Brenden Aaronson makes first appearance as returned Leeds United player and 'rating' given
Brenden Aaronson has made his first appearance since news of his Leeds United return for next season’s promotion bid.
Leeds United men of past, present but also now future locked horns in a high profile friendly in the early hours of Thursday morning in which an ex-Whites attacker made a big impact.
News emerged earlier this week that USA international attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson would be part of United’s squad for next season’s Championship promotion bid upon his return from a season-long loan with Union Berlin.
Aaronson spent the first two weeks of June away with the USA international team but played no part in last weekend’s 5-1 defeat against Colombia in an international friendly for which he was an unused substitute.
But the States took on Brazil in Orlando for their final warm-up match ahead of the Copa America in the early hours of Thursday morning in which Aaronson made his first international appearance since March as a second-half substitute in a 1-1 draw.
Four players of United’s past, present or future were involved and one of them set up the opening goal of the game as Raphinha’s neat pass played in Rodrygo to fire Brazil into a 17th-minute lead.
Rodrygo’s strike arrived after a frantic end-to-end opening in which the USA’s Yunus Musah was only denied a spectacular opener by the frame of the goal as his strike from nearly 30 yards out smashed against the crossbar.
Raphinha, and also Weston McKennie for the USA, both started the game which was then brought level just nine minutes after Rodrygo’s opener as Christian Pulisic blasted home a low free-kick from the edge of the box past Liverpool keeper Alisson with 26 minutes on the clock.
Raphinha was eventually substituted in the 65th minute and Aaronson was brought on for the USA ten minutes later as both teams looked for a winner. Aaronson replaced Timothy Weah in the 75th minute to bag his 40th cap for his country at 23 years of age.
Another former Whites player in Tyler Adams followed him on the pitch as a 76th-minute substitute and Aaronson forced a save from Alisson from close range as he got himself forward in search of a winner.
In their player ratings for the match, Goal.com gave Aaronson a 6/10 and reasoned: “Forced a big save out of Alisson. Struggled with the physicality of Brazil a bit, but was decent enough.”
However, 90min.com awarded Aaronson just a 5/10 and declared: “A standard five for Aaronson who replaced Tim Weah in the 75th minute. He should've scored in the 83rd minute.”
CBS Sports disagreed, putting: “Almost had a winner in the match but was denied by Alisson from close range. Just the kind of performance that you want coming off the bench.” The contest ultimately ended in a 1-1 draw, McKennie the only past, present or future Leeds player to play the full match.
The Copa America, which is being held in the USA, is now next for both nations. Brazil are 9-4 second favourites for glory behind Argentina. The US are 14-1 shots.