USMNT’s Tim Weah scores SCREAMER off gorgeous assist from Juventus teammate Weston McKennie en route to 3-0 friendly win over Uzbekistan

Juventus’ Tim Weah has joined forces with Weston McKennie – his only teammate at both club and international level – to score a screamer for the US men’s national team in a friendly against Uzbekistan.

The 23-year-old, who signed for the 36-time Serie A champions this summer, made it 1-0 to the Star and Stripes in the fourth minute of Saturday’s match in St. Louis after receiving a pass from McKennie from the edge from the right side of the penalty area, firing a diagonal shot into the net.

However, McKennie had to fend off four defenders after being on the receiving end of a cross from American captain and star player Christian Pulisic. He controlled the cross in the air before lifting it over an Uzbek defender, dribbling three others and laying a pass for Weah to pounce on.

“CLASS OF WESTON MCKENNIE TO SET UP TIM WEAH’S BANGER,” USMNT Only – a fan account – shared on X, formerly known as Twitter.

‘THE JUVENTUS CONNECTION MAKES IT 1-0 FOR THE USMNT! WHAT A START.’

Weah, 23, celebrates his goal in the fourth minute of a match between Uzbekistan and the US

Weah and teammate Weston McKennie joke during a USMNT practice at Heritage Park in Henderson, Nevada, in June

Weah’s goal will please both the coaching staff at Juventus and the USMNT set-up, with the Bianconeri looking to recapture Italy after missing out on Champions League qualification last season, while the US aim for World Cup glory on their soil in 2026.

Pulisic and his AC Milan teammate Yunus Musah are two other key American players in Italy this season.

Meanwhile, ahead of Saturday’s match against Uzbekistan, McKennie publicly said he wants to prove his worth to Juventus and its fans.

The 25-year-old midfielder joined the Turin club in the 2020/21 season, after which the 2020-2021 season was cut short by a broken foot, after which he was loaned out to Leeds United last January and was unable to prevent the English club from being relegated .

McKennie returned to Juventus this summer, coinciding with his return to the club’s first team with the arrival of Weah. He featured as a substitute in the team’s first two games and made his first start in a 2-0 win over Empoli last weekend.

“Coming back to Juventus wasn’t easy,” McKennie said Thursday during a news conference at the U.S. national team camp in St. Louis. ‘I left the club at a time of crisis, you could say. And so when I came back, I felt like I was starting from scratch again, but that’s a challenge that I’m always open to, a challenge that I think I needed at this point in my career to prove to people that I still have it. .’

Weah and McKennie both play for Juventus and will be aiming to get the Bianconeri back into the Champions League this season

Juventus were dropped 10 points in the standings last season due to financial violations, meaning they missed out on the Champions League this season, and were subsequently banned from all UEFA competitions due to the irregularities. A team that won its ninth consecutive title in 2019/20 has not won a second one since.

McKennie has grown accustomed to switching teams and says his itinerant upbringing was preparation: His father served in the U.S. Air Force.

“I could befriend the stone if I needed to,” McKennie said. “And that’s only because I had to make new friends everywhere we moved. I had to adapt to new cultures, adapt to new situations and new environments. And so it’s clear that changing teams and moving to different countries, starting from a young age, definitely has benefits for my situation now.”

Saturday’s match against Uzbekistan will be Gregg Berhalter’s first in his second term as coach. Berhalter, who named his starting XI for Friday’s friendly, led the team to the round of 16 of last year’s World Cup before losing 3-1 to the Netherlands and was replaced by interim player from January to July coaches.

“It’s just picking up where we left off,” McKennie said.