MLS: How the international call-ups fared – Rusnak, Adams, Horta, and Mattocks score goals

There were plenty of MLS call-ups that participated in the international break. Here’s how they fared, including goals for a raft of stars.

This international break, which strongly illustrated the growing quality of the league, featured a series of excellent performances from the many stars of MLS.

From the United States Men’s National Team’s win over Mexico, which obviously featured a number of MLS players, to many European tilts, there were plenty of instances were MLS stars impacted the international footballing landscape.

Perhaps the biggest highlight from the international break from the MLS representatives was Tyler Adams first goal for the USMNT. The 19-year-old became just the third teenager to score a goal for the USMNT senior team.

This will not be the last time we see Adams on the scoresheet for the USMNT as the midfielder is beginning to show why he is one of the future stars of the national team. His teammate Zack Steffen also recorded a clean sheet and impressed throughout the international break getting two starts against Brazil and Mexico.

Adams wasn’t the only MLS player to find the back of the net for their country. Albert Rusnak was on the mark for Slovakia against Denmark. He would feature as a substitute against Ukraine and played 20 minutes in a 1-0 UEFA Nations League group match loss.

Meanwhile, Darren Mattocks and Cory Burke both recorded braces against the Cayman Islands in a CONCACAF Nations League qualifying match. Andre Blake picked up the clean sheet in net.

Andre Horta scored a screamer for Portugal’s U-21 side in a UEFA U-21 qualifying match against Wales.

Other notable performances throughout the break: Jonathan Osorio scored for Canada in their 8-0 rout of the U.S. Virgin Islands; Nicolas Hasler picked up an assist for Liechtenstein against Armenia and played all 90 minutes against Gibralter; Romario Ibarra scored for Ecuador against Guatemala in a 2-0 win; and Derrick Etienne Jr. scored a goal for Haiti against St. Maarten in a 13-0 rout.

How the rest fared

• Josef Martinez played 68 minutes for Venezuela against Colombia.
• Kellyn Acosta played 85 minutes for the USMNT against Mexico and 35 minutes against Brazil.
• Wil Trapp played 83 minutes against Brazil and all 90 minutes against Mexico.
• Gyasi Zardes played 20 minutes against Brazil and 80 minutes against Mexico.
• Zoltan Steiber played 54 minutes for Hungary against Finland.
• Arturo Alvarez played 36 minutes for El Salvador against Brazil.
• Jonathan Dos Santos played 45 minutes for Mexico against Uruguay.
• Francisco Calvo played all 90 minutes for Costa Rica against South Korea.
• Samuel Piette played all 90 minutes for Canada against the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• Jukka Raitala played all 90 minutes in both of Finland’s UEFA Nations League victories against Hungary and Estonia.
• Saphir Taider played all 90 minutes for Algeria against Gambia.
• Kemar Lawrence played all 90 minutes against the Cayman Islands for Jamaica.
• Yoshi Yotun played 89 minutes for Peru against the Netherlands and 76 minutes against Germany.
• Mohamed El-Munir played all 90 minutes for Libya against South Africa.
• Cristian Roldan played seven minutes against Brazil and five minutes against Mexico.
• Gustav Svensson played 78 minutes for Sweden against Austria.
• Johnny Russell played 22 minutes against Belgium and 70 minutes against Albania.
• Marky Delgado played seven minutes against Brazil and entered late in second-half stoppage time against Mexico.

Overall, it was an excellent international showing from MLS. That pays testament to the growing strength of the league. Perhaps this isn’t the ‘retirement league’ after all.