Photo by ISIphotos.com
By FRANCO PANIZO
Michael Bradley and AS Roma will attempt to rebound this season after disappointingly finishing in sixth place in the 2012-13 campaign, and their first test comes this weekend.
Bradley and Roma get their Serie A season underway on Sunday, as they take a trip to Stadio Armando Picchi to battle recently-promoted Livorno. The Yellow-Reds are hoping to compete for the league title this season after an underwhelming last campaign that saw them miss out on Europe, and three points on the road would be a great way for Roma and Bradley to kick things off.
Eric Lichaj and Nottingham Forest have enjoyed a strong start to their season, going a perfect 3-0 while conceding no goals. Those impressive numbers, along with the Reds’ first-place standing in the Championship, will be put to the test when Nottingham go on the road to take on Watford on Sunday in a match of the top two teams in England’s second division.
While Lichaj will be aiming to help his club extend its shutout streak, Aron Johannsson will try and keep his scoring run alive. Johannsson has netted in five straight games, including in Thursday’s UEFA Europa League victory vs. Atromitos, and will look to add to prolong that impressive scoring spell when AZ Alkmaar visit FC Utrecht on Sunday.
Here is who the Americans Abroad square off against this weekend:
FRIDAY
Alfredo Morales and FC Ingolstadt 04 play Arminia Bielefeld.
Herculez Gomez, Joe Corona, Edgar Castillo, Greg Garza, Paul Arriola and Club Tijuana play Santos Laguna. (Gomez is out injured.)
SATURDAY
Tim Howard and Everton play West Bromwich Albion.
Jozy Altidore and Sunderland play Southampton.
Geoff Cameron, Maurice Edu, Brek Shea and Stoke City play Crystal Palace. (Shea is out injured.)
Brad Guzan and Aston Villa play Liverpool.
Tim Ream, Stuart Holden and Bolton Wanderers play Queens Park Rangers. (Holden is out injured.)
Danny Williams and Reading play Blackpool.
Zak Whitbread and Leicester City play Jonathan Spector, Will Packwood and Birmingham City. (Packwood is out injured.)
Timmy Chandler and FC Nurnberg play Bayern Munich.
Steve Cherundolo and Hannover 96 play Jermaine Jones and Schalke 04. (Cherundolo is out injured.)
Fabian Johnson, Joe Gyau and TSG Hoffenheim play SC Freiburg.
John Anthony Brooks and Hertha Berlin play Hamburg SV.
Andrew Wooten and Kaiserslautern play VfR Aalen.
Eugene Starikov and FK Tom’ Tomsk play CSKA Moscow.
Jose Torres, Jonathan Bornstein and Tigres UANL play Jaguares de Chiapas.
Alonso Hernandez and Monterrey play Leon.
SUNDAY
Brad Friedel and Tottenham Hotspur play Swansea City.
Eric Lichaj and Nottingham Forest play Watford.
Michael Bradley and AS Roma play Livorno.
Michael Parkhurst and FC Augsburg play VfB Stuttgart.
Bobby Wood and TSV 1860 Munich play SC Paderborn 07.
Alejandro Bedoya and FC Nantes play Paris Saint-Germain.
Aron Johannsson and AZ Alkmaar play FC Utrecht.
Sacha Kljestan and RSC Anderlecht play Royal Charleroi SC.
Terrence Boyd and Rapid Vienna play SV Grodig. (Boyd is out injured.)
Conor O’Brien and FC Nordsjaelland play Odense BK.
Josh Gatt, Ethan Horvath and Molde FK play Stromsgodset. (Gatt is out injured.)
Steve Clark and Honefoss BK play Sarpsborg 08.
Mix Diskerud and Rosenborg BK play Sandnes Ulf.
DaMarcus Beasley, Michael Orozco and Puebla play Cruz Azul.
Freddy Adu and Bahia play Nautico.
MONDAY
Brian Span and Djurgarden IF play Syrianska FC.
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Which of these matches are you most looking forward to? How do you see Bradley and Roma faring this season? Expecting Lichaj and Nottingham to win this weekend?
Share your thoughts below.