The men's and women's Olympic soccer tournaments kicked off this week, and they will take center stage over the weekend with the second games of the group stage taking place.
On the women's side, the U.S. national team has a date with Colombia and can take one step closer to the knockout stage with a win. On the men's side, MLS players Andy Najar, Jerry Bengtson and Roger Espinoza represent Honduras in its quest to take down Group D favorite Spain, which is in need of three points after a surprising loss to Japan.
MLS returns to action after the All-Star Game, with Vancouver and Real Salt Lake kicking off a weekend full of action with a Friday night battle at Rio Tinto Stadium. New York and Montreal will clash at a sold-out Stade Saputo, and league-leading San Jose returns to action against the Chicago Fire in a meeting of two teams currently in playoff position.
The World Football Challenge continues as well, with Chelsea looking to bounce back from its MLS All-Star Game loss against AC Milan and Miami and D.C. United going up against Paris-St. Germain and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is set to make his PSG debut at RFK Stadium. In a non-WFC friendly, Premier League foes Liverpool and Tottenham do battle in Baltimore.
Here is this weekend's soccer on TV:
THIS WEEKEND'S SOCCER ON TV
FRIDAY
9 p.m. – MLS Live/Direct Kick – Real Salt Lake vs. Vancouver Whitecaps
SATURDAY
7 a.m. – MSNBC/NBCOlympics.com – Japan women vs. Sweden
9:30 a.m. – NBC Sports Network/NBCOlympics.com – New Zealand women vs. Brazil
9:45 a.m. – MSNBC/NBC Olympics.com – Canada women vs. South Africa
11 a.m. – GOLTV – Legia Warsaw vs. Borussia Dortmund
12 p.m. – NBC Sports Network/NBCOlympics.com – USA women vs. Colombia
12:15 p.m. – MSNBC/NBCOlympics.com – Great Britain women vs. Cameroon
1 p.m. – ESPN2/ESPN3.com – Liverpool vs. Tottenham
1 p.m. – GOLTV – Cruz Azul Hidalgo vs. Dorados
2:45 p.m. – NBC Sports Network/NBCOlympics.com – France women vs. North Korea
3 p.m. – Univision Deportes – Montpellier vs. Lyon
4:30 p.m. – MLS Live/Direct Kick – Toronto FC vs. Houston Dynamo
5:30 p.m. – GOLTV – Internacional vs. Vasco de Gama
6 p.m. – ESPN2/ESPN3.com – Chelsea vs. AC Milan
6 p.m. – Univision – America vs. Jaguares
7:30 p.m. – Fox Soccer Channel – D.C. United vs. Paris-St. Germain
7:30 p.m. – MLS Live/Direct Kick – Montreal Impact vs. New York Red Bulls
8 p.m. – NBC Sports Network – FC Dallas vs. Los Angeles Galaxy
8 p.m. – Telefutura – Pachuca vs. Atlas
8 p.m. – Univision Deportes – Tigres vs. Atlante
8:30 p.m. – MLS Live/Direct Kick – Sporting Kansas City vs. Columbus Crew
9 p.m. - MLS Live/Direct Kick – Colorado Rapids vs. Seattle Sounders
10 p.m. – Univision Deportes – San Luis vs. Cruz Azul
10:30 p.m. - MLS Live/Direct Kick – San Jose Earthquakes vs. Chicago Fire
11 p.m. – MLS Live/Direct Kick – Portland Timbers vs. Chivas USA
SUNDAY
7 a.m. – NBCOlympics.com – Egypt men vs. New Zealand
9:30 a.m. – Telemundo/NBCOlympics.com – Mexico men vs. Gabon
10 a.m. – MSNBC/NBCOlympics.com – Brazil men vs. Belarus
12 p.m. – Telemundo/MSNBC/NBCOlympics.com – Senegal men vs. Uruguay
12 p.m. – NBCOlympics.com – Japan men vs. Morocco
12:15 p.m. – NBCOlympics.com – South Korea men vs. Switzerland
2:45 p.m. – MSNBC/NBCOlympics.com – Great Britain men vs. United Arab Emirates
2:45 p.m. – Telemundo/NBCOlympics.com – Spain men vs. Honduras
1 p.m. – Univision – Pumas UNAM vs. Queretaro
6 p.m. – Telemundo – Chivas de Guadalajara vs. Santos Laguna
7 p.m. – NBC Sports Network – Philadelphia Union vs. New England Revolution
he’s not going anywhere. He just signed a new contract. He’s 29 and the transfer fee won’t be high enough for San Jose to sell him. Besides…he’s not good enough for the EPL or any other top league.
can’t wait until the EPL starts. These olympic and MLS matches just aren’t cutting it.
He should stay with MLS and a broad should give him head
MLS station NBC is all over Winter player Kopitar and the Kings but does not mention that torch-bearer Beckham plays in the States for the champion Galaxy.
We still have a ways to go.
Off the injury list this week. The defense has been solid without him though.
His Honduras Olympic teammate, Mario Martinez, has been signed on loan by Seattle to hold down Zakuani’s spot until he regains fitness.
Legia Warsaw vs. Borussia Dortmund is on Sunday, not Saturday.
any news on George John? Hasn’t he been home since April
O/T but do you guys really believe Wondo will break Lassiter’s 27 goal in a single MLS season?
and if so, should he head abroad or stay with MLS?
evidence of this?
Cmon you Galaxy…make a move!
Bengston may prove to be the best MLS transfer. The man is a scorer.
Just the senior team.
I haven’t been paying attention, is Bradley the coach of the Egyptian Olympic team too, or just the national team?