DOOPing Overseas: Aaronson brothers struggle defensively, Lowe scores own goal

It was a tough weekend for the current Union squad and the former players representing the club overseas. From conceding penalties to scoring own goals, FIFA’s March international break may have arrived at the perfect time for those in Europe and beyond. 

With sustained success this decade, fans have seen some of the brightest academy talents, their favorite players, and outcasts make their way overseas to compete in some of the best leagues in the world. The club is represented in Europe, South America, the Middle East, and more.

Let’s see how some of those former Union players faired in last week’s matches:

Paxten Aaronson – The former Union midfielder conceded a penalty that led to the only goal in FC Utrecht’s home loss to NEC Nijmegen last Saturday, March 15. Aaronson clattered Mees Hoedemakers from behind in the 78th minute. While initially not called a penalty during the run of play, the referee awarded the spot kick after a VAR check. Despite the costly foul, the 21-year-old was among the Dutch side’s most dangerous players. Aaronson created four chances – the most in the match – and took three shots across the full 90 minutes. 

Brenden Aaronson – The older Aaronson brother also made a costly error leading to the opposition finding the back of the net on Saturday. Aaronson did well to track back and cut out a QPR pass at the top of the box but left his back pass in the penalty area short, allowing Koki Saito to curl a beautiful one-time shot into the goal. The 24-year-old was met with sarcastic cheers from the away supporters when he was subbed off at halftime. Leeds are clinging onto first place in the Championship but only by goal differential. 

Damion Lowe – The former Union center back was unlucky to score an own goal in Al Akhdoud’s 2-1 home win over Al Ahli last Saturday. Lowe stretched out to clear a tantalizing cross that was placed perfectly between the penalty spot and the goalkeeper but knocked it into his net. Lowe made 11 clearances and completed 84 percent of his passes during his 90-minute shift. Two goals in second-half stoppage time gave Lowe’s side a much-needed win as they battle relegation in the Saudi Pro League.

Leon Flach – The former Union midfielder helped Jagiellonia Bialystok advance to the UEFA Conference League Quarterfinals on Thursday, March 13. Despite losing the second leg 2-0 to Cercle Brugge, the Polish side advanced 3-2 on aggregate. Flach made four tackles – the most in the match – and won nine of his ground and aerial duels. Flach and Jagiellonia Bialystok will meet Real Betis in mid-April for a shot at the semifinals. The 24-year-old also featured in his side’s 2-1 win over Lech Poznan on Sunday, March 16. Flach played 57 minutes as Jagiellonia Bialystok jumped over their opponents into second place in the Ekstraklasa. 

Julian Carranza – The former Union striker saw his journey in this year’s Champions League come to an end last week. Carranza was a second-half substitute in Feyenoord’s 2-1 road loss to Inter Milan on Tuesday, March 11. The Argentine will be remembered for scoring the goal that knocked Italian giants AC Milan out of Europe’s elite club competition. Carranza was an unused sub in Feyenoord’s 6-2 thumping of FC Twente on Sunday.

Other Notables

– Jose Martinez and Corinthians are 90 minutes away from winning the Paulista A1 Final. After defeating Palmeiras in the first leg on Sunday, Martinez and his teammates will head home with a 1-0 advantage for the second leg.

– Auston Trusty did not feature for Celtic in their 3-2 Old Firm Derby loss to Rangers on Sunday after suffering a calf injury in training. 

– Mark McKenzie played the full 90 minutes in a 2-1 loss to Strasbourg over the weekend.

– Samuel Adeniran failed to register a shot or create a chance in LASK’s 4-2 loss at league-leaders Sturm Graz on Sunday.

What’s Next 

– Mark McKenzie and Auston Trusty will be the former Union representatives playing for the United States Men’s National Team in the CONCACAF Nations League. The U.S. will play Panama in the semifinal on Thursday, March 20 at 7:00 PM ET. If they win, the U.S. will play either Mexico or Canada on Sunday, March 23 with a trophy on the line.

– Jose Martinez will reunite with former club teammate and current Union midfielder Jesus Bueno on the Venezuela Men’s National Team for the CONMEBOL 2026 World Cup Qualifiers. The midfield duo will play against Ecuador on Friday, March 21, and against Peru on Tuesday, March 25. 

– Jamiro Monteiro will play for Cape Verde in the upcoming Confederation of Africa 2026 World Cup Qualifiers. Monteiro and Cape Verde will face Mauritius on Thursday, March 20, and Angola on Tuesday, March 25. Both Group D games kick off at noon ET. 

DOOPing overseas will return when club competitions resume at the end of March.