Goals

USMNT and Tijuana winger Paul Arriola scored a vicious volley for his club side on Friday in their 6-2 victory over Puebla. Tijuana had opened the 2017 Liga MX Clausura with a disappointing 2-0 loss to Morelia — the team in last in the relegation table. In that defeat, Arriola had been substituted at half time.

However, the 21-year-old has been tipped to have a breakout 2017 and his goal against Puebla was evidence of his talent. With the scores level at 2-2 in the 61st minute, Arriola struck this wicked volley to put his side ahead for good.

Rodolfo Pizarro is a bad man.

On Satuday, Chivas were tied 0-0 with Monterrey in the 10th minute. A Chivas cross was dealt with by the Monterrey defense, but Pizarro volleyed the rebound into the top corner of the net.

Luis Enrique opted to leave Neymar, Andres Iniesta, Ivan Rakitic and Gerard Pique out of the starting XI for Barcelona’s match against Las Palmas at the Camp Nou on Saturday, even though the side from the Canary Islands is eighth in La Liga.

But this is Barcelona, and they thrashed their opposition behind the primary strength of Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi. Suarez scored a brace and Messi added one of his own, bringing them both to 14 La Liga goals on the season as joint top-scorers.

Ashton Surber, a footballer who was born and raised on Guam and, according to an article on FIFA.com from 2013, serves in the US Air Force, achieved the remarkable hat-trick of scoring a bicycle kick, proposing to his now fiancee and receiving a caution for removing his shirt.

Christian Pulisic scored another goal for Borussia Dortmund in a friendly over the Bundesliga winter break, notching the opener in his sides 3-0 victory over Belgium’s Standard Liege.

For Pulisic, it was his second goal in two games following his strike against PSV Eindhoven last weekend. 

Pachuca’s 4-2 victory over Leon to begin the 2017 Clausura was about one man, and one many only: Hirving “Chucky” Lozano. The 21-year-old attacker has long been touted the most promising player in Liga MX, and his play has largely evidenced that fact since his debut in 2014.

But Lozano looks to have reached a whole different level in 2016-17. His stunning hat trick against Leon on Saturday showcased his range of talents: speed and quickness, technical ability, an incredible shot and an increasing knack for goals from the wing.

Christian Pulisic’s 2017 is off to a fine start after the 18-year-old American scored in Borussia Dortmund’s friendly victory over PSV Eindhoven during the Bundesliga’s winter break.

Yeah, it was only a friendly, but scoring a goal against Champions League opposition still probably means more than taking it to the Colorado Rapids. 

Pulisic scored off a Andre Schurrle cutback for Dortmund’s fourth goal in their 4-1 victory.

Portugal has thrown up its second ridiculous refereeing decision in the space of a week, this one taking place in a reserve match between Braga and Sporting. 

Wayne Rooney moved level with Bobby Charlton at 249 goals for Manchester United in the Red Devils 4-0 victory over Reading in the FA Cup third round. Rooney had been stuck on 248 since late November, but his smartly taken goal on Saturday put the 31-year-old on the brink of history.

Rooney’s goal opened the scoring in the seventh minute. Some fantastic play from Anthony Martial brought the ball to Juan Mata, and his clipped pass was deftly volleyed home by the man of the hour.