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Americans Abroad Weekend Preview: Ream, Williams, Wood and more

It’s a weekend of playoffs as Americans in England and Mexico battle high-stakes and, in some cases, familiar faces.

The English Championship promotion playoffs begin on Saturday as Danny Williams and Reading face off with Tim Ream and Fulham in the first leg of their semifinal clash. David Wagner, meanwhile, leads Huddersfield Town on Sunday for a match against Sheffield Wednesday.

In Mexico, Jorge Villafana, Ventura Alvardo and Santos Laguna face a massive deficit following a 4-1 opening leg loss to Toluca. The group of Americans at Tijuana will also be in action for a match against Morelia while Jose Torres and Tigres face Edgar Castillo and Monterrey following a 3-1 first leg win for the former.

German soccer focuses on relegation, as Bobby Wood and Hamburg look to avoid the relegation playoff with two games remaining. Alfredo Morales and Ingolstadt, meanwhile, are in massive danger heading into a match with Freiburg this weekend.  Elsewhere,  John Brooks and Hertha Berlin take on Terrence Boyd’s Darmstadt while Christian Pulisic and Borussia Dortmund face Augsburg.

In other action, Geoff Cameron and Stoke City look to play spoiler against Arsenal while Brad Guzan continues to wrap up his Middlesbrough tenure for a match against Southampton.

Here’s a closer look at this weekend’s Americans Abroad:

ENGLAND

PREMIER LEAGUE

Brad Guzan and Middlesbrough face Southampton on Saturday.

Lynden Gooch and Sunderland face Swansea City on Saturday.

Geoff Cameron and Stoke City face Arsenal on Saturday.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Danny Williams and Reading face Tim Ream and Fulham on Saturday.

David Wagner and Huddersfield Town face Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday.

GERMANY

BUNDESLIGA

Christian Pulisic and Borussia Dortmund face Augsburg on Saturday.

Timmy Chandler and Eintracht Frankfurt face Mainz on Saturday.

Alfredo Morales and Ingolstadt face Freiburg on Saturday.

Bobby Wood and Hamburg face Schalke on Saturday.

John Brooks and Hertha Berlin face Terrence Boyd and Darmstadt on Saturday.

Fabian Johnson and Borussia Monchengladbach face Wolfsburg on Saturday.

Aron Johannsson and Werder Bremen face Hoffenheim on Saturday.

2. BUNDESLIGA

Julian Green and Stuttgart face Hannover on Sunday.

Jerome Kieswetter and Fortuna Dusseldorf face Nurnberg on Sunday.

Russell Canouse and VfL Bochun face 1860 Munich on Sunday.

Andrew Wooten and Sandhausen face Wurzburger Kickers on Sunday.

MEXICO

LIGA MX

Edgar Castillo and Monterrey face Jose Torres and Tigres UANL on Saturday

Jorge Villafana, Ventura Alvarado and Santos Laguna face Toluca on Saturday.

Paul Arriola, Joe Corona, Michael Orozco, Amando Moreno, John Requejo, Alejandro Gudio and Tijuana face Morelia on Sunday.

ITALY

SERIE A

Josh Perez and Fiorentina face Lazio on Saturday.

BELGIUM

BELGIAN JULIPER LEAGUE

Ethan Horvath and Club Brugge face Anderlecht on Sunday.

DENMARK

DANISH SUPER LEAGUE

Steve Clark and AS Horsens face Viborg FF on Friday.

Rubio Rubin and Silkeborg face Odense Boldklub on Saturday.

NETHERLANDS

EREDIVISIE

Desevio Payne and FC Groningen face FC Twente on Sunday.

SCOTLAND

SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE

Perry Kitchen, Bjorn Johnson and Hearts face Emerson Hyndman and Rangers on Saturday. (Hyndman is injured)

SWITZERLAND

SWISS SUPER LEAGUE

Caleb Stanko and FC Vaduz face St Gallen on Saturday.

SWEDEN

ALLSVENSKANLIGA

Mix Diskerud and IFK Goteberg face Djurgardens IF on Monday.

Comments

    • The 3rd thru 6th place teams are in a four team competition for the final spot. Reading and Fulham played 1-1 today and will finish on Tuesday for a spot in the final against the winner of Huddersfield and Sheffield Wednesday who play Sunday and Wednesday. The final is one match at Wembley Stadium on May 28.

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  1. If Ream keeps playing the way he has he’ll continue to climb the pecking order and Bruce clearly rates him. I’d even argue Ream is playing better than Gonzalez right now and there is something to be said for a player who seems to be at his best during the roughest part of the season and with promotion on the line. I would always rather a player be playing in a top league as opposed to a coach being promoted to the top division. Promotion, in my eyes, tends to benefit the player more in terms of competition and progression as a player. Some one of Wagner’s pedigree will eventually get a premier league job or he could go back to Germany but with what he’s done over the last few years he is set to make a jump to some team in a big as soon as next season in my opinion.

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    • I’m also not sure European clubs, really think of Wagner as an American manager. He was born in Germany, played his entire career in Germany and had only eight appearances for the US team, so I doubt the casual fan is even aware that Wagner is German American. Likewise, should Cherundolo work his way up through Hannover or another club, he won’t face the same treatment as say Bradley because his soccer pedigree will be primarily German.

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  2. Except that Wagner really isn’t an American. Yes, he represented the US but he was born and raised in Germany and if one could quantify how much his American experience has fashioned his approach and ethos in his coaching, it is probably a small percentage. For gosh sakes, he didn’t even come to the MLS towards the end of his career to get some easy dollars.

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    • Not sure how big of a payday would have been available in 2002 when he last played in Germany. The earliest salary list I could find was 2004 and the likely pay day would have been around $100,000-150,000 not chump change for most of us but, not the type of sum an aging former national team member would get judging by contracts issued to Bedoya, Jones, Diskerud in today’s market.

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  3. With Ream being at best a second choice and probably third choice CB when everyone is healthy and Williams not in the picture right now I would rather see Huddersfield and Wagner get promoted to show a American manager has what it takes to be in a top league, only thing with that happening is if he with stay with the team or take another opportunity possibly back in the bundesliga

    Reply
    • NO way Ream is 3rd choice CB. He is at best 5th: Cameron, Brooks, Besler, Omar, (in my opinion – Birnbaum), Ream. If you are 6th, we should rather have a young up and comer getting game time,

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      • Its really more a comparison of LCB and RCB, I agree with your assessment of where he stands overall in CBs as 6th, but if I scored is referring to LCB where Ream plays for Fulham its around 3rd Brooks, Besler, Ream, Hedges, Orozco I guess.

      • Yedlin was automatically promoted with Newcastle because they won the Championship title. It would be wonderful if either Williams or Ream were also promoted, giving the american presence in the EPL a lift!

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