The UEFA Europa League group stage will wrap up today, and several Americans are hoping their respective team is still standing after the dust has settled.
Jozy Altidore is one of those players, as he and AZ Alkmaar need a win over already-qualified FC Metalist Kharkiv in Group G in order to secure qualification. A loss wouldn't necessarily doom AZ Alkmaar, so long as last-place Malmo FF doesn't fall to Austria Vienna.
In Group B, Steve Cherundolo's Hannover 96 needs just a point in its match against Vorksla to assure itself of a place in the knockout stage. A loss by Hannover would open the door for FC Copenhagen, which would also need to win and make up a goal differential of -3 to leapfrog the German club.
If you will be watching today's action, please feel free to use the comments section below to share your thoughts, opinions, analysis and play-by-play (TV schedule is after the jump):
THURSDAY'S EUROPA LEAGUE ON TV
1 p.m. - DirecTV - PAOK Salonika vs. FK Rubin Kazan
1 p.m. - DirecTV – Shamrock Rovers vs. Tottenham Hotspur
1 p.m. - DirecTV - FC Copenhagen vs. Standard Liege
1 p.m. - GolTV/DirecTV - Hannover 96 vs. Vorskla
1 p.m. - DirecTV - Hapoel Tel Aviv vs. Legia Warszawa
1 p.m. - DirecTV - PSV Eindhoven vs. Rapid Bucuresti
3:05 p.m. - DirecTV - Austria Vienna vs. Malmo FF
3:05 p.m. - DirecTV - AZ Alkmaar vs. FC Metalist Kharkiv
3:05 p.m. - DirecTV – Birmingham City vs. NK Maribor
3:05 p.m. - DirecTV - Club Brugge vs. Braga
3:05 p.m. – GolTV/DirecTV – Atletico Madrid vs. Stade Rennes
3:05 p.m. – DirecTV – Udinese vs. Celtic
Birmingham City(Spector) also went out
How do you not lose a game and end up almost not going through. AZ needs to finish game not just look good but end up with ties.
From the UEFA site, first tie-break is goals for, second is away goals. Alkmaar and Wien are tied with 10 goals for, AZ must have gone through on away goals. Too close for comfort.
Beerens is good too
Yes. Elm, Maher and Jozy are their best young players with Elm being the elder statesman at 23.
I believe so – I think even w/ a win, they go through on goal differential
stay on your feet altidore – falling too easily won’t get the call
looks like donovan is going back to everton. woohoo!
Assuming the Austria vienna game stays tied, are AZ through with a tie?
Man, that Elm kid is amazing at set plays!
In general, I feel he lacks savvy on when and how to judiciously use his strength. He’s gotten a little better, but he gets on the wrong end of a lot of calls for this reason.
Jozy has made some nice first touches. He needs to spin off his mark and face-up to goal for variety. Ref’s not going to give him those tackles from behind so he needs to be stronger and stay up.
Fantastic set piece by Elm knocks off the bottom corner of the crossbar and out!
Looking at Metalist goal on replay, Jozy and others could have helped. Technically, goal scorer was not Jozy’s man, but he wasn’t marking anyone – just standing around in space. He could have and probably should have provided support.
Blast by Elm swerving just wide. AZ dominating possession and chances but not converting in final 3rd.
Goal Metalist and immediate, and I mean immediate, strike back from Maher to knot it up at 1. Jozy w/ a nice dummy/box out to screen a defender and allow the ball to pass straight through to the unmarked Maher. Smart, smart play, showing great awareness by Jozy.
Physical play and Jozy in the middle of it.
Cheeky backheel passing attempt by Jozy. 0-0
Quite a few EPL sides have been knocked out in the round robin.
City
United
Spurs
Fulham
anymore?
Posting in ignorance.
danke
Dolo is on a suspension for his red card.
Haha if i was him i wouldnt even celebrate
He’s suspended this match, I think he got red carded last game.
no cherundolo?
Forgot the most important one-
Johnathan Bornstein, UNAL Tigres, Champions, Mexican Apateura
I might be wrong, but it seems like American players are having an unprecedented amount of success with their clubs this year-
Jozy Altidore, AZ Alkamar, 1st Place Eredivisie
Sasha Kljestan, Anderlecht, 1st Place Belgian Pro League
Josh Gatt, Molde, Champions, Norwegian Tippeligaen
Brad Friedel, Tottenham Hotspur, 3rd Place, EPL
Oguchi Onyewu, Sporting Lisbon, 3rd Place Portuguese League
Jermaine Jones, Schalke 04, 3rd Place, Bundesliga
Maurice Edu, Carlos Bocanegra, Rangers, 1st Place, SPL
All knock on wood(with the exception of Gatt), and sure, a few asterisks(SPL is a two team league, Jones’ playing time has been spotty, especially at the beginning, Friedel is a keeper who doesn’t play for the Nat’s anymore, etc.) But this is great-expectation of winning+Champions League Soccer for all of them if this holds, where I think only Mo Edu played this year.
anyone have a spurs link?
looks like Dolo is slowly being pushed to the background. He has another year on his contract I believe
‘dolo not even on the bench?