It was a significant weekend for several United States Men`s National Team players competing in Europe. Both Malik Tillman and Chris Richards celebrated lifting important trophies with their respective clubs in the Netherlands and England, achieving their victories in dramatic fashion.
Malik Tillman scored in PSV Eindhoven`s 3-1 triumph over Sparta Rotterdam on Sunday. This result helped PSV clinch their second consecutive Eredivisie championship, concluding one of the season`s most exciting title races in Europe. PSV entered the final matchday leading the league by just one point over Ajax, making a win the simplest path to the title. Both PSV and Ajax, who played Twente, held halftime leads in their games. However, in Rotterdam, Sparta equalized in the 52nd minute through Gjivai Zechiel, briefly lifting Ajax into first place.
Ajax`s time atop the table was short-lived. Just six minutes later, Luuk de Jong scored for PSV. Tillman then sealed the victory for the Eindhoven side, making a well-timed run into the box after Guus Til headed the ball towards him. This goal marked Tillman`s 15th across all competitions for the season, in addition to providing five assists.
PSV teammate and fellow USMNT player Sergino Dest played the entire 90 minutes, having successfully returned from an ACL tear sustained last year. He officially came back in March and featured in seven matches to finish the season. Ricardo Pepi, another USMNT player, will also receive a winner`s medal after appearing in 28 games across all competitions this season and scoring 17 goals, despite being sidelined since January with a knee injury.
The tension of the final day in the Netherlands was merely the culmination of several weeks of intense competition. Ajax had previously squandered a golden opportunity to win their first league title in three years. The Amsterdam club held a nine-point lead over PSV with seven matches remaining, built on a 14-match unbeaten streak in the league, contrasted with PSV`s run of only two wins in their previous nine Eredivisie fixtures. However, Ajax won only three of their last seven games, while PSV remarkably won seven in a row. PSV officially overtook Ajax mid-week following their 4-1 win against Heracles and after their title rivals drew 2-2 at Groningen. PSV ultimately finished the season with a two-point advantage at the top.
As champions, PSV will return to the UEFA Champions League next season. Ajax will also re-enter the competition for the first time since the 2022-23 season.
Richards and Crystal Palace Claim Historic FA Cup
The drama in the Netherlands unfolded a day after a landmark achievement in England. Crystal Palace defeated Manchester City 1-0 in the FA Cup final, securing the club`s first-ever major trophy as a top-flight side.
Eberechi Eze scored the game`s decisive goal in the 16th minute. Following this, City launched continuous attacks seeking an equalizer that never arrived. This included a crucial penalty save by Dean Henderson from City`s Omar Marmoush in the 36th minute. This play was subject to controversy, as the Palace goalkeeper could arguably have been sent off approximately 10 minutes earlier for handling the ball outside his penalty area.
Manchester City ultimately registered 23 shots and applied immense pressure on the Crystal Palace defense. However, several Palace players delivered clutch, last-ditch defensive interventions. Among them was Chris Richards, who was outstanding at Wembley Stadium, recording 11 clearances and six blocks, and winning four of his five aerial duels. Richards was a key standout for Palace on Saturday, as they heavily relied on their defense to win the FA Cup and become only the second team outside of England`s traditional `big six` clubs to lift this trophy in the past 12 years.
Speaking after the match, Richards commented, “We just tried to keep it one play at a time. The first 15 minutes, we didn’t touch the ball. So we’re just thinking, if we can just do our job and let the guys up front put one or two in, that’s exactly what we’re gonna do. And I think our first attack, we scored. So I mean, we’re a really tight group. A shutout starts from the front, so all 11 that played, 11 that started today, was a part of the clean sheet.”
Richards joins his club and country teammate Matt Turner as recent FA Cup champions. Turner made three appearances in the competition before first-choice goalkeeper Henderson took over for the quarter-finals onwards. They are now the second and third Americans to win the FA Cup, following Tim Howard`s success with Manchester United in 2004.
