Top Stories

Americans Abroad: Weekend Preview

Jorge Villafana Santos Laguna 33

Jorge Villafana and Santos Laguna may have grabbed a good result on the road in CONCACAF Champions League play on Wednesday, but there is no time for them to rest on their laurels if they are to close out February on an even more positive note.

Villafana and Santos Laguna will have to quickly recover and shift their focus away from the scoreless road draw against the LA Galaxy, as the Liga MX side takes on Puebla on Saturday. The home game is a big one for Santos Laguna because the club can not only break into the playoff picture with a victory, but could also leapfrog sixth-placed Puebla in the standings. Villafana just went the distance in that midweek Champions League match, but might still be given the nod on the weekend if the turnaround does not prove too demanding.

For promising teenager Christian Pulisic, there could be the opportunity for another start when Borussia Dortmund welcomes Hoffenheim on Sunday. Pulisic was included in his club’s lineup for the first time in his career last week, and will want to further build on that while attempting to help Dortmund close the eight-point gap between itself and German Bundesliga leader Bayern Munich. Even if Pulisic does not start, he still seems likely to see the field given that he has appeared in each of Dortmund’s last four league games.

If you are wondering what other match is worth checking out, look no further than Alejandro Bedoya and FC Nantes’ encounter with Monaco. Nantes plays host to the second-placed Ligue 1 outfit on Sunday, and will be in search of three points so as to potentially jump into the league’s lone UEFA Europa league spot. Bedoya has been on a good run of form as of late, and is surely hoping to continue that in a match with so much at stake.

Here is who the Americans Abroad collide with this weekend:

FRIDAY

John Brooks and Hertha Berlin play FC Cologne.

Bobby Wood and FC Union Berlin play Karlsruhe.

Terrence Boyd and RB Leipzig play SC Paderborn 07. (Boyd is out injured.)

SATURDAY

DeAndre Yedlin and Sunderland play West Ham United.

Geoff Cameron and Stoke City play Brad Guzan and Aston Villa.

Cody Cropper and Milton Keynes Dons play Blackburn Rovers.

Danny Williams and Reading play Charlton Athletic.

Tim Ream, Emerson Hyndman and Fulham play Middlesbrough.

Duane Holmes and Huddersfield Town play Ipswich Town.

Eric Lichaj and Nottingham Forest play Bristol City.

Jonathan Spector and Birmingham City play Queens Park Rangers.

Lynden Gooch and Doncaster Rovers play Millwall.

Gedion Zelalem and Rangers play St Mirren.

Alfredo Morales and FC Ingolstadt 04 play Hamburg SV.

Aron Johannsson and Werder Bremen play SV Darmstadt 98.

Caleb Stanko and SC Freiburg play Kaiserslautern.

Andrew Wooten and SV Sandhausen play VfL Bochum.

Desevio Payne and FC Groningen play FC Twente.

Edgar Castillo and Monterrey play Cruz Azul.

Jorge Villafana and Santos Laguna play Puebla.

Jose Torres and Tigres UANL play Ventura Alvarado and Club America.

Miguel Ibarra, William Yarbrough and Club Leon play Gabriel Farfan and Jaguares de Chiapas.

Jonathan Bornstein, Luis Gil and Queretaro play Morelia.

Joe Corona and Dorados de Sinaloa play Atlas.

Omar Gonzalez and Pachuca play Toluca.

SUNDAY

Tim Howard and Everton play Liverpool.

Fabian Johnson and Borussia Moenchengladbach play FC Augsburg.

Christian Pulisic and Borussia Dortmund play TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.

Timmy Chandler and Eintracht Frankfurt play Schalke 04.

Shawn Barry and FSV Frankfurt play TSV Eintracht Braunschweig.

Alejandro Bedoya and FC Nantes play AS Monaco.

Rubio Rubin and FC Utrecht play Feyenoord Rotterdam.

Michael Orozco, Greg Garza, Paul Arriola, Alejandro Guido and Club Tijuana play Chivas de Guadalajara. (Guido is out injured.)

—–

Which of these matches are you most looking forward to? Think Villafana and Santos Laguna will move into a top eight spot? Are you expecting Pulisic to start for Borussia Dortmund again?

Share your thoughts below.

Leave a Comment