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Americans Abroad: A Look Ahead

Ricardo Clark (Getty Images)

By FRANCO PANIZO

The German Bundesliga comes to a close this weekend, and Ricardo Clark and Eintracht Frankfurt are in a must-win situation if they are to return to the league next season.

Clark and Eintracht Frankfurt face league champion Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, and only an upset win combined with other results can save the 17th-placed club. Eintracht Frankfurt needs either Borussia Moenchengladbach or VfL Wolfsburg to tie or lose their games to even have a shot at avoiding the drop.

Far from relegation in their respective league are FC Twente and Oguchi Onyewu. Fresh off of winning the Dutch Cup against Ajax last weekend, Twente will look for repeated success against its rival as the two teams play for the Dutch League title. Onyewu is still recovering from an abdominal strain, so his status in this weekend's critical game is still up in the air.

Robbie Findley and Nottingham Forest also have a crucial match on tap as they battle Swansea City in the second leg in the semifinals of the promotional playoffs. Nottingham was held to a scoreless draw at home in the first leg, so a win is needed in order for it to advance and keep alive its Premier League hopes.

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

FRIDAY

Quentin Westberg and Evian Thonon Gaillard play Troyes.

SATURDAY

Jermaine Jones and Blackburn Rovers play Manchester United.

Stuart Holden and Bolton Wanderers play Blackpool. (Holden is out injured)

Marcus Hahnemann and Wolverhampton Wanderers play Sunderland.

Tim Howard and Everton play West Bromwich Albion.

Ricardo Clark and Eintracht Frankfurt play Borussia Dortmund.

Steve Cherundolo, DaMarcus Beasley and Hannover 96 play Timmy Chandler and FC Nurnberg.

Daniel Williams and SC Freiburg play Bayer Leverkusen.

Sacha Kljestan and RSC Anderlecht play Standard Liege in the playoffs.

Ryan Miller and Halmstads BK play Mjallby.

SUNDAY

Brad Friedel, Brad Guzan, Michael Bradley and Aston Villa play Arsenal.

Clint Dempsey and Fulham play Birmingham.

Jonathan Spector and West Ham United play Wigan Athletic.

Dominic Cervi and Celtic play Motherwell.

Maurice Edu and Rangers play Kilmarnock.

Amaechi Igwe, Edson Buddle and FC Ingolstadt 04 play VfL Osnabruck. (Igwe is out injured.)

Alfredo Morales and Hertha Berlin play FC Augsburg.

Luis Robles and Karlsruhe play FC Union Berlin.

Bobby Wood and TSV 1860 Munich play SC Paderborn 07. (Wood is out injured.)

David Yelldell and MSV Duisburg play VfL Bochum.

Carlos Bocanegra and St Etienne play Stade Rennes.

Oguchi Onyewu and Twente Enschede play Ajax.

Jozy Altidore and Bursaspor play Kasimpasa.

Freddy Adu and Caykur Rizespor play Samsunspor.

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

Michael Parkhurst and FC Nordsjaelland play Silkeborg IF.

Clarence Goodson and Brondby IF play FC Midtjylland.

Gale Agbossoumonde and Djurgardens IF play Gefle.

Alejandro Bedoya and Orebro SK play Malmo FF.

MONDAY

Robbie Findley and Nottingham Forest play Swansea City in the second leg of the promotion playoffs.

Josh Gatt, Sean Cunningham and Molde FK play Lillestrom.

Mixx Diskerud and Stabaek IF play Sogndal.

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Which matches are you most looking forward to? Do you see Clark and Eintracht Frankfurt avoiding relegation? What's more likely, Onyewu and FC Twente winning the Dutch title or Findley and Nottingham getting to the finals of the promotional playoffs?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Easy for you to say.

    Spector’s contract is up and he most likely won’t be back.

    Rico may cut if Frankfurt go down.

    Findley may also be cut if they don’t get promoted.

    Reply
  2. Nothing wrong with Spector and Clark playing in the second divisions next year. And Robbie Findley probably needs his club to stay in the Championship.

    Reply
  3. You are missing the following:

    Xolos de Tijuana midfielder Joe Benny Corona, who was born in Los Angeles and still lives San Diego.

    Mexico – Liga de Ascenso – Final – 2nd Leg

    Saturday May 14

    7:50pm ET – Irapuato vs Xolos de Tijuana – Azteca America (U.S.), TVC Deportes (Mexico)

    Azteca America is available free-to-air in many U.S. cities, as well as via DIRECTV and DISH Network.

    For those without access to Azteca America, a live Internet video stream of TVC Deportes is available worldwide via USTREAM:

    http://www.ustream.tv/channel/tvc-deportes1

    Reply
  4. Is Spector starting now at the end of the season because of form or because they want to get a good transfer fee for him?

    Reply
  5. Although they weren’t much better in the 2nd half of the season with Holden 2-4-2. 4-9-2 overall in the 2nd half so far.

    Reply
  6. Does the away goals rule not apply in the promotion playoffs? Or do they just go straight to ET then PKs in the event of a tie?

    Reply
  7. sorry, but that’s not the case this year. the runner’s up of the FA cup go to the Europa if the winners are already in the Champs League (which Man City is). Combine that with Birmingham winning the Carling Cup, there is only 1 Europa spot up for grabs this year. Everton seems a bit too far to pass both liverpool and spurs.

    Reply
  8. If Everton wins their next two games they have a good shot of making it to Europa League as long as Stoke were to lose to Manchester City, and Tottenham were to come away with a loss and a loss/tie, Everton would go through on goal difference if Tottenham loses one and ties one. It will be extremely tough for Everton as they face Chelsea at home for their final match. And all this won’t matter if Stoke were to win.

    Reply

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