Brad Friedel and Aston Villa are a step away from reaching the finals of the FA Cup, but in order to get there they will need to defeat a team that gave them one of the biggest beatings of the season less than two weeks ago.
Aston Villa will clash with arguably the best team in the FA Cup, Chelsea, at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, and the Villans will need to forget about the 7-1 shellacking Chelsea dished out last month in order to have a chance at winning. Making things more difficult, Carlo Ancelotti's men have outscored opponents 13-1 in its four matches in the tournament, so Friedel will need to be at the top of his game to give Villa a chance at the finals.
Herculez Gomez isn't playing for a chance at a final, but he is fighting for his World Cup life. Gomez will look to continue his scoring ways when Puebla takes on Marco Vidal and Indios de Ciudad Juarez, which has conceded the Mexican League's second worst goal total with 27. If Gomez gets the start, he could have his first multi-goal game of the season, which could do wonders for his World Cup aspirations.
Hoping to break an unfavorable streak, Ricardo Clark will aim to make his Eintracht Frankfurt debut Friday when the club takes on Michael Bradley and Borussia Moenchengladbach. Clark has not played a match at the club level in four months, and with time winding down before the U.S. World Cup team convenes, Clark will want to get some playing time if he hopes to be a starter this summer like he was in last year's Confederations Cup.
Here is a rundown of who the Americans Abroad will be playing this weekend, and early next week:
FRIDAY
Michael Bradley and Borussia Moenchengladbach play Ricardo Clark and Eintracht Frankfurt.
David Yeldell and TUS Koblenz play Alemania Aachen.
Edgar Castillo and Tigres UANL play Estudiantes Tecos U.A. de G. (Castillo is out injured.)
SATURDAY
Brad Friedel, Brad Guzan and Aston Villa play Chelsea in the FA Cup semifinals.
Jozy Altidore and Hull City play Burnley.
Jonathan Spector and West Ham United play Sunderland.
Frank Simek and Sheffield Wednesday play Middlesbrough.
Jay DeMerit and Watford play Kenny Cooper and Plymouth Argyle.
Zak Whitbread and Norwich City play Milton Keynes Dons.
Eric Lichaj and Leyton Orient play Exeter City.
Jemal Johnson and Stockport County play Yeovil Town.
Mike Grella and Leeds United play Southend United.
Jon-Paul Pittman and Wycombe Wanderers play Hartlepool United.
Dominic Cervi and Celtic play Ross County in the Scottish Cup semifinals.
Steve Cherundolo, Sal Zizzo and Hannover 96 play Jermaine Jones and Schalke 04. (Jones and ZIzzo are out injured.)
Daniel Williams and SC Freiburg play Werder Bremen.
Jared Jeffrey and Mainz 05 play Borussia Dortmund.
Luis Robles and Kaiserslautern play FC Union Berlin.
Charlie Davies and Sochaux play St Etienne.
Carlos Bocanegra and Stade Rennes play Lorient.
Gale Agbossoumonde and Sporting Braga play Uniao de Leiria.
Benny Feilhaber and AGF Aarhus play Marcus Tracy, Chris Rolfe and Aalborg BK. (Tracy is out injured.)
Mikkel Diskerud and Stabaek play Lillestrom.
Jose Francisco Torres and Pachuca play Atlas.
SUNDAY
Marcus Hahnemann and Wolverhampton Wanderers play Stoke City.
Clint Dempsey and Fulham play Liverpool.
Oguchi Onyewu and AC Milan play Catania.
Matt Taylor and FSV Frankfurt play RW Oberhausen.
Eddie Johnson, Freddy Adu and Aris Salonika play Asteras Tripoli.
Clarence Goodson, Hunter Freeman and IK Start play Brann.
Herculez Gomez and Puebla play
Marco Vidal and Indios de Ciudad Juarez.
MONDAY
Michael Parkhurst and FC Nordsjaelland play Koge.
Alejandro Bedoya and Orebro SK play GAIS.
Michael Hoyos and Estudiantes La Plata play Racing Club.
TUESDAY
Stuart Holden and Bolton Wanderers play Chelsea. (Holden is out injured.)
Eric Lichaj and Leyton Orient play Zak Whitbread and Norwich City.
Mike Grella and Leeds United play Carlisle United.
Jon-Paul Pittman and Wycombe Wanderers play Tranmere Rovers.
Jemal Johnson and Stockport County play Hartlepool United.
Dominic Cervi and Celtic play Motherwell.
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Which Americans Abroad match are you most looking forward to? Which players do you see having a big impact? Think Friedel and Villa can top Chelsea? Do you see Gomez continuing his fine run of form with another goal? Expecting Clark to finally make his debut against Bradley and Moenchengladbach?
Share your thoughts below.
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The USA goalkeeping pool is ridiculesley deep, watch opposing strikers.
Rico didn’t play because Frankfurt have won their last two games (Bayern Munich and Leverkusen). His best chance will be next game after they lost today as this gives the coach reason to shuffle the lineup. There are 4 games left in the Bundesliga season…
And Rico continues to ride the pine…or nice Ricaro seat…depending on the stadia.
Good for Jr though. Need him peaking at the right time.
i dont understand why Rico keeps on making the bench but hasnt gone in once….he should have actually started this game
as you could see, gladbach was winning all the ball in the center(Michael Bradley had a very good game) and thats what Rico is best at
we might see a rico appearance next week after such a poor midfield performance by Frankfurt
Yikes. And they just blew a thee-on-one. Make that five-nil.
Wow, some abysmal finishing on the ‘Gladbach side of things. They could easily be up four-nil.
Agreed. I’ve been impressed with some of his clearances. His positioning is improving.
Bradley did a great job at the end of the half shutting down all of Frankfurt’s attacks and he hit a great free kick from far our out…look forward to seeing his intensity in SA
(I know Matmour is a forward, but I’m not impressed with their interplay.)
Quiet first half. Bradley has been in and out. Matmour has been much more central to the action but he does not impress me — and has not impressed me in the past — one bit. I’d like to see what Bradley could do with a better partner.
Good job for Bradley.
Mikey with a nice chip that leads to a Gladbach goal early on.
Brazil has very good keepers as well.
I heard on an epl football talkshow that friedel and hahnemann were 1 and 2 in the epl in save percentage. Do we have the deepest goalkeeping pool or is it spain. Either way, at least we are gettign some rep from football shows.
Ahhh….remember when Bobby Convey missed that sitter in the World Cup….ahhh….that was magical
It’s been a slow, dull day at work today. I found this in the SBI archives,it’s the Americans Abroad Rewind from Jan. 2008. Compare this list with our current list, simply amazing:
Clint Dempsey started and played 90 minutes in Fulham’s 0-0 tie vs. Fulham Wigan on Tuesday.
Carlos Bocanegra came off the bench and played seven minutes for Fulham.
Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made three saves in Everton’s 0-0 tie against Tottenham on Wednesday.
Marcus Hahnemann started, played 90 minutes and made seven saves in Reading’s 1-0 loss to Chelsea on Wednesday.
Bobby Convey started and played 84 minutes for Reading.
Jonathan Spector came off the bench and played nine minutes in West Ham United’s 1-0 win against Liverpool on Wednesday.
Jay DeMerit started and played 90 minutes in Watford’s 1-1 tie against Sheffield United on Tuesday.
GERMANY
Gregg Berhalter started and played 90 minutes in 1860 Munich’s 3-2 win against Alemania Aachen in German Cup Round of 16 play on Tuesday. 1860 overcame a 2-0 deficit with three goals in the final seven minutes.
Josh Wolff started and played 59 minutes for 1860 Munich.
FRANCE
Quentin Westberg dressed but did not play in FC Troyes’ 1-0 win against Sedan on Tuesday.
when will Oguchi Onyewu play, does anyone no
not just your typical 12 minutes, either. he’ll draw a yellow card to show Bob Bradley that he can’t be pushed around by opposing defenders. that’ll raise his stock.
I know I am. He’s getting some mad PT
Kenny Cooper will get no time. Let’s just call it now.
Who’s pumped to see Kenny Cooper get himself in to the World Cup picture with a 12 minute cameo?
Has Daniel Williams decided between the US or Germany or is he considered a YA until he does?
AV in the final against say Tottenham would make for some great football. Both have solid squads and play pretty damn good and are in the race for 4th.
someone needs to update the pictures on wikipedia of our guys abroad especially Dempsey. That pic is like from 06 or something.
is Dempsey actually back this weekend, or is he still listed as injured?
What’s Friedel’s relation to the Super Mario Brothers, his hands are HUGE.
Is the boob-grab-pic the only one you have of Friedel? I see it here quite often.