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Americans Abroad: A Look Ahead

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photo by Tony Quinn/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

If you enjoyed watching Tim Howard stone Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez on Wednesday night, you may soon get another opportunity to see the U.S. men's national team goalkeeper do so.

Howard and Everton kick off their Premiership season at home against Hernandez and Manchester United on Monday in one of the marquee games on opening weekend. Howard is all but set to start in goal for the Toffees against his former club, but Hernandez's availability is less certain considering United just picked up Robin van Persie. If the Mexican does play, expect Howard to try and replicate the type of performance against Hernandez that helped the U.S. team come out of Estadio Azteca victorious for the first time on Wednesday night.

The Premiership is not the only league getting back into full gear. The Championship is also set to get underway, and Tim Ream and Bolton Wanderers will try to start their quest for promotion with a win on the road versus Burnley. Ream is likely to start in central defense for the Trotters, while teammate Stuart Holden will miss the Saturday match as he is still recovering from injury.

Helsingborgs IF will be in action on Saturday as well, and their match could mark Alejandro Bedoya's debut for the club and his official return to the Allsvenskan. Helsingborgs visits Elfsborg and a win could put the former team in the top three in the league table.

Here is who the Americans Abroad take on this weekend:

FRIDAY

Tony Taylor and Estoril Praia play Olhanense.

Joe CoronaEdgar CastilloGreg Garza and Club Tijuana play Jonathan Bornstein and Tigres UANL.

DaMarcus Beasley and Puebla play Morelia.

SATURDAY

Clint Dempsey and Fulham play Norwich City.

Geoff Cameron and Stoke City play Reading.

Brad Guzan, Eric Lichaj and Aston Villa play West Ham United.

Brad Friedel and Tottenham Hotspur play Newcastle United.

Robbie Rogers and Leeds United play Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Jonathan Spector and Birmingham City play Charlton Athletic.

Tim Ream, Stuart Holden and Bolton Wanderers play Burnley. (Holden is out injured.)

Conor Doyle and Derby County play Sheffield Wednesday.

Zak Whitbread and Leicester City play Peterborough United.

Robbie Findley and Nottingham Forest play Bristol City.

Frank Simek and Carlisle United play Stevenage.

Fabian Johnson, Danny Williams, Joe Gyau and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim play Berliner AK '07 in the first round of DFB Pokal.

Sacha Kljestan and RSC Anderlecht play Raec Mons.

Terrence Boyd and Rapid Vienna play SK Sturm Graz.

Charlie Davies and Randers FC play Silkeborg IF.

Clarence Goodson and Brondby IF play FC Copenhagen.

Alejandro Bedoya and Helsingborgs IF play Elfsborg.

Josh Gatt and Molde FK play Sandefjord in the NM Cupen quarterfinals.

Ventura Alvarado and Club America play Queretaro.

Sonny Guadarrama and Atlante play Monterrey.

Herculez Gomez and Santos Laguna play Pumas UNAM.

Michael Orozco Fiscal and San Luis play Chivas de Guadalajara.

SUNDAY

Steve Cherundolo and Hannover 96 play FC Nottingen 1957 in the first round of DFB Pokal.

Alfredo Morales, John Anthony Brooks and Hertha Berlin play Wormatia Worms in the first round of DFB Pokal.

Timmy Chandler and FC Nurnberg play TSV Havelse in the first round of DFB Pokal.

Jermaine Jones and Schalke 04 play 1 FC Saarbrucken in the first round of DFB Pokal.

Andrew Wooten and Kaiserslautern play Hansa Rostock in the first round of DFB Pokal.

Jozy Altidore and AZ Alkmaar play SC Heracles Almelo.

Oguchi Onyewu and Sporting CP play Guimaraes.

Eugene Starikov and Zenit St. Petersburg play Anzhi Makhachkala.

Michael Parkhurst and FC Nordsjaelland play AGF Aarhus.

Jose Torres and Pachuca play Toluca.

MONDAY

Tim Howard and Everton play Manchester United.

Conor O'Brien and SonderjyskE play Odense BK.

Brian Span and Djurgardens IF play Dalstorps IF in the second round of Svenska Cupen.

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Which of these games are you looking most forward to? Do you think Howard can work up some more magic against 'Chicharito' Hernandez? Envision Ream and Bolton gaining promotion back into the Premiership this season?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. *Saturday*
    Carlos Bocangra, Maurice Edu and Newco Rangers play a group of players primarily composed of cart-pushers from the El Segundo K-Mart.

    Reply
  2. I saw this morning that BeIn was replaying some old Barca v Real Zaragoza game from last season on Ch 620. So it appears that BeIn is included in the Extra Sports Pack and GolTV was re-located to Ch 627 for you DirecTV people (which any European soccer fan should be with the extensive UEFA CL coverage).

    Reply
  3. Seb Hines of Middlesborough has publicly stated that he wants to play for the U.S. SBI should start covering him. I’m very interested in which of our second division central defenders (Packwood, Ream, Hines, Whitbread, or Brooks)can step it up and get into the national team picture.

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  4. Villa manager Paul Lambert hasn’t revealed the winners of any position battles, although pundits have tipped Matt Lowton to have won the RB job over Lichaj and Given to have won the GK battle over Guzan. The only bright spot is that the usual LB, Stephen Warnock is thought to be surplus to requirements and Lichaj has a good chance of starting there tomorrow.

    Reply
  5. yeah, this is very troubling and I feel for Clint Dempsey. Martin Jol and Fulham are treating Dempsey like $hi*. Unforgivable after all Clint has done for that team. And what worries me is that after being open wide all summer, the door to Liverpool for Dempsey appears to be gradually shutting and it seems that he has his heart set on a move there. Liverpool, I gotta say, seems to be moving toward an exciting future under Brendan Rogers and it would great to have Dempsey there.

    As for “clearly time to start the Clint Dempsey to Everton rumor!”, well, David Moyse apparently would love to have him. It seems to me that no turning back to Fulham for Dempsey and, even if no good offers from a big team come in the next 14 days, I would be surprised to see him sign a contract extension with Fulham. Therefore, Dempsey could either tough it out at Fulham until next summer when he is free agent, or he could take the life-line of Everton and play with future USMNT Captain Tim Howard, which I don’t think would be a bad move. I would take Moyse over Jol any day of the week. Plus, Everton, I think, has upward potential and might surprise this season. Hoping like heck that they whup Man. U on Monday.

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  6. Well, since you guys are too lazy to check for yourselves, I did it for you. Says here he is expected back with the team in October.

    http://www.bolton.vitalfootball.co.uk/sitepage.asp?a=290205

    In doing your work for you, found out something interesting. Stu’s contract with Bolton ends next summer. Will be interesting to see how that develops in coming months.

    http://www.bolton.vitalfootball.co.uk/sitepage.asp?a=290205

    Still bummed out that Bolton got screwed in the last game of the season in May against Stoke City by two bad calls from the stupid ref. Without those bad calls, Bolton and Tim Ream would have won that game and would still be in the Premier League.

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  7. After recieving 12m from City for Jack Rodwell, I think it’s clearly time to start the Clint Dempsey to Everton rumor!

    Reply
  8. Lol Fiscal is playing against Chivas, who only employ Mexican-eligible players. I’m sure he’ll be welcomed warmly. Give ’em heck.

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  9. I believe it’s time to recognize that Timmy Chandler is waiting for a call-up from Germany, and stop following him in Americans Abroad? He continues to show absolutely no commitment to the USMNT !

    Reply
  10. He played in a lot of Bolton games two years ago until he was injured by Evans toward the end of the season, then last year he came back for a game or two until they discovered more damage, then he sat out the entire season. I hope he came contribute at this point, but the injury- immediate reinjury is never good.

    Reply
  11. nope don’t see any of those pushing past the young group of strikers on the way. but you never know where the next wondoloski or gomez can come from.. if you mentioned either of those two 3-4 years ago no one would have imagined them being National team quality.

    Reply
  12. fsc is a must, goal tv is good too.. not sure if the BeIn network will be included in the DirecTv Sports Package but i would agree its great and not that much more a month.. like 14 bucks or something

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  13. yes, any news on that? it seems like he has been on an indefinite time schedule for a while.. Zakuani was back off a similar injury in what 9-12 months? I know stu has had a few injuries and re-injuries but he has only played a handful of games over the past 2-3 years right?

    Reply
  14. Well, Chicharito will not be playing for United… sooooo… no he probably won’t get to see Timmy unless he wants to get his autograph in the tunnel afterward.

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  15. The sports pack for DirecTV is a sportsfan’s heaven… anyone claiming to have a better deal is full of it..

    You get like 30+ regional sports nets…

    FSC, Gol TV, all the UEFA Champions League and most Europa matches…

    There really is nothing better… I even get FSC+ but it is not necessary.

    Reply
  16. “Alfredo Morales, John Anthony Brooks and Hertha Berlin play Wormatia Worms in the first round of DFB Pokal.”

    Wormatia Worms?

    Reply
  17. Conor Casey, Robbie Findley, Edson Buddle, Charlie Davies

    will any of these guys ever see more time with the NT?

    O/T but do you guys think our strikers have bad luck in Europe? Only a few have found success. Wynalda, McBride and currently Altidore. The rest including Josh wolff and EJ flopped

    Reply
  18. Congrats to Steve Cherundolo. Nearly 14 years with the same club. By season’s end he should become their recorder holder in Bundesliga I appearances

    Reply
  19. PL is back. Thank you Jesus

    I just got direcTv but i don’t have any channels for MLS or Fox Soccer Channel. should i call the subscriber or what?

    Reply

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