By FRANCO PANIZO
The FA Cup finish line is now in sight, and two Americans will attempt to move one step closer this weekend.
Plenty of eyes will be on Wembley Stadium on Saturday and Sunday, as the semifinals round of the FA Cup takes place. Both Danny Williams and Brad Guzan are hoping to help their respective clubs reach the tournament’s title game in May, but neither of the two U.S. Men’s National Team players has an easy road ahead. Williams and Reading are up first with a Saturday tilt against talented and trophy-starved Arsenal, and Aston Villa follows with a Sunday showdown vs. a Liverpool side also facing the pressure of claiming some silverware.
Joe Corona and Greg Garza are not a game away from making it to a tournament final, but their match on Friday against Chivas de Guadalajara is still plenty important. Club Tijuana has hit a slump, losing each of its last three games, but the Xolos can potentially leapfrog back into first with a win over first-placed Chivas. Helping Tijuana’s cause is that the game is at home, but it is unclear how big of a role Corona and Garza will have after each of them played 45 minutes in the U.S.’s 2-0 friendly win over Mexico on Wednesday.
Another interesting fixture on tap for Friday involves a potential direct match-up of Americans. Eintracht Frankfurt is welcoming Borussia Moenchengladbach, and the Bundesliga affair could pit right back Timmy Chandler against left midfielder Fabian Johnson. Chandler and Eintracht Frankfurt are still fighting to claim a place in the UEFA Europa League, but it is Johnson and Moenchengladbach that have more to lose in this one given that they are clinging on to a two-point lead for Germany’s final Champions League berth.
Those who were excited to see DeAndre Yedlin make his Tottenham debut last week might want to keep track of Spurs’ clash with Newcastle United on Sunday. Yedlin is unlikely to start due to the fact that he just flew back to England from the United States after playing internationally on Wednesday, but he could again be an option off the bench if manager Mauricio Pochettino wants to insert a speedy substitute.
Here is who the Americans Abroad take on this weekend:
FRIDAY
Timmy Chandler and Eintracht Frankfurt play Fabian Johnson and Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Alfredo Morales and FC Ingolstadt 04 play Fortuna Dusseldorf.
Andrew Wooten and SV Sanhausen play Karlsruhe.
Alejandro Bedoya and FC Nantes play Marseille.
Gabrial Farfan and Jaguares de Chiapas play Veracruz.
Greg Garza, Joe Corona, Paul Arriola, Alejandro Guido and Club Tijuana play Chivas de Guadalajara.
SATURDAY
Danny Williams and Reading play Gedion Zelalem and Arsenal in the FA Cup.
Tim Howard and Everton play Burnley.
Geoff Cameron and Stoke City play Southampton.
Eric Lichaj and Nottingham Forest play Blackburn Rovers.
Emerson Hyndman and Fulham play Blackpool. (Hyndman is out injured.)
Tim Ream and Bolton Wanderers play Brentford.
Oguchi Onyewu and Charlton Athletic play Leeds United.
Zak Whitbread and Derby County play Huddersfield Town.
Jonathan Spector and Birmingham City play Watford.
Joe Gyau and Borussia Dortmund play SC Paderborn 07. (Gyau is out injured.)
John Brooks and Hertha Berlin play FC Cologne.
Aron Johannsson and AZ Alkmaar play ADO Den Haag.
Desevio Payne and FC Groningen play Willem II Tilburg.
Conor O’Brien and FC Magna Wiener Neustadt play Red Bull Salzburg.
Ventura Alvarado and Club America play Jonathan Bornstein and Queretaro.
Michael Orozco, Herculez Gomez and Puebla play Edgar Castillo and Atlas.
Jose Torres and Tigres UANL play Monterrey. (Torres is out injured.)
William Yarbrough and Club Leon play Toluca.
SUNDAY
Brad Guzan and Aston Villa play Liverpool in the FA Cup.
DeAndre Yedlin, Brad Friedel and Tottenham Hotspur play Newcastle United.
Julian Green and Hamburg SV play Werder Bremen.
Bobby Wood and FC Erzgebirge Aue play FSV Frankfurt.
Jann George and SpVgg Greuther Furth play FC Union Berlin.
Rubio Rubin and FC Utrecht play FC Twente.
Heath Pearce and IFK Goteborg play BK Hacken.
Zarek Valentin and FK Bodo/Glimt play Odd.
Cole Grossman and Stabaek IF play Viking.
Josh Gatt, Ethan Horvath and Molde FK play Aalesund. (Gatt is out injured.)
Freddy Adu, Stephen McCarthy and Kuopion Palloseura play KTP.
MONDAY
Terrence Boyd and RB Leipzig play Kaiserslautern. (Boyd is out injured.)
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Which of these matches are you most anticipating? Feeling confident that Guzan and Williams will both help their clubs reach the FA Cup final? How many minutes could you see Corona and Garza playing in Tijuana’s important game?
Share your thoughts below.