U.S. men’s national team forward Daryl Dike continued his scintillating form at Barnsley with two goals in a 2-1 win over Luton Town on Monday.
With the brace, the 20-year-old has now scored seven goals in 13 appearances for the Championship side since arriving on loan from Orlando City in February. Barnsley has won every game in which Dike has scored and was named as the club’s Player of the Month for March after scoring four goals in six matches.
In the 27th minute, Dike gave Barnsley the away lead when he was sent in on goal with a through ball. He took a touch away from a defender and composed himself for a tough finish away from the goal.
Dike, who was drafted fifth in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft out of the University of Virginia, added a second goal in the 59th minute when he jumped on a mishandled shot from the Luton keeper and beat his defender to the rebound for the goal.
But the reigning NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Tournament Most Outstanding Player missed a golden chance to secure a hat trick when he missed a penalty in the 83rd minute. However, Barnsley held onto the win to give the second-division side a club-record sixth straight away win as it jumps into fifth place, which would be good enough to earn a place in the Championship playoffs with a spot in the Premier League on the line.
Julia Poe of the Orlando Sentinel reported this week that Orlando City is holding out for $20 million for Dike, who was reportedly the subject of a $10 million bid from a Premier League last month. With mounting interest in Dike, it seems more and more unlikely that Orlando City will be able to hold onto the rising star.
“It’s really fun to see him playing and see how much he’s progressed over the last year,” Orlando City executive VP of soccer operations Luiz Muzzi told MLS.com. “I see him tearing it apart in England, but we’re very excited about his playing. That was the plan, to have him getting minutes, getting experience and we’re hoping to see him back here when the loan is over.”
