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Americans Abroad: Weekend Preview

Timmy Chandler Nurnberg 2 (Getty Images)

By FRANCO PANIZO

Timmy Chandler targeted this weekend for his return to action for FC Nurnberg, and now we will see if he can come through and earn his first minutes for the club since February.

Recovered from the knee injury that has sidelined him for the better part of three months, Chandler has said he will be available for Nurnberg’s clash with Mainz on Saturday. While it is unlikely that Chandler starts for the relegation-threatened club given his long spell on the sidelines, he could be an option off the bench as Nurnberg try to move up from 17th place into the Bundesliga’s lone relegation playoff spot at 16. A strong cameo for Chandler would not only help Nurnberg, but could also help the speedy right back salvage whatever chances he has left of making it onto the U.S. Men’s National Team’s preliminary World Cup roster next month.

Aron Johannsson has not been dealing with any kind of knock in recent weeks, but he has been struggling a bit and will look to break out of that slump on Sunday. Johannsson has just one goal in his last nine matches across all competitions, and he will try and get out of that slight funk when AZ Alkmaar visit ADO Den Haag in their penultimate match of the Eredivisie campaign.

For Alejandro Bedoya, this weekend will give him an opportunity to build on his goal-scoring outing last weekend. Bedoya and FC Nantes host Olympique Marseille on Friday, and another solid performance from the veteran midfielder could further solidify his place in Jurgen Klinsmann’s plans going into the May training camp.

Here is who the Americans Abroad play this weekend:

FRIDAY

Alfredo Morales and FC Ingolstadt 04 play FC Cologne.

Bobby Wood and TSV 1860 Munich play SpVgg Greuther Furth.

Alejandro Bedoya and FC Nantes play Marseille.

Herculez Gomez, Joe Corona, Edgar Castillo, Greg Garza, Paul Arriola, Alejandro Guido, Fernando Arce Jr and Club Tijuana play Dennis Flores, Miguel Palafox and Club Leon.

SATURDAY

Cody Cropper and Southampton play Tim Howard and Everton.

Geoff Cameron, Brek Shea and Stoke City play Brad Friedel and Tottenham Hotspur.

Brad Guzan and Aston Villa play Swansea City.

Sebastian Lletget and West Ham United play West Bromwich Albion.

Eric Lichaj and Nottingham Forest play AFC Bournemouth. (Lichaj is out injured.)

Jonathan Spector, Will Packwood and Birmingham City play Leeds United.

Zak Whitbread and Derby County play Watford.

Danny Williams and Reading play Doncaster Rovers.

Duane Holmes and Huddersfield Town play Leicester City.

Oguchi Onyewu and Sheffield Wednesday play Tim Ream, Stuart Holden and Bolton Wanderers. (Holden is out injured.)

Gboly Ariyibi and Tranmere Rovers play Leyton Orient.

John Brooks and Hertha Berlin play TSV Eintracht Braunschweig.

Timmy Chandler and FC Nurnberg play Mainz 05.

Fabian Johnson, Joe Gyau and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim play Eintracht Frankfurt.

David Yelldell and Bayer Leverkusen play Borussia Dortmund.

Andrew Wooten and FSV Frankfurt play Energie Cottbus.

Terrence Boyd and Rapid Vienna play SV Salzburg.

Conor O’Brien and Odense BK play Aalborg BK.

Michael Farfan and Cruz Azul play Pumas UNAM.

Jose Torres and Tigres UANL play Atlas.

Gabriel Farfan and Jaguares de Chiapas play Jonathan Bornstein and Atlante.

SUNDAY

Jozy Altidore and Sunderland play Cardiff City.

Aron Johannsson and AZ Alkmaar play ADO Den Haag.

Juan Agudelo and FC Utrecht play Heerenveen.

Jermaine Jones and Besiktas play Sivasspor.

Sacha Kljestan and RSC Anderlecht play Standard Liege in the Pro League playoff.

Babajide Ogunbiyi and Viborg FF play AGF Aarhus.

Mix Diskerud and Rosenborg BK play Brann.

Michael Stephens and Stabaek IF play Zarek Valentin and FK Bodo/Glimt. (Valentin is out injured.)

Josh Gatt, Ethan Horvath and Molde FK play Sandnes Ulf. (Gatt is out injured.)

DaMarcus Beasley, Michael Orozco and Puebla play Morelia.

Alonso Hernandez and Monterrey play Chivas de Guadalajara.

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Which of these matches are you most anticipating? Do you expect Chandler return to action for relegation-threatened Nurnberg? Think Johannsson gets on the scoresheet for AZ?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Joe Corona and Gringo Torres both need to be brought into the May camp for assessment. Both have a lot to offer and, I think, are better choices for Brazil than Mix Diskerud, who apparently has not been playing regularly in Norway. And I don’t see Julian Green being gifted a ticket to Brazil ahead of Corona or Torres (or Mix) or Bedoya or about a dozen others.

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  2. I’m not sure if this is the place to tell Ives but there is a US player in Sweden named Eric Pothast who plays for Ängelholm FF. He is starting and playing very well over there. Figure he could be added to the “Americans Playing Abroad” category.
    Just a thought.
    Go FIRE!!!

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  3. Has it been four weeks since Julian Green got injured against Mexico?
    What are his chances of getting playing time with Bayern this weekend or next week against Madrid?

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  4. Might want to add Sebastien Ibeagha to Americans Abroad. he is currently playing for AC Horsens in the Danish first division.

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  5. So is anyone else feeling a big weekend for World Cup roster spots? I have a feeling this is a big one concerning MLS guys: Wondo, Clint, EJ, Edu (Landon and Bradley off but that’s fine). Tomorrow night the Tijuana contingency have a big game to solidify playoffs. “El Homie” is still a viable option for us and he starts every game for Los Xolos. Over in Europe let’s see AJ score, Boyd, and Swagudelo score to make things fun. Bedoya vs Marseille! Jozy to play well again (dare we say score?). Brooks to start. Gooch continuing his good run. I’m just feeling a swing weekend!!

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  6. Chandler would have been called for Ukraine, had he not gotten injured. Otherwise they wouldn’t hae bothered scouting him.

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  7. As much as I want Chandler to start getting minutes, and return to form, I think there are other factors at play that might hold more influence in him making the upcoming camp. It seems like the relationship between Chandler and JK really soured at one point, and I’m not sure how well it’s recovered. Does JK want to bring him in, and despite what Chandler has said, how badly does he want the chance?

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  8. Didn’t the Nurnberg manager just get fired or did I read that wrong?? Hopefully Timmy does play this weekend and starts next weekend. We need him in the conversation and in the 30 man camp, even if in the end he doesn’t make the World Cup squad.

    Our right-back will be going up against C. Ronaldo for 90 minutes in that Portugal game. Cameron at RB is probably too slow for that particular game. I’d consider taking an in-form Chandler for that reason. Not to mention the fact that a healthy and in-form Chandler is probably better than Evans, Parkhurst and Yedlin.

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    • i agree but don’t forget FJ has been playing RB for Hoffenheim. can move him to RB and Beasley to LB for that game if needed.

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      • FJ did not look good for us on the right. I think he is too valuable on the left. I think we should keep him there.

      • that was before he had been switched to RB at Hoffenheim though. he hasn’t played LB in over 11 games. his last 11 games were at RB.

        don’t get my wrong, i prefer him at LB, but he’d be fine at RB if needed.

      • After the torn meniscous was diagnosed, coach Verbeek was quoted as saying that he’d make sure Chandler wouldn’t play for the team the rest of the year…

        I guess he figured out Chandler wanted ANY playing time to audition for the USMNT while Verbeek and Nuremberg were fighting for their lives…

    • Given how Chandler played in the Honduras game and how little he has played with the national team, I still like Cameron ahead of him. Cameron faces some pretty good players week in and week out.

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      • +1 Gary Page. No comparison on defense, Cameron is much better than Chandler, who is prone to mistakes and relatively easily beaten by attackers. As for offense, Chandler is obviously speedier, but not as good holding the ball under pressure or passing. Cameron is excellent now with one touch passing. As for crossing skills, Cameron has improved a lot the past two years and they are now basically even.

    • UBG,

      1.) Cristiano Ronaldo is liable to turn up on either wing or at center forward at any time. He is equally dangerous at all positions.

      2) Whoever the US RB is, he isn’t stopping CR by his all by his lonesome self. No sane manager asks one guy to shut CR down by himself. He will need help.

      3) Portugal sometimes tends to wait around for Cristiano to win the game for them and this makes them tentative and vulnerable.

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      • And the scary thing is that everyone is assuming that Germany is going to sweep the group, but they play Portugal in the opener … and crazy things happen in opening games.. which will lead to even more pressure in our games against them.
        When they sat back waiting for him to carry them through qualifying they almost flunked the test… but when their backs were against the wall a backline of 12 couldn’t stop him that day

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