By SBI SOCCER
The September international window comes to a close Tuesday, but plenty of intriguing matchups still lie ahead.
England has already qualified for the European Championship, but it will be playing for pride and an unblemished record when it welcomes Switzerland to Wembley Stadium.
While currently second in Group E, Switzerland dropped its first meeting with England at home by a scoreline of 2-0, as Danny Welbeck scored both goals. The Arsenal man will not be available this time around, but England will look to stay unbeaten in its group after seven consecutive victories.
Meanwhile, the Third Round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying will end tonight. Jamaica is on the verge of failing to advance after losing, 3-2, to Nicaragua in the first leg.
In a pair of intriguing friendlies, the U.S. Men’s National Team hosts Brazil, while Mexico faces off against Argentina. Both matches will serve as a salient experience in preparation for the CONCACAF Cup on Oct. 10.
If you will be watching today’s soccer, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action (Today’s TV schedule is after the jump):
2:45 p.m. – FOX Soccer Plus – Belarus vs. Luxembourg
2:45 p.m. – FOX Sports 1 USA – Macedonia vs. Spain
2:45 p.m. – ESPN3 – Slovakia vs. Ukraine
2:45 p.m. – ESPN2 – England vs. Switzerland
2:45 p.m. – ESPN3 – Lithuania vs. San Marino
2:45 p.m. – ESPN3 – Slovenia vs. Estonia
2:45 p.m. – ESPN3 – Liechtenstein vs. Russia
2:45 p.m. – ESPN3 – Moldova vs. Montenegro
2:45 p.m. – FOX Sports 2 USA – Sweden vs. Austria
3 p.m. – beIN Spots Connect – France Under-21s vs. Brazil Under-21s
5 p.m. – beIN Spots Connect – Ecuador vs. Honduras
6 p.m. – beIN Spots USA – Haiti vs. Grenada
7:30 p.m. – ESPN3 – Kentucky vs. Louisville (Men’s college soccer)
8 p.m. – ESPN2/UniMas – USMNT vs. Brazil
9 p.m. – beIN Spots Connect – Belize vs. Canada
9:30 p.m. – beIN Spots USA – Nicaragua vs. Jamaica
9:35 p.m. – beIN Spots Connect – El Salvador vs. Curacao
10 p.m. – ESPN2/UniMas – Mexico vs. Argentina
10:06 p.m. – beIN Spots Connect – Guatemala vs. Antigua and Barbuda
Landon Donovan 5 goals in 12 World Cup matches
Clint Dempsey 4 goals in 10 matches
C. Ronaldo 3 in 15
Messi 5 in 15
Who’s world class again?
Let’s not get carried away here.
Thomas Muller is the answer apparently… 10 goals in 14 games.
Landy Cakes though… man he didn’t try hard often but when he did he was bloody excellent.
Valid comparison, everyone plays on the same stage at the World Cup.
You are seriously trying to say Landon and Clint are better than Messi and Ronaldo based on scoring more WC goals? I don’t even know how to respond.
Only game that matters today is that Nicaragua vs Jamaica game. Reggae Boyz are going down!!
That’d be pretty crazy coming off there Gold Cup performance
would Jonjo Shelvey start for the USMNT?
In a meaningful game no, in friendlies or against minnows as he does for England probably. The reason he got his first cap against San Marino was to lock him in so he couldn’t play for Ireland or Scotland. He had a pretty strong youth career so with much less depth in the US he’d probably would have gotten a cap or two for US but maybe not start.
U-23s beat Qatar, 2-0, on a PK goal by Joya and a volley strike by Ariyibi, both in the second half.
Is Joya even playing anywhere?
Necaxa according to his twitter, and I guess he would know. I don’t think he’s played any first team though.
The top countries in the world are producing:
Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Kevin De Bruyne, James Rodriguez
Our Best forward: jozy Altidore
I would be pissed off if I was a US Soccer fan
Good to know that you said “our country” implying you are American, and that you took the time to post on an internet site about how you are not a USA fan.
Im American through my mother but I live in Europe. A part of me wants my mother’s country to do well but not when you have comical, ass-backwards player selection criteria.
Jozy Altidore would never get picked by my country because he’s just a big, strong athlete. He looked good against 16 years olds because he matured faster. Top scouts in Europe know this and look for skills instead. But U.S. has this obsession with athletic players. I think it comes from watching the NBA and NFL and being able to understand the different skill set.
Ask yourself this honestly: If Iniesta or Xavi grew up in the U.S., would they ever be picked by U-17 residency prigram? There’s your problem
Jozy wasn’t even that big when he was younger.
Cope cope cope
Deny deny deny
The US isn’t a top soccer country, not really sure anyone thinks as much. So what is your point really?
If your don’t support team america why the hell are you on this site?
What’s are your other nationalities so I can sh*t all over them?
Jozy was always big, he is bigger now.
Think you may be confused my friend. There is a distinction between wanting a team to do well, supporting them through thick and thin and/or agreeing with everything they do or thinking they are infallible. Yup… believe me, you can cheer for a team, offer support and simultaneously be frustrated with or disagree with tactics, selections etc. Have to say though… it always amuses me when a fan of a team doing well takes on an air of superiority… pretends they are somehow responsible for/takes credit for that success.
Congrats and good onya brother!- I’d guess if the day comes that U.S. soccer progresses and they become a top side, we can count on you gladly hitching yourself to, identifying with that success. Thing is though, that’s not in any way being a supporter and ultimately, not as satisfying. Although quite common in sports, hitching ones ego to, only being able to identify with “the winner” is more along the lines of being a parasite than a supporter.
LoL. Perhaps you can step down a second and grace us all with some insight on your selection process- who you’d start?
merely WANTING a NT to do well does not magically manifest into existence the talent to do so. Thus, blaming the US lack of top players on “backwards player selection criteria” is pretty comical in itself.
also,
“A part of me wants my mother’s country to do well but not when you have comical, ass-backwards player selection criteria.”
this shows me you have completely missed the concept of being an ACTUAL fan/supporter…
I can only hope that you wouldn’t use this logic with a spouse (“honey, you don’t look good today, i’m not going to support you or be your life partner…”)
Also, Villareal (I believe that they are in the famous Europe) paid $10mm for an 19-year old Jozy. They must have been disoriented/confused having just watched NBA finals in June of 2008
Landon Donovan and Demarcus Beasley are pretty much the same size as the players you mentioned so yes I think they would have made the development academy. Zlatan, Romelu Lukaku, and Mario Balotelli are all bigger than Jozy. For that matter Christiano Renaldo is basically the same size and since you named Spanish players Fernando Torres is maybe half an inch shorter. Jozy clearly has worked harder on his upper body than Renaldo or Torres but all have the same listed weight and height.
Yeah, too bad we ( yes I am American ) dominated Christiano Ranaldo’s team in the World Cup in an unfortunate draw. He should have gotten his green card.
what a troll, what a comment….what a country!
Portugal player development is still miles ahead os U.S. And most of your young players were developed by Germany (quite ugly looking too)
U.S. Soccer fans are like alcoholics. They keep denying they have a problem even though acknowledging it would only help them in the ling run
ha! what a pile of steaming BS Nenge
many of us are WELL aware of things! and lots of things changing here in the states. try and keep up if you want your insults to stick
What does a Green Card have to do with anything?
None of the guys you mentioned are traditional #9’s or out and out strikers. Sure Messi and Ronaldo have played there on occasion, but are you really comparing the two best players of their generation to anyone else in the world?
I’d be more pissed that I had a lack of knowledge about the game than being a US Soccer fan.
Even his teammate GIovinco makes him look like a clown. And Giovinco’s not even considered one of the best forwards in the world. LOL
I wouldn’t say “he make him look like a clown” but yes, Giovinco is at another level than Jozy.
you’re basically like an Oakland Raiders fan making fun of the oakland raiders because they’re not the best currently… like are you a fan that cares how the USMNT does or are you NOT A FAN and thus why are you on a USMNT FAN site? lol. like, cool, you don’t think the US is top class, great, no one’s arguing…. that’s no reason to not be a fan tho. fans don’t pick their team due to “who’s good right now”; there’s actually a word for that…
Yup, the word is “bandwagon fans”, made famous by USC supporters. The majority of which are people that never even went to college, let alone USC, but need a college football team to root for. So they see a USC shirt on sale at Wal-Mart, and learn about USC’s historical football success that has been achieved by running the program like a professional franchise and pays its players (against the rules), and then decide that USC will be their team.
That sounds particularly biased. If it’s true that USC is what made “bandwagon fans” famous, then I would like to see some sort of evidence. I think Notre Dame is far more “bandwagonny” than any California school.
Haha I think you are taking my post too seriously.
But I could make a case for my claim, but that would require me taking you to a USC home game at the Coliseum, and taking you on a walk around the parking lot/tailgate area.
Top countries in the world? When is the last time Wales even qualified for the World Cup? Your Hint: 1958, it was the only time.
I am Welsh/American, and Bale is one of my favorite players, but by no means is Wales a top country in the world. Qualifying for the Euro’s this year will be their first time they have ever qualified. But I digress, I’m sure you care little, there is a reason you are not a scout in Europe. Your hint is: You have no idea what they are looking for, all look for different things, that’s why they make a lot of money doing what they do, and you troll U.S. Soccer blogs for free.
I give this to Mboko, he has managed to unite both factions of the SBI soccer community, the Jk/Jozy supporters and the jk/jozy haters. And beyond that I don’t know one American fan that would say Jozy is our best forward.