The European spotlight again shines brightly on US men’s national team goalkeeper Zack Steffen, who started and kept his first shutout for Manchester City in their Carabao Cup fourth-round match Wednesday against Burnley.
Steffen, who joined the Premier League outfit via transfer from Columbus Crew SC after the 2019 season, previously started in their third-round victory over Bournemouth. The 26-year-old allowed one goal in a 2-1 victory, with head coach Pep Guardiola favoring Brazilian goalkeeper Ederson in league matches.
This time around, Steffen kept City's opponents at bay, repelling Burnley's two shots on target over the 90 minutes.
Steffen spent last year on loan at then-Bundesliga side Fortuna Dusseldorf, appearing in 18 matches total. He’s also earned 17 USMNT caps to date, and is now back in England looking to fill the void left behind by Chilean backstop Claudio Bravo after he departed for La Liga club Real Betis.
Elsewhere in Carabao Cup play, former Atlanta United star Miguel Almiron got the start for Newcastle United as the Premier League club traveled to Wales to face League Two side Newport County. Almiron went 62 minutes as Newcastle just barely avoided the upset of the round, finding an equalizer three minutes from time before prevailing 5-4 in the subsequent penalty shootout.
German Super Cup
Several MLS ties were found in Wednesday's German Super Cup final between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, a trophy the former won for an eighth time with a 3-2 victory.
Bayern started Vancouver Whitecaps FC academy product Alphonso Davies, who's blossomed into one of the world's premier left backs since joining the German powerhouse in 2018, and tallied a highlight-reel assist on Bayern's second goal on Wednesday. Bayern's bench also included FC Dallas academy product Chris Richards, with the 20-year-old center back looking to carve out a greater role. Richards got in on the action in Bayern's 3-2 victory over Dortmund, subbing on for Benjamin Pavard in the 76th minute and finishing out the contest.
Meanwhile, Dortmund had New York City FC academy product Giovanni Reyna on the bench. He's started both of their Bundesliga games this season, contributing one goal and one assist, and also made a second-half cameo on Wednesday as he subbed on in the 72nd minute.
Reyna, 17, is looking to soon make his USMNT debut. Davies, 19, is already a bonafide star for Canada's national team. Bayern qualified for the match as 2019-20 Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal champions, leaving Dortmund to merit inclusion as the Bundesliga runner-up.
UEFA Champions League
One of the USA's most noteworthy coaching exports was also in action, as former New York Red Bulls manager Jesse Marsch led Red Bull Salzburg into Champions League action with a highly coveted berth in the group stage on the line. Salzburg hosted Israeli side Maccabi Tel-Aviv after picking up a 2-1 away win last week, and got the job done, bagging a 3-1 victory in the second leg behind a brace from Patson Daka that keeps their UCL run going.
