Several members of the U.S. Men`s National Team celebrated major successes in European football this past weekend. Malik Tillman helped PSV Eindhoven clinch the Dutch Eredivisie title, while Chris Richards was part of the Crystal Palace side that won the FA Cup in England, both securing silverware in dramatic fashion.
Malik Tillman found the net for PSV in their 3-1 victory over Sparta Rotterdam on Sunday, a result that saw PSV retain the Eredivisie championship after a thrilling title race. PSV began the final matchday one point clear of rivals Ajax. Although both teams initially led their respective games, Sparta`s equalizer in the 52nd minute temporarily propelled Ajax to the top of the live standings.
Ajax`s time at the summit was brief. Just six minutes later, Luuk de Jong restored PSV`s lead. Tillman then sealed the win and the title, making a run into the box to receive a header from Guus Til and scoring. This was Tillman`s 15th goal across all competitions for the season, complementing his five assists.
Tillman`s USMNT teammate Sergino Dest played the full 90 minutes, having successfully returned in March from an ACL tear sustained last year, featuring in seven games towards the end of the season. Fellow American Ricardo Pepi will also receive a winner`s medal, contributing 17 goals in 28 appearances across all competitions before a knee injury sidelined him in January.
The final day`s tension capped a period of significant swings in the Eredivisie race. Ajax had held a commanding nine-point lead with seven matches remaining, built on an impressive 14-game unbeaten league run, contrasting with PSV`s struggle of only two wins in their previous nine fixtures. However, Ajax faltered, winning only three of their last seven, while PSV achieved seven consecutive victories. PSV finally overtook Ajax midweek with a 4-1 win over Heracles, aided by Ajax`s 2-2 draw against Groningen. PSV ultimately finished the season two points clear at the top.
PSV Eindhoven`s title win secures their return to the UEFA Champions League next season. Ajax will also re-enter the competition, their first appearance since the 2022-23 campaign.
Richards Lifts FA Cup with Crystal Palace
Meanwhile, a day prior in England, Chris Richards celebrated a historic victory. Crystal Palace defeated Manchester City 1-0 in the FA Cup final, marking the club`s first major trophy as a top-flight team.
Eberechi Eze scored the decisive goal in the 16th minute. The match then became a test of Palace`s defense against relentless Manchester City attacks seeking an equalizer. A key moment was Dean Henderson`s penalty save against Omar Marmoush in the 36th minute, a save that followed a controversial incident where Henderson potentially could have been sent off earlier for handling the ball outside his area.
Despite City`s 23 total shots and constant pressure, Crystal Palace`s defense held firm, with several players making crucial last-ditch interventions. Chris Richards was a defensive linchpin, recording 11 clearances and six blocks at Wembley Stadium, alongside winning four out of five aerial duels. His performance was key among Palace`s standout defenders, who relied heavily on their defensive resilience to become only the second team outside of England`s traditional `big six` clubs to win the FA Cup in the past 12 years.
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.
Speaking after the match, Richards commented on the defensive effort.
Richards joins his Crystal Palace and USMNT teammate Matt Turner as an FA Cup winner. Turner had featured three times earlier in the competition before Henderson took over starting duties from the quarterfinals. Richards and Turner are now the second and third Americans to lift the FA Cup, following Tim Howard`s success with Manchester United in 2004.
