DOOPing Overseas: Aaronson scores, Carranza and Feyenoord clinch Champions League qualification

For many former Union players playing overseas, last week was the final games of the season. One former player will be back in the Champions League next season, while another will return to his parent club after a successful loan spell.

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 fared in last week’s matches:

Paxten Aaronson – The former Union midfielder scored in his final home game for FC Utrecht before his loan spell ends and he returns to Eintracht Frankfurt. Aaronson’s shot from the top of the box took a hefty deflection to beat a flat-footed goalie, leveling Wednesday’s game against Sparta Rotterdam late in the first half. The 1-1 result took FC Utrecht out of the running for a Champions League place. Aaronson came off the bench on Sunday, playing 18 minutes in a 0-0 draw with Fortuna Sittard during the final game of the season. The 21-year-old featured in all but one Eredivisie match, scoring four goals and collecting eight assists.

Julian Carranza – Following a 2-0 win on Wednesday against RKC Waalwijk, Carranza and Feyenoord captured third place in the Eredivisie and secured a Champions League qualification spot. The former Union striker played 14 minutes on Wednesday and nine on Sunday during his team’s final game of the season. It was a tough final few months of the season for the 24-year-old, as he dealt with injuries and a 10-game goal drought to end the year. Carranza scored five goals across all competitions during his first campaign in Europe. 

Jose Martinez – The former Union midfielder returned to the starting lineup on Sunday for the first time since his injury in early May. Martinez provided his first assist of the Brazil Serie A season in a 1-0 Corinthians win. The 30-year-old whipped a teasing cross into the box from the right wing, where Yuri Alberto was there to head home the only goal of the game. In typical Martinez fashion, a good performance also comes with a yellow card. Martinez now has four cautions in six 2025 Serie A games. 

Mark McKenzie – The former Union center back was strong defensively in Toulouse’s 3-2 win at Saint-Etienne on Saturday. McKenzie made 10 clearances and three recoveries, and won all three of his tackles. The 26-year-old started 29 of Toulouse’s 34 Ligue 1 games this season, tallying a goal and an assist. McKenzie helped Toulouse record 10 clean sheets, tied for the fifth most in the league. His side finished 10th in the league after a five-game losing streak in March and April prohibited Toulouse from climbing higher up the table. 

Other Notables 

– Damion Lowe played all 90 minutes in Al Akhdoud’s 2-0 loss to Al-Fayha on Saturday. With two games left in the Saudi Pro League season, one more loss will confirm relegation for Lowe’s team.

– After a Man of the Match performance last Sunday, Jamiro Monteiro played a combined 21 minutes over PEC Zwolle’s final two games last week. Monteiro finished the season with two goals and two assists in 28 matches.

– Leon Flach started his second consecutive match since returning from an injury he suffered in early April as Jagiellonia Bialystok drew 1-1 with Slask Wroclaw.

– Auston Trusty started in Celtic’s 5-1 win over Aberdeen on Wednesday, completing 107 of his 115 passes during the match.

What’s Next

– Jose Martinez and Corinthians host Novorizontino in the second leg of the Brazil Cup third round on Wednesday, May 21, at 8:30 PM ET.

– Damion Lowe and Al Akhdoud are in desperate need of points as they host Al-Raed on Thursday, May 22 at 12:05 PM ET, and travel to Al Khaleej for the final game of the season on Monday, May 26 at 2:00 PM ET. 

– Auston Trusty and Celtic take on Aberdeen in the Scottish FA Cup Final on Saturday, May 24 at 10:00 AM ET.

– Leon Flach and Jagiellonia Bialystok host Pogon Szczecin in the season finale on Saturday, May 24 at 11:30 AM ET. A win or a draw secures UEFA Conference League qualification.

Check back for the final DOOPing Overseas of the season next week to find out how these former Union players performed.