By IVES GALARCEP
The Manchester Derby is back today, with Manchester City and Manchester United squaring off in one of the most highly-anticipated matches of the European season.
Manchester City saw its three match winning streak snapped by West Ham last week, but will look to keep United out of the win column for a third straight week. Wayne Rooney is back for the Red Devils though, and will be expected to help provide a boost in today’s derby clash.
In Germany, Borussia Moenchengladbach takes on Hoffenheim in a clash of top four teams. U.S. national team defender Fabian Johnson will look to get on the field against his former club in this clash of UEFA Champions League hopefuls.
The MLS playoffs continue today with D.C. United and the New York Red Bulls renewing their rivalry with the fifth playoff meeting in their history. D.C. enters as the top seed in the East, having never lost a playoff series to the Red Bulls, while the Red Bulls enter having just eliminated defending champion Sporting Kansas City.
If you will be watching today’s action, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action (Today’s commentary is after the jump):
TODAY’S SOCCER ON TV
8am – beIN Sports Connect – Nantes vs. Rennes
8:30am – NBC Sports – Manchester City vs. Manchester United
9am – beIN Sports – Sampdoria vs. Fiorentina
9am – beIN Sports Espanol – Udinese vs. Genoa
9am – beIN Sports Connect – Chievo vs. Sassuolo
9am – beIN Sports Connect – Torino vs. Atalanta
9:30am – GolTV – Borussia Moenchengladbach vs. Hoffenheim
11am – NBC Sports – Aston Villa vs. Tottenham
11am – beIN Sports – Bordeaux vs. Toulouse
11am – beIN Sports Espanol – Villarreal vs. Valencia
11:30am – GolTV – Cologne vs. Freiburg
1pm – Univision Deportes – Pumas vs. Veracruz
1pm- beIN Sports Connect – Levante vs. Almeria
2:45pm – beIN Sports – AC Milan vs. Palermo
3pm – beIN Sports Connect – Elche vs. Espanyol
4pm – Univision Deportes – New York Red Bulls/Sporting KC vs. D.C. United
9pm – ESPN2 – FC Dallas vs. Seattle Sounders
Keep it up Dallas.
We won’t see the tried and true, “Bench Brad for Peneda, score two goals.”
We’re seeing the tried and true, keep hacking Dallas and eventually they score.
Fouls:
Seattle: 12
Dallas: 10
Try again.
It was pretty even… that was a physical but not dirty game. I didn’t see tons of elbows thrown etc but I was at the game so it makes it hard to comment on little stuff that shows up in replays.
what is pappa thinking there? such a stupid tackle, that is so bad
michel clearly has that ball too close and the ref refuses to look, is he for real?
Dumb dumb dumb.
Yep
im having trouble getting over how idiotic that tackle was
Great save!
Onyewu made the bench for Charlton
4th time’s the charm for BWP.
Any know how the hell Joe Hart didn’t get ejected for making contact with the ref’s head?
cause it could’ve been unintentional? i don’t usually defend contact with refs, but when i saw the replay, it looked pretty slight and part of an innocent movement (hart is much taller than the ref, and he would naturally bend his head down to talk to him). i would leave it up to the ref’s discretion in that case.
Here’s to hoping we see Rubin feature vs Ireland
I’m thinking we could use altidore and wondolowski up top (I know were a little short on forwards right now) with Rubin playing at the top of a diamond mid. Bedoya and Diskerud as left and right center mids and Cameron as the defensive mid.
altidore is average we need to look to the future
Altidore is 24. To give you some perspective, that’s the same age that the MLS Rookie of the Year was 2 seasons ago (Austin Berry).
Altidore has been a pro for 7 or 8 seasons by this age. He’s stuck in a bad situation now, but he’s still scoring for the Nats. Let’s not forget he was the leading scorer in the Hex for the US. And at 24, it’s conceivable that he could be around for 2 more World Cups.
While I personally would like to see Terrence Boyd get a chance to start, Altidore is, like it or not, part of the forseeable future.
Today’s Question: Is Van Gaal clinically insane?
I listen to him and find myself thinking, “Man, this dude is a long elevator ride away from reality.” Are the money he spent, the results he’s getting and the formations he is using are evidence of madness?
Today, They lost 1 – 0 after someone got sent off for being stupid. That’s not something you can really put on the manager.
The other games they lose sure blame him. He is crazy though.
they looked awful today, and if the ref had been better, the scoreline probably would’ve been much worse. they’ve had a much easier schedule so far, but this season has been as bad as last year, even with a much better squad–van gaal’s been awful.
I only saw the second half. They looked okay then.
=
Crap
Referee having a miserable afternoon in the Villa/Spurs game
And the official in the Manchester derby was equally as poor
Eric Lichaj would have put that “fullback’s chance” on frame. Just saying.
Luke Shaw’s haircut is horrible. I just had to say it, I know everybody else is thinking it.
Word. From the front, Shaw looks like the leader of the Rogues gang rom the 70s movie the Warriors – the dude whose signature line is “warriors come out to play…aay”. Random, I know.
“Hey sully, you remember when I promised to kill you last, I lied”
Looks like Rubio Rubin is making his mark on the Dutch league as well, with a game winning assist today, playing as a center mid.
watched the first half–he looked pretty good; played as the attacking mid right behind the striker.
Aguero!!!! Gorgeous ball from Yaya through to Clichy, who makes a great run and cuts it back for Aguero to one-time home from 8 yards leaving De Gea with no chance. Beautiful move and finish, and City are now looking for more.
Wow, what a joke. How many times is Michael Oliver going to swallow his whistle in an effort to keep United in this? Two definite penalties, and a few others that could have been. Good, as I type this, Aguero scores. Justice served.
Bedoya subbed on in the 65th minute, Fabian on the bench and AJ back in the starting lineup.
That was definitely a penalty, Fellani kicked Aguero right in the achilles tendon. Horrible no-call there.
Smalling is an idiot. What was he thinking?