This past weekend proved significant for several U.S. men`s national team members competing in Europe. Malik Tillman and Chris Richards, among others, celebrated major trophy wins for their clubs in the Netherlands and England, respectively, often in dramatic circumstances.
Tillman found the net in PSV`s 3-1 victory at Sparta Rotterdam on Sunday. This win secured PSV`s status as back-to-back Eredivisie champions, concluding one of Europe`s most thrilling title races. PSV started the final matchday just one point clear of Ajax. A win guaranteed the title. Both PSV and Ajax, playing Twente, went ahead before halftime. However, in Rotterdam, Sparta leveled the score through Gjivai Zechiel in the 52nd minute, momentarily putting Ajax in the lead.
Ajax`s time at the top was brief. Just six minutes later, Luuk de Jong restored PSV`s lead. Tillman then secured the championship for PSV, scoring his 15th goal of the season in all competitions after running onto a header from Guus Til. The USMNT player also contributed five assists throughout the campaign.
Fellow USMNT member and PSV teammate Sergino Dest completed the full 90 minutes, having successfully returned from an ACL injury sustained last year. He officially rejoined the squad in March, playing seven matches to finish the season. Ricardo Pepi, another USMNT player at PSV, will also receive a winner`s medal. Despite being sidelined with a knee injury since January, he featured in 28 games and scored 17 goals earlier in the season.
While the final day brought excitement, the true drama unfolded over the preceding weeks. Ajax dramatically lost ground, missing a prime chance to win their first league title in three years. They held a commanding nine-point lead over PSV with only seven games left, built on a 14-match unbeaten streak contrasted with PSV`s poor run of just two wins in nine games. However, Ajax faltered, winning only three of their final seven fixtures, while PSV surged with seven consecutive victories. PSV ultimately passed Ajax mid-week after their 4-1 win against Heracles, helped by Ajax`s 2-2 draw at Groningen, ending the season two points clear at the top.
With their Eredivisie title, PSV secures a spot in next season`s UEFA Champions League. Ajax will also participate, marking their return to the competition for the first time since the 2022-23 campaign.
Richards, Crystal Palace Win FA Cup
The title drama in the Netherlands followed a historic event in England a day earlier. Crystal Palace defeated Manchester City 1-0 in the FA Cup final, claiming the club`s first major trophy as a top-division side.
Eberechi Eze scored the decisive goal in the 16th minute. This set the stage for Manchester City to repeatedly attack in search of an equalizer, which never materialized. Dean Henderson made a key penalty save against Omar Marmoush in the 36th minute. This moment was controversial, as the Palace keeper might have been dismissed earlier for handling the ball outside his box.
Manchester City registered a total of 23 shots, constantly pressuring the Palace defense. However, several Palace players delivered crucial last-ditch defending. Chris Richards was notable, recording 11 clearances and six blocks at Wembley, along with winning four of his five aerial duels. He was a key performer for Palace, whose defensive solidity was instrumental in winning the FA Cup and becoming only the second club outside the traditional `big six` to lift the trophy in the last 12 years.
After the match, Richards commented, “We focused on taking it one play at a time. In the opening 15 minutes, we barely touched the ball. We just thought, if we could do our defensive job and let the attackers score once or twice, that`s what we needed. And we scored on our first real attack. We`re a very close-knit team. A clean sheet requires effort from everyone, so all 11 players who started were part of achieving it.”
Richards now joins his club and USMNT teammate Matt Turner as an FA Cup winner. Turner played in three earlier FA Cup matches before first-choice keeper Henderson took over from the quarterfinals onward. Richards and Turner are just the second and third Americans ever to win the FA Cup, following Tim Howard`s success with Manchester United in 2004.
