Player of the Week

Player of the week: Christian Pulisic

Hershey, Pa. has given the world two great exports. The first is delicious chocolate. (They shot down my bar vs. kiss think piece.) The second may be even sweeter.

PSP’s player of the week is Christian Pulisic.

Wednesday, the 18-year-old assisted on Borussia Dortmund’s first goal in a Champions League tilt with Benfica. Pulisic deftly flicked a header toward the back post off a corner and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had one of the easiest finishes of his career.

Pulisic wasn’t done yet.

The American then scored the decisive goal to send the German side to the quarterfinals of the crowning tournament of European football.

Pulisic made a darting run past Benfica’s back line. The through-ball found the Pennsylvania native, whose first touch saw him sublimely chip the onrushing goalkeeper. It was a bit of skill that leaves fans of the U.S. national team dreaming of what’s to come.

If not for Aubameyang’s hat trick, Pulisic would have earned “man of the match” honors. He completed three dribbles and had four tackles to go with his goal and assist. When rested in a weekend match with Hertha Berlin, Dortmund fell 2-1.

The goal put Pulisic in rarified air. Only seven Americans have scored in the Champions League.

The Magnificent Seven
  • Jovan Kirovski (Sparta Prague – 1997)
  • DeMarcus Beasley (PSV Eindhoven – 2004)
  • Maurice Edu (Rangers FC – 2010)
  • Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht – 2013)
  • Jermaine Jones (Schalke – 2013)
  • Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach – 2015)
  • Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund – 2017)

If we trim that list to natives of the Philadelphia area…

The One
  • Christian Pulisic
Honorable Mention

Oguchi Onyewu. The Philadelphia Union center back was a force against Toronto FC. His strength and awareness snuffed out on of the most lethal attacking sides in MLS. So far, the veteran has exceeded expectations and brought stability to a previously shaky defense.

Previous Winners

 

4 Comments

  1. The kid got some shine on him. Was disappointed to tune in and see him not playing against Hertha Berlin.

  2. Ope he just notched another one today!

  3. el Pachyderm says:

    He’s fantastico.
    .
    So explosive and agile on the ball.

  4. Gully Foyle says:

    FYI: Kirovski scored AGAINST Sparta Praha while playing FOR Borussia Dortmund in the 1996-97 CL

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