Call it a Winter Cup Weekend, with the FA Cup and Asian Cup grabbing the headlines and dominating the weekend TV schedule.
Australia and Japan will face off on Saturday in an Asian Cup Final in the best match of the weekend. The match isn't being shown on the traditional American soccer channels, but there are cable networks and internet options for fans eager to see what should be an exciting final.
The FA Cup features a pair of Premier League clashes, with Fulham taking on Tottenham and Everton meeting Chelsea. If you like seeing the underdog against the favorite, then Southampton vs. Manchester United could be your cup of team.
Mexican soccer boasts some quality tilts as well, with Jonathan Bornstein's Tigres takes on fellow unbeaten Toluca while Herculez Gomez, Jose Torres and Pachuca meet Cruz Azul.
Here is a rundown of This Weekend's Soccer on TV, as well as SBI's Top Ten Matches to Watch:
SBI'S TOP TEN MATCHES TO WATCH
1. Australia vs. Japan. Figure out a way to watch it, because it should be a thriller.
2. Fulham vs. Tottenham. Can Clint Dempsey conjure up some FA Cup magic against a loaded Tottenham side?
3. Everton vs. Chelsea. Tim Howard and the Toffees will try to get fend off a Chelsea side that has played better soccer in recent weeks.
4. Inter Milan vs. Palermo. Inter's charge toward the top of Serie A will rely on a win against an underrated Palermo side.
5. Hercules vs. Barcelona. The Must-See Magicians are in action again versus a sneaky Hercules side that will look to provide a stiff test.
6. Pachuca vs. Cruz Azul. Expect goals galore in this Mexican clash.
7. Tigres vs. Toluca. Jonathan Bornstein looks to help his Tigres side stay unbeaten.
8. Lazio vs. Fiorentina. The Romans need a home win to stay in the thick of the Scudetto race.
9. Santos vs. Sao Paulo. Two legendary Brazilian clubs square off in a match-up featuring plenty of young talent, as well as Sao Paulo new addition Rivaldo.
10. Southampton vs. Manchester United. Call it David vs. Goliath, or call it a chance to see red-hot Dimitar Berbatov (or Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez).
THIS WEEKEND'S SOCCER ON TV
FRIDAY
7pm– ESPN3.com- Ecuador vs. Bolivia (CONMEBOL Under-20 Championships)
9pm– ESPN3.com- Colombia vs. Paraguay (CONMEBOL Under-20 Championships)
9pm– Galavision- Estudiantes Tecos vs. Chivas Guadalajara
SATURDAY
7:30am– Fox Soccer Channel- Everton vs. Chelsea (FA Cup)
9:30am– GolTV- Werder Bremen vs. Bayern Munich
10am– Fox Soccer Channel- Birmingham City vs. Coventry City (FA Cup)
10am– FoxSoccer.tv- Torquay United vs. Crawley Town (FA Cup)
10am– FoxSoccer.tv- Stevenage vs. Reading (FA Cup)
10am– No American TV- Australia vs. Japan
Noon– Fox Soccer Plus- Lazio vs. Fiorentina
Noon– DirecTV- Mallorca vs. Sporting Gijon
Noon– DirecTV- Levante vs. Getafe
Noon– GolTV- Real Sociedad vs. Almeria
12:15pm– Fox Soccer Channel- Southampton vs. Manchester United (FA Cup)
1pm– FoxSoccer.tv- Arles vs. Paris St. Germain
1pm– FoxSoccer.tv- Caen vs. Auxerre
1pm– FoxSoccer.tv- Lorient vs. Brest
1pm– FoxSoccer.tv- Saint Etienne vs. Toulouse
1pm– FoxSoccer.tv- Sochaux vs. Stade Rennes
1pm– FoxSoccer.tv- Valenciennes vs. Lyon
2pm– ESPN3.com- Hercules vs. Barcelona
2pm– GolTV- FC Kaiserslautern vs. Mainz 05 (Delayed)
2:45pm– ESPN3.com- PSV Eindhoven vs. Willem II
2:45pm– Fox Soccer Channel- Catania vs. AC Milan
3pm– FoxSoccer.tv- Lille vs. Lens
4pm– ESPN3.com- Deportivo La Coruna vs. Sevilla
4:30pm– GolTV- Ponte Preta vs. Sao Caetano
6pm– Azteca America- Jaguares vs. Santos Laguna
6pm– Telefutura- Queretaro vs. Necaxa
8pm– Telemundo- Tigres UANL vs. Toluca
8pm– Telefutura- Pachuca vs. Cruz Azul
10pm– Telefutura- Atlas vs. Club America
10pm– Galavision- Atlante vs. Puebla
1am– Fox Soccer Channel- Melbourne Victory vs. Gold Coast United
SUNDAY
6:30am– Fox Soccer Plus- Brescia vs. Chievo Verona
7am– Fox Soccer Channel- Arsenal vs. Huddersfield Town (FA Cup)
9am– Fox Soccer Channel- Inter Milan vs. Palermo
9am– ESPN3.com- Bologna vs. AS Roma
9am– ESPN3.com- Napoli vs. Sampdoria
9am– Fox Soccer Plus- Notts County vs. Manchester City
11am– GolTV- Atletico Madrid vs. Athletic Bilbao
11am– FoxSoccer.tv- Bordeaux vs. Nice
11am– FoxSoccer.tv- Nancy vs. Montpellier
11:30am– Fox Soccer Channel- Fulham vs. Tottenham (FA Cup)
11:30am– ESPN3.com- Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Borussia Moenchengladbach
1pm– GolTV- Osasuna vs. Real Madrid
1pm– Azteca America- Morelia vs. San Luis
1pm– Telemundo- UNAM Pumas vs. Monterrey
2:45pm– Fox Soccer Channel- Juventus vs. Udinese
3pm– Fox Soccer Plus- Monaco vs. Marseille
3pm– ESPN3.com- Espanyol vs. Villarreal
3pm– GolTV- Santos vs. Sao Paulo
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What matches are you most looking forward to watching?
Share your thoughts below.
The Australia Japan final is on PPV here (Comcast) $30.
Yeah I saw that it was a loan to Aston Villa and not a full transfer according to ESPN.
Exactly…so why aren’t we hearing that the game is called off or moved? Note my State Dept travel warning comment as well. If you don;t think the USSF PA office is not talking to State, you’re nuts.
He’s a journalist, and journalists do research and ask questions about there subject matter. In this case soccer, and more specifically, what does the USSF plan to do? Like breaking the big story. I’m just glad I do not have tickets–hate to be one of them.
Michael Bradley update:
dan_bu
Michael Bradley to Aston Villa almost a done deal, according to “Kicker”. Would be a great move for him.
46 minutes ago
It doesn’t matter what USSF is talking about, it matters what’s happening in Egypt.
Mubarak pulling plug on net + crowds burning down Mubarak party headquarters = no show will go on.
Match will be moved; or postponed; or both.
Its pretty much a policy of the USSF NOT to send any team to a friendly to ANY country where the US State Department has deemed it unsafe.
Check with the State Department Travel warnings for updated information.
Liverpool not playing until the 2nd? That seems like a long time to wait to see what kind of reception Mr. ‘His Armband Said He Was a Red’ gets from the crowd if he’s still with the club…
No offense, but how would Ives know what’s going on “behind the scenes” at USSF?
Darn it, why are there never any matches on ESPN when I have a weekend off?
Ives – What’s happening behind the scenes at USSF gievn the turmoil in Egypt? State Dept. announced travel warning today. Game moving here to the U.S.?