USMNT midfielder scores massive goal for Venezia in Serie A promotion battle

US Men’s National Team midfielder Gianluca Busio scored the game-winning goal for Venezia in a 2-1 win over Lecco as the club pushes to get back into the top flight.

The 21-year-old midfielder from Greensboro, NC scored in the 60th minute, just two minutes after Joel Pohjanpalo equalized for Venezia. Busio’s goal put Venezia three points off of Como for automatic promotion to Serie A.

Busio first garnered headlines in 2017 when he signed a Homegrown Player contract with MLS club Sporting Kansas City. He was the youngest player to sign with an MLS club since Freddy Adu back in 2004 when he signed for D.C. United. He moved to Venezia in 2021 for a club-record transfer fee.

Busio started his international career with the United States U15s in 2016. Going through the U17, U20 and U23 squads, the midfielder has made 13 appearances for the senior team scoring one goal. His only international goal came in the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup against Trinidad and Tobago, though it was in his home state of North Carolina at the Bank of America Stadium.

He’s scored a career-high six goals for Venezia this season as I Lagunari looks to get back to the top flight after being relegated in the 2021/22 season.

Busio isn’t the only American international in the Orange-Black-Greens’ squad. Busio starts alongside Tanner Tessman who also signed with the club back in 2021. Tessman has scored four goals for Venezia this season, two of which game the week prior against Brescia.

Both players experienced relegation two years ago and have their sights set on promotion to Serie A.

For those who don’t follow Italian football as closely as other leagues, Serie B to A promotion works a bit differently than say the EFL Championship to the Premier League. Similarly, the top two teams in Serie B are automatically promoted to Serie A. The third place team, currently relevant for Venezia who are three points off second-place Como, is only automatically promoted if it is more than 14 points clear of fourth place.

If the third-place team does not meet that threshold, then a playoff his held featuring the teams who finished third through eighth.

Venezia sit just three points off of Como for automatic promotion, and are just four points ahead of Cremonese. Moving past Como is Venezia’s best chance of getting back to the Serie A and the club will have to do so in just four remaining games.

If you want to watch both Tessman and Busio fight for promotion, here are Venezia’s remaining fixtures:

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