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Americans Abroad: Weekend Preview

Alejandro Bedoya Nantes 1 (Getty Images)

By FRANCO PANIZO

If Alejandro Bedoya is going to bounce back from his U.S. Men’s National Team performance this weekend, he will have to do so against one of the most talented teams in the world.

Bedoya and Nantes have a golden opportunity to jump into Ligue 1’s UEFA Champions League qualifier spot on Sunday, but are set to do so vs. an AS Monaco side that boasts the likes of Radamel Falcao and James Rodriguez. The Canaries do have an advantage as the battle of the third- and fourth-placed teams in the league is in their home stadium, but the task will not be an easy one given that Monaco will be keen on ending a two-game winless skid.

Tim Howard is another American likely to be involved in one of the marquee matches this weekend. Everton and Liverpool are set to write the latest chapter of the Merseyside Derby on Saturday. Howard figures to be a key player in the match at Goodison Park given that the second-place Reds’ boast one of the more explosive offenses in the Premiership.

Wondering what other match is worth watching? Look no further than Stoke City’s Saturday clash with Sunderland, as it could pit U.S. Men’s National Team players Geoff Cameron and Jozy Altidore against one another. Both teams are currently near the bottom of the Premiership standings, so picking up a win could wind up going a long way in their quest to avoid relegation.

Here is who the Americans Abroad play this weekend:

SATURDAY

Tim Howard and Everton play Liverpool.

Geoff Cameron, Maurice Edu, Brek Shea and Stoke City play Jozy Altidore and Sunderland.

Duane Holmes and Huddersfield Town play Sheffield Wednesday.

Zak Whitbread and Derby County play AFC Bournemouth. (Whitbread is out injured.)

Jonathan Spector and Birmingham City play Blackpool. (Spector is out injured.)

Danny Williams and Reading play Blackburn Rovers.

Eric Lichaj and Nottingham Forest play Burnley.

Oguchi Onyewu and Queens Park Rangers play Charlton Athletic.

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

Jermaine Jones and Schalke 04 play Eintracht Frankfurt.

Michael Parkhurst and FC Augsburg play Fabian Johnson, Joe Gyau and TSG Hoffenheim.

John Brooks and Hertha Berlin play Bayer Leverkusen.

Timmy Chandler and FC Nurnberg play VfL Wolfsburg.

Alfredo Morales and FC Ingolstadt 04 play FC Cologne.

Andrew Wooten and Kaiserslautern play FC Union Berlin.

Aron Johannsson and AZ Alkmaar play Roda JC Kerkrade.

Eugene Starikov and FK Tom’ Tomsk play FK Rubin Kazan.

Sacha Kljestan and RSC Anderlecht play Royal Charleroi SC.

Conor O’Brien and Odense BK play Randers FC.

SUNDAY

Brad Friedel and Tottenham Hotspur play Manchester City.

Steve Cherundolo and Hannover 96 play Hamburg SV.

Alejandro Bedoya and FC Nantes play Monaco.

Terrence Boyd and Rapid Vienna play Red Bull Salzburg.

Babajide Ogunbiyi, Mike Grella and Viborg FF play FC Copenhagen.

Josh Gatt, Ben Spencer, Ethan Horvath and Molde FK play Mix Diskerud and Rosenborg BK in the NM Cupen final. (Gatt is out injured.)

Jose Torres, Jonathan Bornstein and Tigres UANL play America.

Freddy Adu and Bahia play Portuguesa de Desportos.

MONDAY

Brad Guzan and Aston Villa play West Bromwich Albion.

Michael Bradley and AS Roma play Cagliari.

Bobby Wood and TSV 1860 Munich play SpVgg Greuther Furth.

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Which of these matches are you most looking forward to? How do you see Bedoya and Nantes faring against Monaco? Think Howard and Everton will knock off Liverpool?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Looking forward to Stokev. Sunderland tomorrow. At least it will be a two birds with one stone situation, even if the game stinks. I just hope to bloody hell Fletcher doesn’t start over Jozy. The should play together and I bet they will given the nature of the opposition.

    GET SOME JOZY!!!

    Reply
  2. Funny quote from a Stoke coach about Geoff Cameron playing in the USMNT-Austria game against club teammate Marko Arnautovic in a local Stoke newspaper story.

    “We haven’t said anything about going easy on Marko, but if Geoff injures him he’ll be getting a kick up the you-know-what when he returns.”

    He also mentions Cameron’s stint at left CB against Scotland, calling it “interesting.” Not sure what he means by that. Any interpretations?

    http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Stoke-City-Charlie-Adam-loses-2-kilos-fitness/story-20097669-detail/story.html

    Reply
    • Exactly.

      I’d be really curious to hear how many people bashing Jozy actually watched both friendlies last week all the way through the end. If they HAD, they would’ve seen some pretty great work rate and really fantastic set-ups by him when paired in a real two-striker format, which is where he flourishes.

      I’m the first one to be critical of any of our players who are not putting in the effort or just aren’t getting the job done (read “Jermaine Jones”), but in the right system with the right support, he’s quite effective.

      No, he’s not Messi or Ronaldo, but he’s our best and, throughout qualification, truly earned his position.

      Reply
      • AMEN!!

        You wrote it all.

        Jozy is a great player but the team needs to play to his strengths, not against them.

        Jozy has been the target of unfair attacks and criticism his whole career. It’s hard for him to catch a break.

        I don’t know if you bother but if you check Sunderland boards, their supporters are usually quite down on him. They truly think Fletcher is a better striker. It’s a total joke. Jozy doesn’t have the goals, and Fletcher is better in the air but to think FOR ONE MINUTE than the Scot is better than Jozy is simply wrong.

        Jozy is all class and when he isn’t too in his own head he is near world-class. If the team works for him, he produces. If he gets out of the game mentality, he is done for.

        I want to see a goal from him tomorrow. I have big hopes for the lad.

    • Do you mean England bad? or Mexico bad?

      Honestly, stop with the hyperbole. He is a good player, but he isn’t good enough to make Sunderland not suck. He isn’t a “gamechange” as people like to say but still a good player.

      Chill.

      Reply
    • What is the point of this question?

      If you don’t care for Jozy, either say so or do something else with your time.

      If you would like to discuss his form and lack of goals at Sunderland, then do that.

      If you would like to talk about this performance for the USMNT, then do that.

      Just don’t put up ridiculous questions like this on the board again. It’s annoying.

      Reply
  3. I noticed that Dolo is no longer listed on this report as being “injured” – any chance he plays this weekend? He played 45 minutes against a 2.Bundesliga side last week in a friendly I believe.

    Reply

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