Soccer
Gianluca Busio and Venezia moved one step closer to sealing a return to Serie A next season.
Busio started and played 90 minutes on Saturday as Giovanni Stroppa’s side downed Empoli 2-0, staying three points clear atop the league table. The American midfielder has continued to rack up the minutes for Venezia this spring, delivering his latest impressive shift on Saturday.
Second-half goals from Andrea Adorante and Issa Doumbia propelled the hosts to their 23rd league victory of the campaign.
Busio completed 93% of his passes (92/99) while also winning four duels and making two tackles. The 23-year-old has now made 36 appearances for Venezia this season, remaining as one of the more consistent midfielders in the league.
Automatic promotion could be sealed for Venezia as soon as Friday when they travel to last-place Spezia in their penultimate match of the season. Venezia are three points clear of second-place Monza and third-place Frosinone, with only the top-two earning automatic spots into Italy’s top-flight.
Should Venezia not get the job done next week, they will return home for a season finale showdown against Palermo on May 8.
In England, Chris Richards and Crystal Palace suffered a road loss to Liverpool. George Campbell and West Bromwich Albion clinched league safety on Saturday after a goal-less draw with Ipswich Town. Phallon Tullis-Joyce and Manchester United earned a road point at Tottenham.
In Germany, Joe Scally made his 150th Bundesliga appearance for Borussia Moenchengladbach in a goalless draw with Wolfsburg. Malik Tillman came off the bench in Bayer Leverkusen’s road win over FC Koln. Mathis Albert made his first-team debut for Borussia Dortmund, becoming the youngest American player to debut in the Bundesliga.
In Spain, Alex Freeman made his first start for Villarreal. Johnny Cardoso featured off the bench in Atletico Madrid’s victory over Athletic Bilbao.
In France, Mark McKenzie returned to action for Toulouse in a goal-less draw with Folarin Balogun and Monaco. Tanner Tessmann featured off the bench in Lyon’s home win over Auxerre.
Elsewhere, Alex Zendejas started in Club America’s loss to Atlas. Bryan Reynolds played 90 minutes in Westerlo’s loss to Standard Liege. Marlon Fossey returned for Standard Liege in Belgian league play. Neil Pierre scored once in Lyngby’s league victory. Donovan Pines played in Grazer’s road loss to Wolfsberger. George Bello returned to LASK’s starting lineup in a lopsided road win over Hartberg. Matthew Hoppe scored his ninth goal of the season in Sonderjyske’s shutout victory over Brondby.
Here is a closer look at this weekend’s Americans Abroad:
Europe
Soccer UEFA Women’s Champions League
Emily Fox started and played 90 minutes in Arsenal’s 2-1 first leg win over Lyon on Sunday.
Lindsey Heaps, Korbin Shrader both started and played 90 minutes for Lyon.
Lily Yohannes started, registered ONE ASSIST, and played 66 minutes for Lyon.
England
Soccer Premier League
Chris Richards started and played 90 minutes in Crystal Palace’s 3-1 loss to Liverpool on Saturday.
Antonee Robinson came off the bench and played nine minutes in Fulham’s 1-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday.
Soccer FA Cup Semifinals
Brenden Aaronson started and played 86 minutes in Leeds United’s 1-0 loss to Chelsea on Sunday.
Soccer EFL Championship
George Campbell started and played 90 minutes in West Bromwich Albion’s 0-0 draw with Ipswich Town on Saturday.
Daryl Dike started and played 71 minutes for West Brom.
Aidan Morris started and played 90 minutes in Middlesbrough’s 5-1 win over Watford on Saturday.
Charlie Kelman started, scored ONE GOAL, and played 83 minutes in Charlton Athletic’s 2-1 win over Hull City on Saturday.
Haji Wright started and played 71 minutes in Coventry City’s 3-1 win over Wrexham on Sunday.
Patrick Agyemang is OUT FOR SEASON (Achilles Injury) for Derby County.
Soccer League One
Lynden Gooch did not dress in Huddersfield Town’s 4-1 loss to Mansfield Town on Saturday.
Soccer League Two
Jonathan Tomkinson started and played 90 minutes in Cheltenham Town’s 4-0 loss to Bristol Rovers on Saturday.
Soccer WSL
Phallon Tullis-Joyce started, made FIVE SAVES, and played 90 minutes in Manchester United’s 0-0 draw with Tottenham on Sunday.
Alyssa Thompson started, registered ONE ASSIST, and played 61 minutes in Chelsea’s 4-1 win over Everton on Sunday.
Naomi Girma did not dress for Chelsea.
Sam Coffey did not dress in Manchester City’s 3-2 loss to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
Spain
Soccer La Liga
Johnny Cardoso came off the bench and played 32 minutes in Atletico Madrid’s 3-2 win over Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.
Alex Freeman started and played 90 minutes in Villarreal’s 2-1 win over Celta Vigo on Sunday.
Pellegrino Matarazzo‘s Real Sociedad drew Rayo Vallecano 3-3 on Sunday.
Soccer Segunda Liga
Konrad De La Fuente came off the bench and played 45 minutes in AD Ceuta’s 0-0 draw with Racing Santander on Sunday.
Germany
Soccer Bundesliga
Joe Scally started and played 90 minutes in Borussia Moenchengladbach’s 0-0 draw with Wolfsburg on Saturday.
Gio Reyna came off the bench and played 13 minutes for Gladbach.
Kevin Paredes came off the bench and played seven minutes for Wolfsburg.
Malik Tillman came off the bench and played 29 minutes in Bayer Leverkusen’s 2-1 win over FC Koln on Saturday.
Kristoffer Lund started and played 72 minutes for FC Koln.
Noahkai Banks did not dress in Augsburg’s 1-1 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.
Timmy Chandler did not dress for Eintracht Frankfurt.
Lennard Maloney came off the bench and played 11 minutes in Mainz’s 4-3 loss to Bayern Munich on Saturday.
Cole Campbell came off the bench and played four minutes in Hoffenheim’s 2-1 win over Hamburg on Saturday.
Damion Downs came off the bench and played two minutes for Hamburg.
Mathis Albert came off the bench and played three minutes in Borussia Dortmund’s 4-0 win over Freiburg on Sunday.
James Sands is OUT FOR SEASON for St. Pauli.
Soccer 2. Bundesliga
Mael Corboz started, scored ONE GOAL, and played 90 minutes in Arminia Bielefeld’s 3-2 win over Preussen Munster on Saturday.
Maxi Dietz started and played 57 minutes in Greuther Furth’s 2-1 loss to Bochum on Sunday.
Julian Green came off the bench and played 33 minutes for Greuther Furth.
Johan Gomez started and played 77 minutes in Eintracht Braunschweig’s 2-0 win over Kaiserslautern on Friday.
John Brooks did not dress in Hertha Berlin’s 1-0 loss to Holstein Kiel on Saturday.
John Tolkin is OUT (Injury) for Holstein Kiel.
Soccer 3. Liga
Terrence Boyd started and played 90 minutes in Waldhof Mannheim’s 2-2 draw with FC Schweinfurt on Saturday.
Mason Toye did not dress in Ingolstadt’s 3-0 win over Hoffenheim II on Saturday.
Italy
Soccer Serie A
Weston McKennie started and played 90 minutes in Juventus’ 0-0 draw with AC Milan on Sunday.
Christian Pulisic started and played 62 minutes for AC Milan.
Yunus Musah dressed but did not play in Atalanta’s 3-2 loss to Cagliari on Monday.
Ben Cremaschi is OUT FOR SEASON (Meniscus Injury) for Parma.
Soccer Serie B
Gianluca Busio started and played 90 minutes in Venezia’s 2-0 win over Empoli on Saturday.
Andrija Novakovich dressed but did not play in Reggiana’s 1-1 draw with Palermo on Saturday.
Jonathan Klinsmann is OUT FOR SEASON (Neck Injury) for Cesena.
France
Soccer Ligue 1
Mark McKenzie started and played 90 minutes in Toulouse’s 2-2 draw with Monaco on Saturday.
Folarin Balogun started and played 84 minutes for Monaco.
Tim Weah started and played 90 minutes in Marseille’s 1-1 draw with Nice on Sunday.
Tanner Tessmann came off the bench and played 56 minutes in Lyon’s 3-2 win over Auxerre on Saturday.
Netherlands
Soccer Eredivisie
Taylor Booth dressed but did not play in FC Twente’s 1-1 draw with NEC Nijmegen on Saturday.
Ricardo Pepi and PSV are off until May 2
Sergino Dest is OUT (Injury) for PSV.
Scotland
Soccer Premiership
Auston Trusty started and played 90 minutes in Celtic’s 3-1 win over Falkirk on Saturday.
Cameron Carter-Vickers is OUT (Achilles injury).
Portugal
Soccer Liga Portugal
Jordan Pefok dressed but did not play in Tondela’s 2-0 loss to Nacional on Saturday.
Belgium
Soccer First Division A
Bryan Reynolds started and played 90 minutes in Westerlo’s 4-2 loss to Royal Antwerp on Saturday.
Marlon Fossey started and played 45 minutes in Standard Liege’s 1-1 draw with Genk on Saturday.
Greece
Soccer Super League
Erik Palmer-Brown is OUT (Ankle Injury) for Panathinaikos.
Denmark
Soccer Superliagen
Matthew Hoppe started, scored ONE GOAL, and played 70 minutes in Sonderjyske’s 3-0 win over Brondby on Sunday.
Gavin Beavers dressed but did not play for Brondby.
Jonathan Amon dressed but did not play in Vejle’s 3-0 loss to FC København on Monday.
Soccer 1. Division
Neil Pierre started, scored ONE GOAL, and played 64 minutes in Lyngby’s 5-0 win over Esbjerg on Friday.
Austria
Soccer Bundesliga
George Bello started and played 87 minutes in LASK’s 5-1 win over Hartberg on Sunday.
Sam Adineran did not dress (Suspension) for LASK.
Donovan Pines started and played 90 minutes in Grazer AK’s 1-0 loss to Wolfsberger on Saturday.
Soccer Croatia
Soccer HNL
Rokas Pukstas started and played 90 minutes in Hajduk Split’s 0-0 draw with Rijeka on Sunday.
Soccer Mexico
Soccer Liga MX
Danny Leyva started and played 90 minutes in Necaxa’s 4-1 loss to Cruz Azul on Sunday.
Alex Zendejas started and played 72 minutes in Club America’s 1-0 loss to Atlas on Saturday.
Read MoreLarry Henry Jr