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Americans Abroad: A Look Ahead

Steve Cherundolo 3 (Getty Images)
 

By FRANCO PANIZO

It is the final weekend of club action for a number of the Americans Abroad, and even though much of the preliminary roster that will be announced early next week is already known, there is still plenty to play for.

Steve Cherundolo and Hannover 96 enter its final game of the season aiming to defeat fellow bottom-dweller VfL Bochum in order to avoid relegation. A tie could also see Hannover secure another season in Germany's top flight, but that would have to be coupled with a Nurnberg tie or loss to FC Cologne.

Bolton Wanderers are out of the relegation trouble for the season, but Stuart Holden could make his return from the leg injury he suffered in early March in the Premiership club's season finale against Birmingham. Holden has resumed full training for two weeks now and is prepared to contribute if manager Owen Coyle deems him ready.

Jose Francisco Torres is hoping to close out his season with some hardware, but in order to make that a possibility he will need to help Pachuca defend a slim 1-0 lead against Monterrey on the road in quarterfinals of the Clausura. If Pachuca can hold on to its slight edge, it will meet with the winner of Pumas UNAM and Santos Laguna in the semifinals.

Here is a rundown of who the Americans Abroad will be playing this weekend:

SATURDAY

Zak Whitbread and Norwich City play Carlisle United.

Eric Lichaj and Leyton Orient play Colchester United.

Jemal Johnson and Stockport County play Tranmere Rovers.

Mike Grella and Leeds United play Bristol Rovers.

Jon-Paul Pittman and Wycombe Wanderers play Gillingham.

Michael Bradley and Borussia Moenchengladbach play Bayer Leverkusen.

Steve Cherundolo, Sal Zizzo and Hannover 96 play VfL Bochum. (Zizzo is out injured.)

Jermaine Jones and Schalke 04 play Jared Jeffrey and Mainz 05(Jones is out injured.) 

Ricardo Clark and Eintracht Frankfurt play VfL Wolfsburg.

Daniel Williams and SC Freiburg play Borussia Dortmund.

Charlie Davies and Sochaux play Bordeaux.

Carlos Bocanegra and Stade Rennes play Nice.

Jose Francisco Torres and Pachuca play Monterrey in the second leg of the quarterfinals of the Clausura. Pachuca leads on aggregate, 1-0.

SUNDAY

Clint Dempsey and Fulham play Arsenal.

Tim Howard and Everton play Portsmouth.

Brad Friedel, Brad Guzan and Aston Villa play Blackburn Rovers.

Stuart Holden and Bolton Wanderers play Birmingham.

Jonathan Spector and West Ham United play Manchester City.

Marcus Hahnemann and Wolverhampton Wanderers play Sunderland.

DaMarcus Beasley, Maurice Edu and Rangers play Motherwell.

Dominic Cervi and Celtic play Heart of Midlothian.

Oguchi Onyewu and AC Milan play Genoa.

Luis Robles and Kaiserslautern play FC Augsburg.

Matt Taylor and FSV Frankfurt play David Yeldell and TUS Koblenz. (Yeldell is out injured.)

Gale Agbossoumonde and Sporting Braga play CD Nacional de Madeira.

Eddie Johnson, Freddy Adu and Aris Salonika play AEK Athens in the Greek Super League Playoffs.

Marcus Tracy, Chris Rolfe and Aalborg BK play Brondby. (Tracy and Rolfe are out injured.)

Benny Feilhaber and AGF Aarhus play Michael Parkhurst and FC Nordsjaelland.

Alejandro Bedoya and Orebro SK play Djurgarden.

Ryan Miller, Michael Thomas and Halmstads BK play BK Hacken.

Steve Clark and Honefoss BK play Sandefjord.

Clarence Goodson, Hunter Freeman and IK Start play Tromso.

Mikkel Diskerud and Stabaek play Brann.

Michael Hoyos and Estudiantes La Plata play Rosario Central

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Which Americans Abroad match are you most looking forward to? Which players do you see having a big impact in their final weekend of club action? Do you see Cherundolo and Hannover avoiding relegation? Expecting to see Holden back in action? How do you think Torres and Pachuca will fare in the second leg?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Minor detail

    The Mexican playoffs are like the NHL. Teams are reseeded after each round.

    If Pachuca wins they play the highest remaining seed since they are the 8th seed.

    Reply
  2. Actually, talking to Simek’s brother (we went to college together) he says the coach was not very agreeable. Remember he played after returning from injury.

    Reply
  3. “Hopefully Simek can find a new and better club.”

    Everything I’ve read attributes Simek’s problems to fact that he seems to have not been able to recover from his ankle injury. That would seem to make the likelihood of his moving to a better club remote.

    Reply
  4. Unless his club is playing some kind of psychological game, I’d seriously doubt it.

    I’d poop my pants but only figuratively, it’s a lot easier to clean.

    Reply
  5. Do we think Davies has a chance at all to get minutes this weekend? Has there been anything said about his chances?

    Reply
  6. I hope I wouldn’t be alone in pooping my pants if Davies gets minutes this weekend. Inappropriate, yes. Disgusting, yes. But it is totally called for.

    Reply
  7. Now that they’ve already qualified for the Club World Cup it would be awesome to see Gringo Torres and the mighty gophers of Pachuca go all the way. Vamos Tuzos!

    Reply
  8. I think Spector will do well. Johnson doesn’t really take people or get behind, but he’ll cut back to his left to cross. Being right footed, he might have an easier time getting blocks in, or get into a position to cut him off. When wright-phillips comes on spector might have some problems. Not because spector is not as fast, but because he’s out of position on the left.

    Gooch needs to get some time. Hopefully Simek can find a new and better club.

    Reply
  9. france’s league still has two more games after this one. Italy 1 more date after this weekned. (to the best of my knowledge)

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  10. Is this weekend curtains for France and Italy? How amazing would it be if Charlie and Gooch got some minutes this weekend? I think Gooch playing would be more likely.

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  11. I’d like to see Gooch, Holden, and Davies at least make the bench. That would be a huge boost for the troubled trio.

    Aside from them, let’s hope for a healthy weekend.

    Reply
  12. No, he’s still tied to Hull for the season. He will be at an ADIDAS store today or tomorrow in downtown New York City signing some new shoe or something.

    Reply
  13. A newer article on the Bolton site has Coyle saying Holden WILL play, just not sure whether he will start or come in as a sub.

    Reply
  14. hey how did Parkhurt basically fall off the CW map? wasn’t he in contention for a fullback spot once upon a time?

    Reply

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