By FRANCO PANIZO
The U.S. Men’s National Team’s forward options have been discussed at length in recent months, but one player who is seemingly being overlooked by many observers is Terrence Boyd.
Having had to sit out Rapid Vienna’s last game due to yellow card accumulation, Boyd will be looking to make his way back into the club’s lineup against FC Trenkwalder Admira with the hopes that he can deliver a solid performance and improve his chances of making it to Brazil this summer. Boyd is currently in a bit of a scoring drought after not having found the back of the net since early March, but a match against the eighth-place club should give the 23-year-old striker ample opportunity to break out of that slump.
Juan Agudelo is another forward who could use an impressive outing this Sunday, and so too could FC Utrecht. The club is currently five points above the relegation zone, and a win over SC Heracles Almelo in their third-to-last game of the season would be a big step to Utretcht securing another season in the Eredivisie. Agudelo might be counted upon to help pick up the three points, and his World Cup dreams could certainly use a goal given that he has been held scoreless for just over two months.
Two other players, DaMarcus Beasley and Michael Orozco, will also be tasked with trying to help their club move out of the bottom half of their respective league. Cellar dwellers Puebla are set to host Club America on Sunday, and an upset win combined with a Veracruz loss to Pumas UNAM would move the Camoteros out of last place. Beasley is all but assured of reprising his starting role for Puebla, but Orozco is a question mark after picking up a knock in the club’s last match.
Here is who the Americans Abroad take on this weekend:
FRIDAY
Alfredo Morales and FC Ingolstadt 04 play SC Paderborn 07.
Jermaine Jones and Besiktas play Konyaspor.
Sacha Kljestan and RSC Anderlecht play KSC Lokeren in the Pro League playoff.
SATURDAY
Brad Guzan and Aston Villa play Crystal Palace.
Cody Cropper and Southampton play Cardiff City.
Geoff Cameron, Brek Shea and Stoke City play Newcastle United.
Jozy Altidore and Sunderland play Tim Howard and Everton.
Brad Friedel and Tottenham Hotspur play West Bromwich Albion.
Eric Lichaj and Nottingham Forest play Queens Park Rangers. (Lichaj is out injured.)
Tim Ream, Stuart Holden and Bolton Wanderers play Barnsley. (Holden is out injured.)
Zak Whitbread and Derby County play Duane Holmes and Huddersfield Town.
Oguchi Onyewu and Sheffield Wednesday play Blackburn Rovers.
Gboly Ariyibi and Tranmere Rovers play Shrewsbury Town.
Timmy Chandler and FC Nurnberg play VfL Wolfsburg. (Chandler is out injured.)
Terrence Boyd and Rapid Vienna play FC Trenkwalder Admira.
Conor O’Brien and Odense BK play FC Midtjylland.
Michael Farfan and Cruz Azul play Pachuca.
Jose Torres and Tigres UANL play Herculez Gomez, Joe Corona, Edgar Castillo, Greg Garza, Paul Arriola, Alejandro Guido, Fernando Arce Jr and Club Tijuana. (Torres is suspended due to the red card he received last week.)
Gabriel Farfan and Jaguares de Chiapas play Alonso Hernandez and Monterrey.
SUNDAY
David Yelldell and Bayer Leverkusen play John Brooks and Hertha Berlin.
Fabian Johnson and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim play FC Augsburg.
Andrew Wooten and FSV Frankfurt play SV Sandhausen.
Alejandro Bedoya and FC Nantes play Guingamp.
Aron Johannsson and AZ Alkmaar play NEC Nijmegen.
Juan Agudelo and FC Utrecht play SC Heracles Almelo.
Babajide Ogunbiyi and Viborg FF play Randers FC.
Michael Stephens and Stabaek IF play Josh Gatt, Ethan Horvath and Molde FK. (Gatt is out injured.)
Zarek Valentin and FK Bodo/Glimt play Sogndal. (Valentin is out injured.)
Mix Diskerud and Rosenborg BK play Odd.
DaMarcus Beasley, Michael Orozco and Puebla play America.
Jonathan Bornstein and Atlante play Santos Laguna.
MONDAY
Danny Williams and Reading play Leicester City. (Williams is out injured.)
Bobby Wood and TSV 1860 Munich play Dynamo Dresden.
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Which of these matches are you most anticipating? Think Boyd will score and ultimately make it onto the plane to Brazil? How do you see Agudelo and Utrecht faring vs. SC Heracles Almelo?
Share your thoughts below.