But he recovered to play a crucial part in PSV's near flawless run-in, keeping Ajax under pressure in the top spot until eventually the Amsterdam side cracked, with Tillman getting five goals in that period. The big question now is whether the Dutch champions can keep hold of him. Manager Peter Bosz is unlikely to let him go easily. 'When you see him play, you remember what you missed for three months,' said the PSV coach after Tillman's full return in April, when he scored against Groningen. 'I enjoyed him. He's a great player.' It only lasted 13 minutes on a chilly night in Dortmund, but Cole Campbell will never forget November 5, 2024. That's when the then 18-year-old made his Champions League debut for one of Europe's top teams. Following in the footsteps of Pulisic and Gio Reyna, the teenager from Houston was plunged into the spotlight as he came on for Borussia Dortmund against Sturm Graz in a 1-0 win during the competition's league phase. Winger Campbell may not have gone on to become a first-team regular for the Bundesliga giant this term, but he made four league appearances too. That tally may have been greater were it not for an injury that caused him to miss 10 games since March. Rumors of interest in Campbell from other German top-flight clubs have also surfaced this term, so it remains to be seen if he is loaned out for experience next season. But the 19-year-old signed a new deal in October keeping him at Signal Iduna Park until 2028, which underlines his promise. 'Cole is a very young and extremely exciting player, who took huge strides in the past year. We see so much potential in him,' Dortmund's sporting director, Sebastian Kehl, said at the time. Goalkeeper: Matt Turner (pictured top with the trophy in goalkeeper gloves) hasn't played anywhere near as much football as he would have liked, but the USMNT No 1 played his part in Crystal Palace's FA Cup success, keeping two clean sheets in three games early in the competition as he deputized for Dean Henderson. Aside from the exciting young Barcelona prospect Diego Kochen, who didn't get any senior minutes this season, nobody is pushing Turner for his spot. Advertisement Left-back: One of the no-brainers. Fulham's European hopes may have fizzled out a touch as the Premier League reached its business end, but Antonee Robinson has been one of their standout performers all season. He has been one of the top-flight's best full-backs, and memorably shone against Mohamed Salah as Fulham held Liverpool to a draw in December. Right-back: Richy Ledezma had the unenviable task of deputizing at PSV for the indomitable Sergino Dest for much of this season. And the Arizonan put in an impressive shift, making 38 appearances across all competitions as PSV successfully defended their crown. Center-back: Chris Richards (pictured top with the trophy and US flag) became an integral part of Palace's three-man central defensive unit, culminating in Wembley glory. All power to him. Center-back: Mark McKenzie has had a breakthrough season with Toulouse in Ligue 1 and, although Cameron Carter-Vickers won another title with Celtic in Scotland, McKenzie has flourished in a tougher division where he made 33 appearances across all competitions in his debut season in France. Midfielder: Weston McKennie once again bounced back from a summer when he was briefly considered expendable at Juventus to become a major part of their team. As ever, he has also proved to be dependably flexible, playing in various positions. Midfielder: Tanner Tessmann has shone in Lyon during his first campaign in Ligue 1, managing to break into their team despite a host of experienced central midfielders initially ahead of him. He also played his part as Lyon squeezed into qualification for Europe next season. Midfielder: Pulisic. Obviously. He has become one of the top players a major European side relies on week in, week out. Milan are keen to tie him down to a new contract this summer. Midfielder: This was close, but Tim Weah at Juventus edges into the team ahead of Milan's Yunus Musah, with more goals and assists than his compatriot. Advertisement Attacker: Josh Sargent couldn't fire Norwich City back into the Premier League but did finish as third-top-scorer in the second-tier EFL Championship despite an injury-hit campaign. Fifteen goals (and five assists) is no mean feat. Attacker: Haji Wright's season ended in disappointment in the Championship play-off semi-finals but, in the absence of injured Folarin Balogun for a lot of this season, Coventry City's Wright gets the nod for his 12 goals, which came during a campaign he also missed large parts of with a serious ankle problem. Everyone loves a feel-good story, and for most of the footballing world outside of Manchester, Crystal Palace's FA Cup win was just that. A first major trophy for a historic club who have long been in the shadow of London neighbours such as Arsenal and Chelsea. But in the past year or so under new manager Oliver Glasner, Palace have been building to something, and this month their thrilling run in the cup ended the way every one of their fans dreamed about: in Wembley euphoria. For Chris Richards, it was also a major step in his blossoming Premier League career. Richards became the first American to get his hands on the famous trophy in 21 years (Tim Howard lifted it in 2004 with Manchester United). He can also reflect on his progress since breaking into the Palace team, where he became a key performer in a mean defence alongside Maxence Lacroix and Marc Guehi. The USMNT should benefit from Richards' growing confidence and experience this summer, too. It has largely been a season to forget for Gio Reyna, who must have felt at times like he was going backwards. From being considered one of the Bundesliga's most exciting young talents in 2020-21, fast forward a few years and the 22-year-old managed just three starts for Dortmund all season. It didn't help that his club changed manager during the campaign, but it was telling that neither Nuri Sahin nor successor Niko Kovac were convinced. Advertisement The Champions League offered Reyna more encouragement: he made nine appearances in that competition compared with 16 across the whole Bundesliga season. But even those returns to Europe's elite did not shift the feeling that one of America's most natural talents in recent years has lost his way, and needs a fresh start elsewhere next season. (Top photos: Getty Images)
New York Times
19-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
USMNT Player Tracker: Richards, Turner and Tillman savour success, but Pulisic's race is run
Welcome to a trophy-laden instalment of our USMNT Player Tracker, with league titles and first-time cup triumphs headlining the weekend. While usual correspondent Greg O'Keeffe is likely still taking a few more tearful laps around Goodison Park, we'll look at PSV completing a stunning second straight Dutch title, Chris Richards helping Crystal Palace make history, Milan slamming the door on its hopes of playing European-level soccer in 2025-26 and much more. A month ago, Malik Tillman couldn't have imagined he'd be in a position to confirm PSV's successful defense of its league title in the Netherlands. On April 18, PSV trailed Ajax by nine points with just five games remaining in the league campaign. Ajax had done well to wrestle command over the Eredivisie by winning both meetings between the Dutch giants, losing just two of its first 29 games to position itself for a first league championship since 2022. Advertisement And yet the Amsterdam club stumbled mightily, taking just two points from its next four matches, while PSV claimed all 12 on offer — giving the defending champion a one-point edge heading into Sunday's final round of games. There was tension to endure soon after half-time as Sparta Rotterdam equalized against PSV while Ajax nursed a one-goal lead at home against FC Twente to give it temporary command over the table. Veteran striker Luuk de Jong made it 2-1 PSV six minutes after the leveler, but Sparta hung in there to sustain the dramatic last leg of the season. Finally, Tillman clinched the win in the 84th minute, running onto a headed pass in the heart of the box to kick off jubilation in the away fans' section and, one must assume, the majority of Eindhoven. KAM-PI-OE-NEN 😍#OnsEindje — PSV (@PSV) May 18, 2025 The PSV faithful have fallen for Tillman over his two-year stint at the club, having joined on an initial loan from Germany's Bayern Munich for the 2023-24 season. He will turn 23 towards the end of this month, but has already played in big games for PSV and, on a previous loan spell, Rangers in Scotland. His loan became a permanent move before the 2024-25 season for $13.4million (£10m), with reports citing a Bayern buyback clause of just over $39m. It's hard to envision the attacking midfielder having that option sprung, but his two-year mastery in the Eredivisie has some wondering if he'll again be on the move this summer. Of greater relevance for our purposes may be his relatively scarce international involvement since committing to the USMNT in 2022, having previously represented Germany at all major youth levels. Tillman has earned 17 caps for the USMNT and has zero international goals despite bagging 25 in all competitions across the last two seasons with PSV. For a U.S. side begging for goals and players capable of unpicking low-block defenses, his experience playing for a perennial power that often faces similar defensive strongholds in the Dutch league seems like a natural solution. Advertisement The reasons for his scarce international run-outs are varied but fairly understandable. First, previous USMNT boss Gregg Berhalter seldom played with a true attacking midfielder, forcing Tillman to operate out of position as either a central midfielder or on a wing. In each unfamiliar role, he failed to make his usual attacking impact. His profile in the No 10 position is also relevant, especially since new USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino seems more likely to use one than his predecessor. Tillman is a capable string-puller but thrives with late runs into the box, like the one that sealed PSV's title on Sunday, with his average shot distance coming just over 18 yards from goal. Sorry not sorry, Peter 😘#OnsEindje — PSV (@PSV) May 18, 2025 Tillman isn't the same type of nimble creator as Gio Reyna — who, to be fair, is more of a concept these days than a footballer, as his Borussia Dortmund career has fully stalled. Pochettino has given Real Salt Lake playmaker Diego Luna a runout, but he is more of that gritty facilitator who threatens opponents with sheer force of will than the more finesseful Tillman. As such, incorporating Tillman may require Pochettino to outsource a greater amount of chance-generation and upfield progression to other zones. His strikers may need to do more traditional line-leading than run onto balls beyond the backline, while his wingers and box-to-box midfielders may be looked at for auxiliary generation. Still, few in the U.S. player pool have enjoyed two seasons as strong as Tillman just has. Now in his fourth year of USMNT eligibility, it's about time we see if he can translate some of his clear gifts in the box to the international stage. During the run of play, center backs are often limited in their ability to impact their team's scoring hopes. That's especially true when a defender is asked to focus on their primary role rather than joining the attack, as Chris Richards often is with Crystal Palace. After Manchester City opened Saturday's FA Cup final with a barrage of pressure, Richards collected the ball near the corner flag and spotted an opening, launching the ball from deep within Palace's defensive third all the way to striker Jean-Philippe Mateta at the halfway line. From there, it was a quick break, with Palace needing four more passes to create the game's only goal. It was a 49.6-metre heave that broke lines and, shortly thereafter, City's spirits. Given the tempo of the preceding 15 minutes and the stinginess of that sequence's initial press, it's unclear whether Palace would've found this historic breakthrough if not for Richards' well-executed launch. Richards played all 540 minutes of Palace's triumphant FA Cup run, a six-match sequence that included three contests against teams in the top half of the Premier League table. Their defense conceded just one goal along the way — against second-tier Millwall — despite Palace conceding at least 70 per cent of possession in the final three rounds against Fulham, Aston Villa and City. His performance against City is illustrated below in his player dashboard. Richards led Palace with four blocked shots, giving an already busy Dean Henderson just a little less to do in goal. He also led his team with 11 clearances, five aerial duels (winning 80 per cent of these) and a 60 per cent pass completion rate when sending the ball at least 32 metres upfield. It was an immense showing in arguably the biggest game of the 25-year-old's career — the sort of display that should give USMNT fans some additional comfort that he is equipped to be Pochettino's lead center back. Although some late competitive form left Milan with slim hopes of qualifying for European competition, those aspirations were finally dashed on Sunday. Milan paid Roma a visit at the Stadio Olimpico, knowing anything but an away win would almost certainly leave them outside the qualification places. Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah were given starts, with the latter making the XI for the first time since his horrific shift against Fiorentina on April 5. Yet, ultimately, Milan did little to give their fans reason to hope. Advertisement Roma opened the scoring in just the third minute, then Milan striker Santiago Gimenez was sent off in the 21st minute after a VAR check spotted him throwing an elbow into an opponent's chest. Pulisic exited the 3-1 defeat in the 90th minute, walking back to Milan's bench while rubbing his forehead and brow in anxious frustration. Coupled with results elsewhere, it was enough to leave Milan five points behind Lazio in sixth place, which represented its last hope of European football, via the third-tier Conference League. Speaking with DAZN after the game, Milan manager Sergio Conceicao, who was also sent off for dissent towards the end, tried to search for silver linings. He mentioned his side was among the league's top-four teams under his stewardship entering Sunday, although the loss dropped it to eighth if you only count the 20 league games since he was hired on December 30. 'I am not saying it was a good season or perfect five months, absolutely not,' Conceicao said, 'but there were some positives too. We won the Supercoppa Italiana, we reached the Coppa Italia final, but when it came to the key games, there were negative moments. This is not a good year, everyone has to evaluate their work and then talk it over.' There is no way to sum up Milan's 2024-25 season besides calling it a failure. Barring a change in club, the USMNT's most important attacker will now spend the final season leading into the 2026 World Cup without continental football. Name: Weston McKennie Club: Juventus Position: Central midfielder Appearances (all competitions): 43 Juventus remained in Serie A's fourth and final Champions League qualifying place with a 2-0 win over Udinese. McKennie started in a midfield double 'pivot', creating three chances and taking two shots. Advertisement Name: Antonee Robinson Club: Fulham Position: Left back Appearances: 37 Despite trailing 2-1 at half-time, Fulham stormed back to take all three points at Brentford. Robinson played 89 minutes, creating only one chance while playing proactive defense to keep his team in the contest. The win left Fulham 10th in the Premier League as Sunday concluded. Name: Johnny Cardoso Club: Real Betis Position: Defensive midfielder Appearances: 45 Cardoso logged 180 minutes from Thursday through Sunday, starting at the base of Betis' midfield for a 2-2 draw at Rayo Vallecano before playing another full 90 to close the weekend in a 4-1 defeat against Atletico Madrid. The 23-year-old remains a vital part of Manuel Pellegrini's side, which will face Chelsea in the UEFA Conference League final on May 28. Name: Mark McKenzie Club: Toulouse Position: Center back Appearances: 34 It was another 90-minute shift for the former Philadelphia Union homegrown, who helped his side notch a 3-2 away win at Saint-Etienne. The result relegated Saint-Etienne from Ligue 1 as Toulouse rose from 12th to 10th. Name: Gianluca Busio Club: Venezia Position: Central midfielder Appearances: 33 The 22-year-old did not place any of his three shot attempts on goal, although he would have needed to bury each to help Venezia flip a 3-0 defeat at Cagliari. More concerning was that both of its primary relegation rivals, Lecce and Empoli, won on the Italian season's penultimate matchday, leaving Venezia's hopes of Serie A survival largely out of its own control. Name: Tanner Tessmann Club: Lyon Position: Defensive midfielder Appearances: 35 The former Venezia midfielder started again in midfield as Lyon's campaign reached its end, going 69 minutes in a 2-0 win against Angers. The former FC Dallas homegrown started 10 of Lyon's final 14 games in Ligue 1, and projects to again be a regular in his second season with the French club. (All kick-offs Eastern Time) Charlie Kelman, who scored twice against eventual FA Cup runners-up Manchester City when the teams met in the fourth round, has fired Leyton Orient to the EFL League One playoff final. They head to Wembley to face fellow Londoners Charlton Athletic on Sunday, May 25 at 8am (Paramount+), with the winners being promoted to the second-tier Championship. Kelman, a 23-year-old former U.S. youth international, leads Orient with 27 goals in all competitions as he wraps up a season's loan away from the Championship's Queens Park Rangers, another London side. Advertisement Tyler Adams and Bournemouth are nearing their second-to-last match of a thrilling season. They visit Manchester City on Tuesday (3pm, USA Network) and would overtake Fulham for 10th with a draw, while a second win over Pep Guardiola's side this season would vault them up to eighth, which could be enough for European qualification. Richards and Palace will have to shake off their post-FA Cup hangovers in time for Tuesday's visit from Wolverhampton Wanderers (3pm, Peacock). Palace cannot finish lower than 12th, but are in the Europa League having won the cup. Mael Corboz may not be a household name, but he'll captain third-division Arminia Bielefeld into the DFB-Pokal final against Stuttgart on Saturday (2pm, ESPN+). Bielefeld has already secured promotion back to the for 2025-26, and will hope to shock the Bundesliga's ninth-ranked side in the German cup final. Juventus and Venezia each have plenty on the line as they conclude their Serie A campaigns on Sunday (12.45pm, Paramount+). McKennie and Busio project to resume their starting roles in the engine room, while Tim Weah will hope to earn a start after being rotated out this past weekend. The Premier League season also concludes on Sunday (11am — USA Network, Telemundo, Universo, and Peacock), with a trio of Americans poised to feature. Adams and Bournemouth host relegated Leicester City, Robinson and Fulham will close visiting Manchester City's disappointing season, while Richards and Palace go to champions Liverpool. (Top photos: Getty Images)
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
🏆 PSV do the job and are crowned Eredivisie champions
🏆 PSV do the job and are crowned Eredivisie champions This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here. PSV Eindhoven secured their 23rd Eredivisie title after beating Sparta Rotterdam 1-3, securing the championship with their sixth consecutive win. Advertisement Despite being nine points behind Ajax on March 30, the Amsterdam team's stumbles allowed Eindhoven to take the lead. PSV, who relied on themselves, did not falter and were crowned champions. Ivan Perisic opened the scoring, but Givai Zechiel equalized for Sparta at the start of the second half. However, Luuk de Jong and Malik Tillman sealed the win. Second-placed Ajax and third-placed Feyenoord will compete in the next edition of the Champions League. 📸 ROBIN VAN LONKHUIJSEN
The Guardian
18-05-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
European football: PSV win Dutch title after De Jong and Tillman see off Sparta
PSV Eindhoven's Luuk de Jong and Malik Tillman scored second-half goals to help retain the Dutch league title in a nervous 3-1 victory at Sparta Rotterdam as their side held off Ajax's challenge in Sunday's final round of matches. PSV lifted the title they won last season to take their overall tally to 26, 10 behind Ajax, as they finished the season with 79 points from 34 games, one ahead of their great rivals from Amsterdam. Ivan Perisic put PSV ahead after 27 minutes but when Gjivai Zechiël equalised for Sparta, Ajax, who at one stage had a nine-point lead in the title race, took over at the top of the table as they went on to win 2-0 at home to FC Twente. But De Jong restored PSV's lead after 58 minutes and when Tillman rifled in a third from the edge of the box with six minutes remaining, the visitors were able to celebrate their seventh win in a row and claiming the league championship. At 61 years and 178 days, PSV's Peter Bosz is the oldest manager to win the Dutch league. 'It was a bit exciting, wasn't it?' De Jong said. 'In the first half there was nothing wrong, then it becomes 1-1 and you think: 'It won't be one of those days, will it?' We were playing well, but you still have to score that goal. At 3-1 you know the job is done.' Ajax managed two points from their previous 12 going into the final day, which breathed new life into a title race that they seemed to have sewn up in mid-April. They took the lead through Jordan Henderson against Twente to briefly jump into provisional first place but that lasted only 30 seconds before Perisic headed home from close range to give PSV the lead in Rotterdam. When Zechiël equalised for Sparta after 52 minutes with a goal that had been coming, Ajax again returned to the summit. But De Jong fired home from close-range to restore PSV's lead and Tillmen added the third goal with a fine strike. Feyenoord finished in the third and final Champions League place despite a 2-0 loss at Heerenveen, though they will have to go through the qualifiers. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion Later, Barcelona will be celebrating their title win as they host Villarreal in their final La Liga home game of the season, against opponents seeking to seal Champions League qualification. Las Palmas will be relegated if they fail to beat Leganés – a result that would demote the opposition. Later in the night, Napoli travel to Parma with a one-point lead in Serie A, while second-placed Inter host Lazio in the penultimate round of matches. This story will be updated
Straits Times
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
PSV beat Sparta Rotterdam 3-1 to retain Dutch league title
PSV Eindhoven's Luuk de Jong and Malik Tillman scored second-half goals to help retain the Dutch league title in a nervous 3-1 victory at Sparta Rotterdam as their side held off Ajax Amsterdam's challenge in Sunday's final round of matches. PSV lifted the title they won last season to take their overall tally to 26, 10 behind Ajax, as they finished the season with 79 points from 34 games, one ahead of their great rivals from Amsterdam. Ivan Perisic put PSV ahead after 27 minutes but when Gjivai Zechiel equalised for Sparta, Ajax, who at one stage had a nine-point lead in the title race, took over at the top of the table as they went on to win 2-0 at home to FC Twente. But De Jong restored PSV's lead after 58 minutes and when Tillman rifled in a third from the edge of the box with six minutes remaining, the visitors were able to celebrate their seventh win in a row and claiming the league championship. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
