photo by Gerhard Steenkamp/ISIphotos.com
By FRANCO PANIZO
Fresh off scoring his first goal of the Swedish season, Alejandro Bedoya will head into this weekend with one main goal in mind: Keep Orebro undefeated.
After recording two 1-0 wins to start the season, Orebro will take on Gefle in a match between two teams currently in the top five of the Allsvenskan table. Bedoya is likely feeling confident after scoring the game-winner last week, and a solid performance from him will raise Orebro's chances of starting the season with three victories.
Sacha Kljestan is in a completely different situation, as he is looking to help RSC Anderlecht bounce back from two defeats in the opening rounds of the Belgian playoffs. Kljestan has yet to partake in Anderlecht's playoff campaign, but with the team being outscored 6-1 in the two losses, the midfielder could receive a start against Genk.
If you're wondering what intriguing match-up is on tap, look no further than the battle between Norwegian-based youngsters Josh Gatt and Mikkel Diskerud. Gatt and Molde FK will hope to earn their first victory of the season while Diskerud and Stabaek IF attempt to win a third game in a row.
Here is a rundown of who the Americans Abroad play this weekend:
FRIDAY
Zak Whitbread and Norwich City play Robbie Findley and Nottingham Forest. (Findley is out injured.)
Amaechi Igwe, Edson Buddle and FC Ingolstadt 04 play VfL Bochum. (Igwe is out injured.)
Bobby Wood and TSV 1860 Munich play FSV Frankfurt.
Quentin Westberg and Evian Thonon Gaillard play Istres.
Sacha Kljestan and RSC Anderlecht play Genk in the playoffs.
Gale Agbossoumonde and Djurgardens IF play Malmo FF.
SATURDAY
Tim Howard and Everton play Jermaine Jones and Blackburn Rovers. (Jones is suspended due to yellow card accumulation.)
Jonathan Spector and West Ham United play Brad Friedel, Brad Guzan, Michael Bradley and Aston Villa.
Eric Lichaj and Leeds United play Watford.
Eddie Johnson and Preston North End play Sheffield United.
Frank Simek and Carlisle United play Colchester United.
Anton Peterlin and Plymouth Argyle play Peterborough United.
Mike Grella and Swindon Town play Milton Keynes Dons.
Maurice Edu and Rangers play St Mirren.
Steve Cherundolo, DaMarcus Beasley and Hannover 96 play Hamburg SV.
Timmy Chandler and FC Nurnberg play Kaiserslautern.
Ricardo Clark and Eintracht Frankfurt play TSG Hoffenheim.
David Yelldell and MSV Duisburg play Energie Cottbus.
Alfredo Morales and Hertha Berlin play VfL Osnabruck.
Carlos Bocanegra and St Etienne play AS Nancy Lorraine.
Freddy Adu and Caykur Rizespor play Boluspor.
Benny Feilhaber and AGF Aarhus play Viborg.
Ryan Miller and Halmstads BK play GAIS.
Jonathan Bornstein and Tigres UANL play Chiapas.
Sonny Guadarrama and Atlante play Necaxa.
Gustavo Adrian Ruelas and Santos Laguna play Chivas de Guadalajara.
Jose Torres, Herculez Gomez and Pachuca play Atlas.
Edgar Castillo and Puebla play Cruz Azul.
SUNDAY
Stuart Holden and Bolton Wanderers play Stoke City in the FA Cup semifinals. (Holden is out injured).
Dominic Cervi and Celtic play Aberdeen.
Daniel Williams and SC Freiburg play Borussia Dortmund. (Williams is out injured.)
Oguchi Onyewu and Twente Enschede play De Graafschap.
Jozy Altidore and Bursaspor play Trabzonspor.
Michael Parkhurst and FC Nordsjaelland play FC Copenhagen.
Clarence Goodson and Brondby IF play Marcus Tracy, Chris Rolfe and Aalborg BK. (Tracy is out injured.)
Josh Gatt and Molde FK play Mikkel Diskerud and Stabaek IF.
Sammy Ochoa and Estudiantes Tecos U.A. de G. play America.
MONDAY
Conor Doyle and Derby County play Queens Park Rangers.
Luis Robles and Karlsruhe play FC Augsburg.
Alejandro Bedoya and Orebro SK play Gefle.
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Which matches are you most looking forward to? Think Bedoya and Orebro will remain undefeated? Expecting Kljestan and Anderlecht to perform better? Who do you see winning between Gatt's Molde and Diskerud's Stabaek?
Share your thoughts below.
Love Bedoya’s potential, but man he sure looks like a geek
Gringo Torres is suspended for the game againt Atlas (yellow card acumulation). Pachuca’s also missing Arizala (red card suspension)– that, and his sudden goal-scoring streak, may mean more minutes for Herculez.
Yeah, lets hope the Crouch red and Ramires red don’t drop England out of the top 3 in the standings.
little FYI, Fulham as of now will be in Europe thanks tot he fairplay spot. Chelsea is ahead of them but they’ll bviously be in Europe already
Winner if not qualified, then second place if not qualified, then 6th spot. I am 100% positive that is the set-up…same concept applies to the Carling Cup. Portsmouth would have qualified but they were relegated. The only time relegation does not matter when playing in European competitions is when a squad qualifies via Fair Play.
Portsmouth were runners up to chelsea last year and did not qualify for europa.
Unfortunately for our little scientific investigation, the whole administration fiasco presents an additional variable.
So to answer your question, no, i don’t know for sure. You’re welcome.
Look, does anyone actually know for sure? As in they can prove it with a link to actual official documentation? Scouring the web reveals that one wikipedia page thinks the Cup Runner-Up gets in (FA Cup page) but another think the extra spot goes to the 6th place team (Premier League page). Fan forums are equally confused.
The 2010-2011 FA Cup wiki page says that the order is: winner gets in (unless already qualified), runner up then gets in (unless already qualified), and only then does the 6th place team in the league get in. I’m inclined to believe this setup but I don’t know for sure.
I don’t think that matters. I think if ManU/Man City wins, then the 6th place team from league play goes, rather than runner up in FA Cup
Thanks, I’ll check it out
Livescore.com
Just Stoke, since ManU/City will already be in Europe due to EPL table
dont bolton have to beat stoke AND then man u in the final, to get into Europe?
Ahh, yes, that’s right. Thanks.
Let’s hope Bolton pulls off a victory this weekend. A win would mean Bolton would be in the Europa League next season and I would like to see how Holden fairs against European competition, assuming his is fit.
livescores…..you can’t get the line-ups but you can see goal scorers and scores pretty much as they happen.
They were scheduled to play Bolton, but since Bolton is in FA cup semifinals, obviously the match had to be rescheduled.
Grella is no longer at swindon town and Findley is no longer out injured (even though I doubt he is fit yet)
I know it is weird. Next match is away to Wolves on the 23rd.
Question — what sites to you use to follow scores? I use Espn Soccernet, but they don’t cover Norway / Sweden.
Weird that there’s no Fulham match this weekend.