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Americans Abroad: Weekend Preview

JozyAltidoreSunderland2-CarlisleUnited (Getty)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By FRANCO PANIZO

A lost season for Sunderland and Jozy Altidore could be salvaged in a major way this weekend, but some stiff competition stands in the Black Cats’ way of lifting some silverware.

Sunderland are set to take on Manchester City on Sunday and all that is up for grabs is the 2013-14 Capital One Cup title. Altidore and the rest of the Black Cats will enter the final as severe underdogs, but their run to this point has been nothing short of impressive, especially given their league struggles. Altidore’s wealth of experience could be enough to earn him a start versus a stacked Manchester City side that will aim to avoid an upset and add to its trophy cabinet.

Besiktas will not be competing for any hardware this weekend, but their match against Antalyaspor could mark Jermaine Jones’ long-awaited debut for the club. Jones has been sidelined with a groin issue since joining the club, but his inclusion in the U.S. Men’s National Team roster for next week’s friendly against Ukraine seems to indicate that he will be healthy enough to play on Friday.

Wondering what other match might be worth watching? Look no further than Reading’s duel with Yeovil Town, which is likely to pit Danny Williams against Duane Holmes. The teenage midfielder will be looking to build on his promising debut for the relegation-threatened Glovers, but Williams and Reading will do their best to prevent that from happening as they look to bounce back from last week’s home defeat.

Here is who the Americans Abroad take on this weekend:

FRIDAY

John Brooks and Hertha Berlin play SC Freiburg.

Alejandro Bedoya and FC Nantes play Evian Thonon Gaillard.

Jermaine Jones and Besiktas play Antalyaspor.

Jonathan Bornstein and Atlante play Morelia.

SATURDAY

Tim Howard and Everton play Sebastian Lletget and West Ham United.

Geoff Cameron and Stoke City play Arsenal.

Cody Cropper and Southampton play Liverpool.

Gboly Ariyibi and Leeds United play Queens Park Rangers.

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

Zak Whitbread and Derby County play Burnley.

Brek Shea and Barnsley play Huddersfield Town.

Jonathan Spector, Will Packwood and Birmingham City play Ipswich Town.

Eric Lichaj and Nottingham Forest play Wigan Athletic.

Danny Williams and Reading play Duane Holmes and Yeovil Town.

Oguchi Onyewu and Sheffield Wednesday play Middlesbrough.

Timmy Chandler and FC Nurnberg play Borussia Dortmund. (Chandler is out injured.)

Steve Cherundolo and Hannover 96 play FC Augsburg. (Cherundolo is out injured.)

Bobby Wood and TSV 1860 Munich play SV Sandhausen.

Herculez Gomez, Joe Corona, Edgar Castillo, Greg Garza, Paul Arriola and Club Tijuana play Veracruz.

Alonso Hernandez and Monterrey play Club America.

SUNDAY

Jozy Altidore and Sunderland play Manchester City in the Capital One Cup final.

Brad Guzan and Aston Villa play Norwich City.

Brad Friedel and Tottenham Hotspur play Cardiff City.

Fabian Johnson and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim play VfL Wolfsburg.

Alfredo Morales and FC Ingolstadt 04 play Dynamo Dresden.

Andrew Wooten and FSV Frankfurt play SpVgg Greuther Furth.

Juan Agudelo and FC Utrecht play Twente Enschede.

Aron Johannsson and AZ Alkmaar play RKC Waalwijk.

Sacha Kljestan and RSC Anderlecht play Racing Genk.

Terrence Boyd and Rapid Vienna play SV Salzburg.

Conor O’Brien and Odense BK play Esbjerg.

Babajide Ogunbiyi and Viborg FF play FC Nordsjaelland.

DaMarcus Beasley, Michael Orozco and Puebla Queretaro.

Jose Torres and Tigres UANL play Chivas de Guadalajara.

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Which of these matches are you most looking forward to? Do you see Altidore and Sunderland lifting some hardware? Think Jones will finally get on the field for Besiktas?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. While I’m not sure it is meaningful in any way, it does seem that Jozy is on a pace to set some sort of mark for international “cup finals played” for Americans. Which counts for something. Probably.

    Man… why am I awake?

    Reply
      • He did indeed for AZ. . I would call it three, When looked at through the context of a career achievement, I think the Confed Cup final has the credibility of most any top class domestic cup. This could get a little dicier had he ever appeared in a Gold Cup Final (I’d probably count this although I’m sure I’d encounter some snobbery) or a US Open Cup Final (Ok probablly not).

        Sunderland are in the last 8 of the FA Cup, as well. So with some luck there and a little more in June, I’d say he could be up to five in no time. Sounds easy enough, right?

  2. Bedoya is a WC lock; he just got interviewed by the French media at half time after nearly scoring for Nantes. Klinsman and I agree on this one.

    Reply
    • He just got subbed in the 66 minute after a dismal second half and his team down by a goal. I still believe that he is a lock for Brazil despite his lack of talent which tells a lot about the real USMNT state of affairs.

      Reply
      • I wouldn’t say lack of talent. I would say inconsistency, especially at the international level. He’s also been up and down in League 1 as well. He had some lovely assists I think in the Gold Cup semi against Honduras but looked mediocre in subsequent WCQ fixtures

  3. Jozy will not be the starting US forward in 2018. But for this year’s sake, he NEEDS to get it going. Can you imagine our starting forward for the WC may have 1-2 goals for his club team in league play. Could potentially be less.

    I’d like to see Ives start to cover and analyze Agudelo, Johansson, and Boyd like he does with Jozy. I don’t get everyone’s fascination with him.

    Reply
      • WOW! I didn’t realize some important service patterns until I just watched that video (thanks for posting, Dawsaw).

        Do you realize that Fabian Johnson’s brilliant left foot was responsible for fully 3 of those goals?! And wonderfully, Bradley set up two of the others (in addition Zusi & J Jones).

        I’ve been one of the biggest proponents for FJ being slotted at left back, but clearly both he and MB have a feel for setting up Jozy so perhaps this sways me to think he really should be part of an incredible trifecta of FJ, MB and either Zusi or Donovan setting the table for Jozy to feast.

        Of course, Altidore has to finish so it’s contingent on that, but I’d feel equally excited with AJ on the receiving end as well….now I really can’t wait for Ukraine!

      • “I don’t get everyone’s fascination with him.” please just go watch the video Dawsaw posted. seriously, that was all within the last 9 months btw… club form is one thing but his chemistry with bradler/dempsey/FJ make him in great form for the USMNT. While it’s one thing to argue whether he should be playing in the EPL ( which i think he still should be), you can’t argue that he doesnt play well of late with the NT. He simply has chemistry with US. There’s no reason he’s not going to Brazil and no reason he shouldnt start. Aron has only 6 caps, Boyd is an immature player that’s not quite there, EJ is a great sub, Agudelo is gaining exp for next cycle, wondo is old and slow and cant create his own shot, simply put, Jozy is our best striker.

    • No different than 2010 and he played fine in south africa. I’m not at all worried about the number in jozy’s goal column come june.

      Reply
  4. Jozy beasts down Demichelis, puts one in on Sunday.

    Taps one in against the Ukraine.

    Newspaper headlines say “reporst of slump of Jozy are greatly exaggerated.”

    Reply
  5. Any insight on the likelihood of jozy getting minutes or starting? The return of Fletcher and his halftime subbing last week is concerning.

    Reply
    • I’ve been reading the reports about this I can find, and it seems like it’s up in the air at this point. Poyet wants Fletcher to be involved, but it’s unclear if he’ll start. Another option is that Borini starts up top. Jozy definitely still has a chance to start though. One distinct possibility is that Jozy starts and is replace by Fletcher in the second half. I don’t think we’ll know until lineups are announced.

      Reply
      • “yanked”?? Or maybe he was “replaced” with the cup final in mind!!!! Those types of comments continue to confound me and are baseless!

      • Are you saying he got “replaced” at halftime to save him for a game a week away? That makes no sense especially considering we are talking about a player that hasn’t been scoring any goals. Common sense says you keep him on the field as long as possible until he finds his form. Yanking him at halftime is abut the worst thing you can do to a players confidence.

      • Another way to look at it is Poyet subbed out his two headed goal scoring machine, Jozy sets them up and Johnson finishes them off,

        Leaving them in a game already lost risks injury or card problems.

        It also allowed him to try Borini up front as a more centrally located striker; that did not go well.

      • Maybe he wont start, but I really doubt his halftime substitution is any indication of that.

        As johnson was also pulled at halftime against arsenal, the more likely scenario was that poyet saw no use wasting the energy of those two players leading up to the cup final.

      • I sort of hope they satrt Borinin up top. then we can see if the issue is Jozy and how he plays in Poyets system, or it is any striker up top on this team.

        Listen to the Sunderland fans, and commentators, it sounds very similar to USMNT fans talking about Jozy before he went on the tear last year.

        To me he needs people looking to set him up. It sort of seemed that once Fabian Johnson was up on the left he started really get going.

        With Borinin and Johnson on the wings for him at Sunderland, it seems they do not want to get closer to Jozy and pass to him.

  6. So will Sunderland qualify for the Europa league just by making this final (assuming Man City are in the champions league next year) or is that just for the runner-up of the FA Cup?

    Reply
    • Fans will be forgiving of his no goals if he scores the winner against Man City. If in not mistaken Altidore has matched up well against Man City in the past and has score against them.

      Reply
      • Judging from recent lineups I fail to see how that is the more likely scenario. Why don’t you check back in tomorrow on that bud.

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