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Americans Abroad: A Look Ahead

Benny Feilhaber 3 (ISIphotos) 

Photo by John Todd/ISIphotos.com

 By FRANCO PANIZO

Although most leagues are done for the season, this weekend still boasts several intriguing fixtures as far as the Americans Abroad contingent is concerned.

Benny Feilhaber and AGF Aarhus have only one goal in mind, and that is to beat second-place club Odense BK. Aarhus currently finds itself in the drop zone, and only a win can give the club a chance at survival. The win must be paired with a Randers FC loss to third-place Brondby, otherwise Feilhaber and Aarhus will find their season ending in the worst of ways.

Jose Francisco Torres won't be battling relegation, but he will aim to help Pachuca reach the Liguilla final when it takes on Toluca in the second leg of the semifinals. The first leg, Pachuca's home match, ended in a 2-2 draw, meaning Pachuca needs a victory in order to advance to the final as a tie would see Toluca advance due to it being the higher seeded team.

AC Milan has the luxury of not needing a result against Juventus in its season finale having already secured a Champions League berth. Oguchi Onyewu, who turned 28 on Thursday, made the traveling roster last week and could see action against Juventus.

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

SATURDAY

Oguchi Onyewu and AC Milan play Juventus.

Carlos Bocanegra and Stade Rennes play Boulogne.

Charlie Davies and Sochaux play AJ Auxerre.

Ryan Miller, Michael Thomas and Halmstads BK play Djurgarden.

Jose Francisco Torres and Pachuca play Toluca in the second leg of the semifinals of the Liguilla. Pachuca is tied on aggregate, 2-2.

SUNDAY

Eddie Johnson, Freddy Adu and Aris Salonika play Olympiakos in the Greek Super League Playoffs. (Johnson is out injured.)

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

Benny Feilhaber and AGF Aarhus play Odense BK.

Michael Parkhurst and FC Nordsjaelland play Esbjerg,

Steve Clark and Honefoss BK play Rosenborg.

Clarence Goodson, Hunter Freeman and IK Start play Kongsvinger.

Mikkel Diskerud and Stabaek play Stromsgodset.

Michael Hoyos and Estudiantes La Plata play Colon de Santa Fe.

MONDAY

Alejandro Bedoya and Orebro SK play Trelleborgs FF.

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Which Americans Abroad match are you most looking forward to? Think Feilhaber and Aarhus will avoid relegation? Do you see Torres and Pachuca reaching the final? Will we see Onyewu end his first season with AC Milan with an appearance?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. El Gringo

    Pachuca will need to play some tough, smart, precise football probably to do it. looking forward to seeing how they go about it tactically, and Torres’ role and execution of it

    he and Benny may very well be battling for real minutes off the bench, the role Benny has typically provided. I’ve liked Benny in that role in the past, but it’s all about the here and now…so we’ll see who is rolling as they work it out the next few weeks. I like them both.

    less than a month now!

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  2. I think it is the same reason that we dont talk about some of the other fringe guys in places like Finland and Belgium 2nd division… The league is considered below USL2 some say… whether that is true? Who knows…

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  3. For Benny, if he can’t get a better gig for next season than second division Denmark, he’s not as good as I thought.

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  4. I completely agree. Guy has been playing, and scoring, in the Irish top flight for a few years now. With our depleted options up front right now, you’d think he’d at least make the discussion.

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  5. Yes because we are loaded at the speed forward option with Charlie missing out… We kinda need either EJ or RF to step up… Ching, Buddle, Dempsey, Altidore, Gomez… outside of Gomez that may be the slowest front line in the WC…

    EJ has been playing well in a league every bit as good as MLS and scoring against top 5 teams in that league… quit rehashing EJ from 2006 and give the guy a chance…

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  6. I’m pretty sure AC has used Gooch as a forward when needing a desperation goal in the last new minutes.
    They won’t need it this go round, just saying.

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  7. maybe he will at least make the bench, that would be a little victory, even if he doesn’t see the field. call it a confidence boost heading home for the training camp.

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  8. Ryan Guy has never gotten any love on this site. I’ve mentioned that numerous times on the Americans Abroad recaps. I don’t know why they won’t mention him

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  9. Gooch didn’t play before he was injured, he certainly won’t play now after being off for the past 7-8 months.

    Nice to think he would, but that’s just the homer in all of us thinking so…

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  10. I think he’d do very well in Spain. Once you get out of the four or five ‘big’ clubs in Spain, it’s really anybody’s guess from there on how they finish. Even Mallorca and Getafe are challenging for CL spots.

    Atletico or Espanyol would be a good starting point, and most years would be clear of the relegation fight (most years).

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  11. I hate to say it but I agree. Although I know they’ve had injury problems in the back so maybe they are bad enough that he sees the field or gets put on as a sub. I can hope…

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  12. The entire US MF is kind of in the same position. I think they all need to play well and get looks from European clubs. I just hope they can all accomplish that with limited minutes and spots.

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  13. If they do go down, he better pray for a good World Cup!!

    I’ve heard he hasn’t played well this season, anyone seen his games?

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  14. No way is he seeing the field. AC need the win and against Juve, no matter how poor their season is going, you don’t put in a defender who hasn’t played in 8 months…

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  15. With Juve, it wouldn’t suprise me if they go down 2-0 at the half and Milan put Gooch on. 2-0 in Italy is like 4-0 in other leagues. They wont come back.

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  16. I really hope Gooch gets on the field. He needs game time to catch up. I expect him to play all 270 minutes of the three world cup friendlies.

    It’s a shame about Eddie’s injury. Horrific timing, just when he is in form and about to hit the MNT camp. 10-15 days out puts him pretty much on a couch in his living room for the World Cup.

    I’d like to see Benny move in the summer. Maybe to a small club in Spain or France. It’s time for him to step up his game.

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