Americans Abroad weekend review: Pepi delivers again, Tillman oversleeps

* * * * *

• Ricardo Pepi delivers off the bench (again)

Pepi completed PSV's scoring in the Eredivisie leader's 4-0 win at Almere City with the fourth and final goal in stoppage time, sending two players to the ground before scoring into a empty net.

The Texan has played 10 games in the last two months for PSV and USMNT. All 10 appearances have come off the bench, and he's scored five goals, a pace of 2.24 goals per 90 minutes or one goal every 40 minutes.

Why isn't Pepi starting? PSV's starting forward, 33-year-old Luuk de Jong, has scored 10 goals in 11 games.

PSV coach Peter Bosz praised Pepi for his work effort in training and his production when he has gotten a chance to get on the field.

"He is completely unlucky that he has a striker in front of him who shoots the balls in," the PSV coach said before the Almere City game

Ricardo Pepi (August-September 2023-24):
PSV, Dutch Eredivisie, 49 minutes, 2 goals
PSV, UEFA Champions League, 50 minutes, 1 goal
PSV, Johan Cruyff Shield, 17 minutes
USMNT, International friendlies, 85 minutes, 2 goals
Total: 201 minutes, 5 goals, 2.24 goals per 90 minutes.

Pepi goal (Almere City-PSV):

• Malik Tillman left behind after oversleeping

Fellow American Sergino Dest started for PSV in Almere, his hometown, while Tillman, PSV's third summer signing, was conspicuously absent from the game-day squad.

After Saturday's match, Bosz said the German-American, acquired on loan from Bayern Munich, overslept so he told him to stay in Eindhoven.

"I think there’s not a single coach out there where you get away with that," Bosz said.

• Top-flight debuts for Kahveh Zahiroleslam and Zach Booth.

Kahveh Zahiroleslam and made their first-team pro debuts with the Belgian Pro League's St. Truiden and Dutch Eredivisie's FC Volendam.

Zahiroleslam, 21, signed with STVV after playing two seasons at Yale University and earning a tryout this summer. The lanky Iranian-American came on as a sub in the 3-3 tie at Genk, which rallied from 3-0 down in the first half on a six-minute Aboubakary Boita hat trick for STVV.

Zahiroleslam was a Development Academy star at DeAnza (Calif.) Force.

Booth, who joined Volendam on loan from Leicester City's U-21s, played the last 18 minutes in a 2-2 tie with Heracles. The 19-year-old midfielder is the younger brother of U.S. international Taylor Booth, who is in his second season with FC Utrecht in the Netherlands but is currently injured.

Lower divisions: After one season with Ligue 1 Reims following his USL Championship record transfer from Orange County SC, Kobi Henry has been loaned to Villefranche-Beaujolais in France's third-tier National, where he has made three appearances off the bench.

• Assists for Luca de la Torre, Alex Mendez and Julian Green.
 
De la Torre had an assist on Celta's opening goal in its 3-2 loss at LaLiga champion Barcelona, which rallied from 2-0 down with three goals in the last nine minutes ... Mendez came off the bench for his first appearance of the 2023-24 Portuguese Primeira Liga season and set up the tying goal in Vizela's 2-2 tie at Estoril with his corner kick ... Green recorded his third assist of the German 2. Bundesliga season for Greuther Fuerth in its 4-3 win over Karlsruhe.

Also:  A big game for former San Antonio FC youth star Jose Gallegos, who had two assists in Sønderjyske's 4-3 win over Helsingor in the Danish second-tier.  Sønderjyske is second with 21 points after 10 games.

• Gazzetta dello Sport ratings: AC Milan vs. Verona:

Note: The game marked Yunus Musah's first start for Milan. His stats: 60 touches - 33/38 passing (87%) - 1 key pass - 1 shot on target - 1/2 dribbles - 5 duels won - 2 interceptions - 4 tackles - 1 foul drawn.

• Gazzetta dello Sport ratings: Sassuolo vs. Juventus:

Note:Tim Weah, who came on for Weston McKennie in the 60th. minute of Juve's 4-2 loss, had a grade of "5."