USMNT’s Weston McKennie nabs first Juventus assist on Morata goal (video)
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© Photo by Daniele Badolato – Juventus FC/Juventus FC via Getty Images
Weston McKennie had to wait a bit to celebrate his first Juventus assist.
That’s true in two ways: The 22-year-old had made just four appearances for The Old Lady thanks to a positive COVID-19 test, and also because his set-up of Alvaro Morata on Sunday included a VAR review to call the Spaniard onside.
McKennie, 22, might’ve been in better shape to score his first Juve goal on the play, to be honest.
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Playing right midfield at Spezia, his incisive run to meet Rodrigo Betancur’s outside-of-the-foot invitation inside the 18 put him on the lap of the goalkeeper only to see the American square it to Morata at a tight angle.
Being Morata, who had a hat trick of goals taken away by officials against at Barcelona at midweek, the play was called offside before VAR opted to call it a goal.
It’s both encouraging and amusing to see McKennie so far forward, encouraging because he’s developing a different part of his game and amusing due to reports he was considered to play as part of a back three against Barcelona.
The USMNT midfielder played just about everywhere besides keeper for Schalke, so it’s no surprise Andrea Pirlo is encouraged by his versatility and evaluating the best way to use him.
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USMNT’s Weston McKennie nabs first Juventus assist on Morata goal (video) originally appeared on NBCSports.com