Late-blooming Aaronson a rising force as US qualifying opens
Associated PressNASHVILLE, Tenn. — Brenden Aaronson played last weekend at Hartberg, Austria, drove to Munich, then flew to New Jersey and on to Tennessee. “I think he just used that as fuel.” Aaronson is part of a new-look U.S. national team determined to rebound from the Americans’ failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. If star attacker Christian Pulisic isn’t ready to start Thursday night’s opener at San Salvador following a positive COVID-19 test, U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter could insert Aaronson into the lineup. “He’s killing it.” Rusty Aaronson played college soccer at Monmouth, ran a risk management firm and founded Real Jersey, a youth club that is part of MLS Next system. “He’s had a fantastic season of improving his performance almost weekly,” Berhalter said ahead of Aaronson’s first U.S. appearance.