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Americans Abroad: Weekend Preview

Eric Lichaj Nottingham Forest 29

The U.S. Men’s National Team will play its first friendly of the new year in Carson, California, on Sunday, but that is not the only place where we will be able to see Americans in action this weekend.

A full slate of matches involving the foreign-based players is on tap, including in England as the FA Cup gets underway again. Some of the Americans still competing in the tournament are Danny Williams and Eric Lichaj, and each of them will be aiming to close out the month of January by pushing their respective sides to victory on Saturday. Williams and Reading host Walsall, and Lichaj and Nottingham Forest welcome Watford.

One of the more intriguing matches takes place in Mexico on Friday, as there will be a battle of left backs when Santos Laguna takes on visiting Queretaro. Jorge Villafana and Jonathan Bornstein have both been counted on as starters by their respective clubs in the opening stages of the Liga MX Clausura campaign, and they will each try to lock down their flanks and get forward in an effort to pick up three more points.

Another match worth watching will be Hertha Berlin’s Saturday road tilt against Werder Bremen. John Brooks and Hertha Berlin currently has a four-point lead over Borussia Moenchengladbach for the Bundesiga’s last guaranteed UEFA Champions League spot, and a win vs. the relegation-threatened Bremen could have it sitting even more comfortably.

Here is who the Americans Abroad tango with this weekend:

FRIDAY

Fabian Johnson and Borussia Moenchengladbach play Mainz.

Jorge Villafana and Santos Laguna play Jonathan Bornstein, Luis Gil and Queretaro.

Michael Orozco, Greg Garza, Paul Arriola, Alejandro Guido and Club Tijuana play Veracruz. (Guido is out injured.)

SATURDAY

Brad Guzan and Aston Villa play Manchester City in the FA Cup.

Geoff Cameron and Stoke City play Crystal Palace in the FA Cup. (Cameron is out injured.)

Eric Lichaj and Nottingham Forest play Watford in the FA Cup.

Danny Williams and Reading play Walsall in the FA Cup.

Jonathan Spector and Birmingham City play Bristol City.

Duane Holmes and Huddersfield Town play Cardiff City.

Gedion Zelalem and Rangers play Falkirk.

Alfredo Morales and FC Ingolstadt 04 play Christian Pulisic and Borussia Dortmund.

Timmy Chandler and Eintracht Frankfurt play FC Augsburg.

Aron Johannsson and Werder Bremen play John Brooks and Hertha Berlin. (Johannsson is out injured.)

Alejandro Bedoya and FC Nantes play Troyes.

Desevio Payne and FC Groningen play PEC Zwolle.

Gabriel Farfan and Jaguares de Chiapas play Cruz Azul.

Jose Torres, Luis Silva and Tigres UANL play Miguel Ibarra, William Yarbrough and Club Leon.

Omar Gonzalez and Pachuca play Edgar Castillo and Monterrey.

Joe Corona and Dorados de Sinaloa play Ventura Alvarado and Club America.

SUNDAY

Tim Howard and Everton play Carlisle United in the FA Cup.

Cody Cropper and Milton Keynes Dons play Chelsea in the FA Cup.

Rubio Rubin and FC Utrecht play FC Twente.

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Which of these matches are you most looking forward to? Think Johnson will have as strong of a second half to the Bundesliga season as he did in the first half? Who will win between Gonzalez’s Pachuca and Alvarado’s Club America?

Share your thoughts below.

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