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Americans Abroad: A Look Ahead

Clint Dempsey 1 (Reuters)

 

By FRANCO PANIZO

Clint Dempsey has made a habit of coming up big in marquee games, and Fulham will be hoping he does so again as the club faces league-leading Manchester United on Saturday.

Having played to a 2-2 home draw in the second week of the season, Fulham will travel to Old Trafford looking to pull out a result against a Manchester United side that just played in a UEFA Champions League quarterfinal. Dempsey will likely need to have a solid outing if the Cottagers are to avoid a defeat, as he is the club's top goalscorer (10 goals in league play).

Jozy Altidore is far from his club's leading talisman, but he will have a chance to break the current scoring funk he's in when Bursaspor takes on Antalyaspor. Bursaspor needs a win in order to keep its grim Champions League hopes alive.

Also looking to end a scoring drought is Eddie Johnson, who has yet to find the back of the net for Preston North End. A likely starter, Johnson could net his first goal for the Championship club when it takes on Portsmouth in a match with relegation implications.

Here is a rundown of who the Americans Abroad play this weekend:

FRIDAY

Ricardo Clark and Eintracht Frankfurt play Werder Bremen.

David Yelldell and MSV Duisburg play Alemannia Aachen.

Quentin Westberg and Evian Thonon Gaillard play Sedan.

Jozy Altidore and Bursaspor play Antalyaspor.

Alejandro Bedoya and Orebro SK play Syrianska FC.

Mikkel Diskerud and Stabaek IF play Valerenga.

Sammy Ochoa and Estudiantes Tecos U.A. de G. play Queretaro.

SATURDAY

Marcus Hahnemann and Wolverhampton Wanderers play Tim Howard and Everton.

Jermaine Jones and Blackburn Rovers play Birmingham.

Stuart Holden and Bolton Wanderers play Jonathan Spector and West Ham United. (Holden is out injured).

Clint Dempsey and Fulham play Manchester United.

Conor Doyle and Derby County play Coventry City.

Eric Lichaj and Leeds United play Millwall.

Robbie Findley and Nottingham Forest play Reading. (Findley is out injured.)

Eddie Johnson and Preston North End play Portsmouth.

Brad Guzan and Hull City play Watford.

Zak Whitbread and Norwich City play Swansea City.

Mike Grella and Swindon Town play Brentford.

Frank Simek and Carlisle United play Milton Keynes Dons.

Anton Peterlin and Plymouth Argyle play Walsall.

Dominic Cervi and Celtic play St Mirren.

Steve Cherundolo, DaMarcus Beasley and Hannover 96 play Mainz.

Timmy Chandler and FC Nurnberg play Bayern Munich.

Daniel Williams and SC Freiburg play TSG Hoffenheim. (Williams is out injured.)

Bobby Wood and TSV 1860 Munich play Energie Cottbus. (Wood is out injured.)

Carlos Bocanegra and St Etienne play AJ Auxerre.

Gustavo Adrian Ruelas and Santos Laguna play Monterrey.

Jose Torres, Herculez Gomez and Pachuca play Chiapas.

Sonny Guadarrama and Atlante play Atlas.

SUNDAY

Brad Friedel, Michael Bradley and Aston Villa play Newcastled United.

Maurice Edu and Rangers play Hamilton Academical.

Luis Robles and Karlsruhe play FC Erzgebirge Aue.

Amaechi Igwe, Edson Buddle and FC Ingolstadt 04 play SC Paderborn 07. (Igwe is out injured.)

Oguchi Onyewu and Twente Enschede play Roda JC Kerkrade.

Freddy Adu and Caykur Rizespor play Kartalspor.

Sacha Kljestan and RSC Anderlecht play Club Brugge.

Marcus Tracy, Chris Rolfe and Aalborg BK play AC Horsens. (Tracy is out injured.)

Michael Parkhurst and FC Nordsjaelland play Sonderjyske.

Clarence Goodson and Brondby IF play Odense BK. (Goodson is out injured.)

Benny Feilhaber and AGF Aarhus play Vestsjaelland. (Feilhaber is out injured.)

Edgar Castillo and Puebla play Toluca.

Jonathan Bornstein and Tigres UANL play Pumas UNAM.

MONDAY

Alfredo Morales and Hertha Berlin play VfL Bochum.

Ryan Miller and Halmstads BK play Malmo FF.

Gale Agbossoumonde and Djurgardens IF play Kalmar.

Josh Gatt and Molde FK play Viking.

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Which matches are you most looking forward to? How do you see Dempsey and Fulham faring against Manchester United? Who do you think will find the back of the net first, Altidore or Johnson?

Share your thoughts below. 

Comments

  1. Jozy Altidore and Eddie Johnson – Two of the least exciting players in the world.

    Can somebody tell me why these guys are even on the US National team? (Granted – EJ hasn’t been called up in a while….thank goodness)

    Reply
  2. I know you are butt hurt??. Come on man that has to be fake. I can’t stop effin laughing. Im going to use that everyday.

    Reply
  3. Fire Rongen for zonal marking on corners. Ok, not jut for that…

    Personally I am sad they lost but glad that Rongen’s limitations are exposed to point Sunil keeping him on is admission he runs USSF as an old incompetent boys club.

    Reply
  4. Agree afc. It was a tough call for EJ and the keeper. The Yanks Abroad Soccer Highlights link under the SBI Blog Roll above has the video.

    Reply
  5. EJ should have had a goal against Reading. His header hit the post and then bounced off Reading’s keeper and was credited as an own goal. However, some websites gave EJ the assist.

    The guy just can’t catch a break

    Reply
  6. Yes, I saw the game and with some discipline we would have have that midfield on lockdown and Guatemala never would have gotten forward to earn corners. Playing a loose 4-3-3 is not the way to dominate possession. We gave them waaay too much time on the ball. Have you ever seen Barca swarm the ball when it’s in the midfield? That’s how we needed to play.

    Our kids are not going to have a chip on their shoulders for years to come, that’s ludicrous. What we are teaching these 19 year olds is how to lose in a US shirt. That’s all Rongen does at this level–teaches kids how to lose. He gets away with it b/c people with no soccer knowledge (Gulati) believe that he’s imparting his magical Dutchness into them. He’s not. He’s a loser. We should teach our kids to dominate a team like Guatemala, not to adhere to an ill-fitting system in the hopes they can be something they’re not.

    Reply
  7. Did you watch the game? Because i saw a U.S team that throughouly dominated a Guatemalan team but surpise surprise they couldnt finish. If you want to fire him for using zonal marking on corners then say it. And the second goal can be blamed on no one but the players. Personally im glad they lost b/c now that will have a chip on their shoulder to make them work that much harder.

    Reply
  8. Damn Guatemalans. They are like a 13 million Carlos Ruizs. I would have so much rather lost to Honduras. At least they are a pleasent people and have a World Cup to back up their trash talk.

    Reply
  9. What will Thomas Rongen be doing this weekend? I bet he had made big plans–sailing, golf, BBQ with some fellow Dutchmen?

    B/c he wasn’t interested in winning yesterday. And why would he be, he knows he can’t be fired…

    Reply
  10. Right losing in a youth tournament makes the USA the shame of CONCACAF. Just curious when was the last time Guatemala made it to the World Cup Finals? Oh right never has.

    Back to being on point, I am really looking forward to the Fulham Game and what Duece can produce.

    Reply
  11. USA u-20 eliminated by 2 place of there group Guatemala and honduras eliminated by second place panama. They are the shame of concacaf. Guatemala!!!!!

    Reply

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