By FRANCO PANIZO
Timmy Chandler targeted this weekend for his return to action for FC Nurnberg, and now we will see if he can come through and earn his first minutes for the club since February.
Recovered from the knee injury that has sidelined him for the better part of three months, Chandler has said he will be available for Nurnberg’s clash with Mainz on Saturday. While it is unlikely that Chandler starts for the relegation-threatened club given his long spell on the sidelines, he could be an option off the bench as Nurnberg try to move up from 17th place into the Bundesliga’s lone relegation playoff spot at 16. A strong cameo for Chandler would not only help Nurnberg, but could also help the speedy right back salvage whatever chances he has left of making it onto the U.S. Men’s National Team’s preliminary World Cup roster next month.
Aron Johannsson has not been dealing with any kind of knock in recent weeks, but he has been struggling a bit and will look to break out of that slump on Sunday. Johannsson has just one goal in his last nine matches across all competitions, and he will try and get out of that slight funk when AZ Alkmaar visit ADO Den Haag in their penultimate match of the Eredivisie campaign.
For Alejandro Bedoya, this weekend will give him an opportunity to build on his goal-scoring outing last weekend. Bedoya and FC Nantes host Olympique Marseille on Friday, and another solid performance from the veteran midfielder could further solidify his place in Jurgen Klinsmann’s plans going into the May training camp.
Here is who the Americans Abroad play this weekend:
FRIDAY
Alfredo Morales and FC Ingolstadt 04 play FC Cologne.
Bobby Wood and TSV 1860 Munich play SpVgg Greuther Furth.
Alejandro Bedoya and FC Nantes play Marseille.
Herculez Gomez, Joe Corona, Edgar Castillo, Greg Garza, Paul Arriola, Alejandro Guido, Fernando Arce Jr and Club Tijuana play Dennis Flores, Miguel Palafox and Club Leon.
SATURDAY
Cody Cropper and Southampton play Tim Howard and Everton.
Geoff Cameron, Brek Shea and Stoke City play Brad Friedel and Tottenham Hotspur.
Brad Guzan and Aston Villa play Swansea City.
Sebastian Lletget and West Ham United play West Bromwich Albion.
Eric Lichaj and Nottingham Forest play AFC Bournemouth. (Lichaj is out injured.)
Jonathan Spector, Will Packwood and Birmingham City play Leeds United.
Zak Whitbread and Derby County play Watford.
Danny Williams and Reading play Doncaster Rovers.
Duane Holmes and Huddersfield Town play Leicester City.
Oguchi Onyewu and Sheffield Wednesday play Tim Ream, Stuart Holden and Bolton Wanderers. (Holden is out injured.)
Gboly Ariyibi and Tranmere Rovers play Leyton Orient.
John Brooks and Hertha Berlin play TSV Eintracht Braunschweig.
Timmy Chandler and FC Nurnberg play Mainz 05.
Fabian Johnson, Joe Gyau and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim play Eintracht Frankfurt.
David Yelldell and Bayer Leverkusen play Borussia Dortmund.
Andrew Wooten and FSV Frankfurt play Energie Cottbus.
Terrence Boyd and Rapid Vienna play SV Salzburg.
Conor O’Brien and Odense BK play Aalborg BK.
Michael Farfan and Cruz Azul play Pumas UNAM.
Jose Torres and Tigres UANL play Atlas.
Gabriel Farfan and Jaguares de Chiapas play Jonathan Bornstein and Atlante.
SUNDAY
Jozy Altidore and Sunderland play Cardiff City.
Aron Johannsson and AZ Alkmaar play ADO Den Haag.
Juan Agudelo and FC Utrecht play Heerenveen.
Jermaine Jones and Besiktas play Sivasspor.
Sacha Kljestan and RSC Anderlecht play Standard Liege in the Pro League playoff.
Babajide Ogunbiyi and Viborg FF play AGF Aarhus.
Mix Diskerud and Rosenborg BK play Brann.
Michael Stephens and Stabaek IF play Zarek Valentin and FK Bodo/Glimt. (Valentin is out injured.)
Josh Gatt, Ethan Horvath and Molde FK play Sandnes Ulf. (Gatt is out injured.)
DaMarcus Beasley, Michael Orozco and Puebla play Morelia.
Alonso Hernandez and Monterrey play Chivas de Guadalajara.
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Which of these matches are you most anticipating? Do you expect Chandler return to action for relegation-threatened Nurnberg? Think Johannsson gets on the scoresheet for AZ?
Share your thoughts below.