The semifinals of the UEFA Europa League will be determined on Thursday, with the possibility of four teams with Americans reaching the penultimate round in the competition still lingering.
As it stands, Jozy Altidore's AZ Alkmaar and the injured Oguchi Onyewu's Sporting Lisbon are in the driver's seat after the opening legs, while Steve Cherundolo's Hannover and Jermaine Jones' Schalke are in need of comebacks in order to maintain their quests for European silverware.
Here is the viewing schedule for the day's matches:
3 p.m. – GOLTV – Hannover 96 vs. Atletico Madrid (Atletico leads 2-1)
3 p.m. – DirecTV – Valencia vs. AZ Alkmaar (AZ leads 2-1)
3 p.m. – DirecTV – Athletic Bilbao vs. Schalke (Bilbao leads 4-2)
3 p.m. – DirecTV – Metalist Kharkiv vs. Sporting Lisbon (Sporting leads 2-1)
If you will be watching any of Thursday's Europa League action, please feel free to share any thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below. Enjoy the games.
I hear you Tom. just saying it depends on the D faced and the players abilites too, right? when fishing and getting no bites, try a different lure a couple of times 🙂
With one up top, wingers and mids must join attack, they haven’t for a couple of months.
Clearly on-side, not even close, a very bad call kept Jozy from going in on goal alone.
La Liga is the best league in the world and its not even close. Out of 8 teams remaining in the Champions and Europa leagues, 5 teams are from La Liga. No other league has more than one team remaining. I would not be surprised in we have an all Spanish final in both competitions.
Well done to the Spanish teams in Europe this season. La Liga dominating the continent (and the Spanish national side is the winner of the last European and World Championships).
No argument where the best football is being played right now!
No argument from me.
Wasn’t Jozy’s best outing, but to be fair, he has made more out of his opportunities than Benschop has…
Altidore –
Competition – Goals
Dutch League 11
Europa League 4 (doesn’t include qualifying, where I believe he scored 2 more)
Dutch Cup 0
Total appearances: 44
Total goals: 15
Benschop-
Competition Goals
Dutch League 5
Europa League 0
Dutch Cup 1
Total appearances: 33
Total goals: 6
Bah.
You lot just won it a few years ago. 96 haven’t won crap pretty much ever.
Sorry, can’t hear you for the cheering. :pp
Aupa Atleti!
Oh-oh. Hannover just made it interesting with ten to go….
Agreed, i don’t know why I’m still watching the game. Its horrible
Goal 96 😛
They are being outshot 14-2 — he shouldn’t be happy.
Jozy is taken off, straight switch for Benschop, coach did not look too happy. Jozy needed to make so much more of his opportunity today.
Dolo’s getting old, was hoping they could win a EL for him.
Hannover winning a EL title-Dolo really could become mayor…
Altidore off for Benschop…
He didn’t score it, they just played him through and he pulled up on the whistle. Was at kind of a hard angle too, would have been great to see what he would have been able to do in that situation.
As it stands, 5 of the 8 semi-finalists in the 2 major European competitions are from La Liga. And 6 of 8 are from the Iberian peninsula.
Wow.
My boss came in and soccer-blocked on me does anyone have video of the Jozy “offside” goal?
Make that 2 minutes.
AZ has no chance. They are playing at 3/4 speed and Valencia is on 1.5
I don’t see the problem…. 😉