ASN: U-17s, Sargent, Pulisic, & Robinson spotlight weekend’s finest video games

A busy weekend awaits for a lot of American gamers primarily based in Europe whereas the U.S. U-17 crew face a must-win sport. ASN’s Brian Sciaretta is right here together with his weekly weekend preview with the ten finest video games to observe for American followers

BY

Brian Sciaretta

Posted
November 01, 2019
10:00 AM

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NOVEMBER IS right here and midseason in Europe is basically upon us. The primary a part of the season had some rising pains however many American gamers are beginning to hit their stride.

With MLS season practically full and MLS Cup nonetheless every week away, the main focus will shift to Europe the place many gamers resembling Christian Pulisic, Josh Sargent, Weston McKennie, and DeAndre Yedlin can be seeking to construct off their momentum from constructive performances.

In the meantime in Brazil, the U.S. U-17 crew will battle to play one other day.

As we do each Friday, listed here are the highest 10 video games to observe this weekend from an American perspective.

United States – Netherlands
U-17 World Cup
Saturday, Nov. 2: 7:00pm EST
What’s at stake is simple for the U.S. U-17 nationwide crew: win they usually advance to the spherical of 16. Lose or draw, they arrive dwelling after three video games.

After being soundly overwhelmed by Senegal 4-1, the US performed Japan to a 0-0 draw on Tuesday. A win would make sure that it might doubtless be the second-place crew in its group whereas at worst it might be one of many 4 finest third place groups within the World Cup.

Proper now, the U.S. crew has a number of issues. Whereas its protection improved towards Japan, it was nonetheless held scoreless. Offensive output is missing and the crew struggles towards bodily opponents.

The Netherlands enters this sport having misplaced its first two video games and is enjoying poorly as effectively. When the 2 groups met final month, the US prevailed.

That is anybody’s sport.

West Ham – Newcastle United
The Premier League
Saturday, Nov. 2: 11:00am EST.
Seemingly yearly, DeAndre Yedlin is in a relegation battle. This 12 months appears to be no completely different as his Newcastle United sits only one level above the drop zone. The excellent news for Yedlin is that he has been sharp since his return last-month from a surgical procedure he underwent in Might.

Forward can be tough journey to London the place tenth place West Ham awaits.

Watford – Chelsea
The Premier League
Saturday, Nov. 2: 1:30pm EST

Final week, Christian Pulisic earned accolades when he turned the second ever American participant to attain a Premier League hat trick. Regardless of enjoying in a midweek loss to Manchester United within the League Cup, Pulisic is trending upward in latest weeks the place he has been a distinction maker in large video games.

Watford has had a brutal begin to the season because it sits in final place within the Premier League with simply 5 factors by means of 10 video games.

Wigan Athletic – Swansea Metropolis
The Championship
Saturday, Nov. 2: 8:30am EST

American left again Antonee Robinson was named to the Championship crew of the month for October by a number of publications and is clearly enjoying very effectively. Robinson, a local of England, is among the many most athletic left backs within the league together with his potential to cowl the endline in each the assault and protection. Regardless of the left again’s success, Wigan sits simply three factors from security within the Championship.

Swansea Metropolis can be a tough opponent because it sits in a log-jam of 4 groups that’s tied for second place on factors. These groups all path leaders, West Brom, by two factors.

Derby County – Milddlesbrough
The Championship
Saturday, Nov. 2: 11:00am EST

Derby County is attempting to battle by means of a number of challenges this season after the lack of its captain in an incident the place 4 gamers went out ingesting and had been concerned in an car accident.

Duane Holmes missed the preseason with an harm and that additionally price him the primary 4 rounds of the season. He has additionally missed time this season with an sickness. However Holmes is again on the sphere, enjoying effectively, and helps the membership stabilize and climb again in the direction of midtable.

These video games are necessary for Holmes who’s attempting to climb again into the U.S. nationwide crew image after his harm compelled him to withdraw from the Gold Cup crew.

Middlesbrough is without doubt one of the three groups within the relegation zone and is a beatable opponent for Derby – who can be enjoying at dwelling.

Studying – Millwall
The Championship
Saturday, Nov. 2: 11:00am EST

Matt Miazga and Studying got here into this season with hopes of an improved season from 2018/19 the place they narrowly escaped relegation. To this point, the crew is in the very same place as it is just out of the underside three due to purpose differential.

Miazga has been a secure pressure for Studying though he’s dealt together with his share of accidents. However the New Jersey native could have his palms full on Saturday with an bettering Millwall crew that has climbed effectively out of the relegation zone and into fifteenth place.

Werder Bremen – Freiburg
The Bundesliga
Saturday, Nov. 2: 10:30am EST

Josh Sargent is hitting his stride proper now for Werder Bremen the place he’s seemingly a part of objectives or assists on a weekly foundation. Because the worldwide break, Sargent scored vs. Hertha BSC, assisted vs. Bayer Leverkusen, and assisted midweek within the German Cup vs. Heidenheim.

Sargent is progressing from a younger participant discovering his footing to a participant who can have a constant impression within the Bundesliga. However forward of Sargent and Werder can be a troublesome Freiburg crew that sits surprisingly in third place with 17 factors from 9 video games.

Fortuna Dusseldorf – Koln
The Bundesliga
Saturday, Nov. 2: 10:30am EST

Fortuna Dusseldorf is coming off a brutal loss final week to final place Paderborn and has misplaced 4 of its final 5 and has earned simply 4 factors from its final eight video games.

Zack Steffen has been one of many crew’s vivid spots however can solely accomplish that a lot in holding opponents off the board. The crew posted a 2-1 midweek win over Erzgebirge Aue within the German Cup and Alfredo Morales went the gap (Steffen didn’t play).

This can be one other large sport for Fortuna as it’s even with Koln on factors in the direction of the underside of the desk. These are the video games that can be telling on the finish of the season within the relegation battle.

Augsburg – Schalke
The Bundesliga
Sunday, Nov. 3: 1:00pm EST

Weston McKennie returned from an harm and performed for Schalke in a 3-2 win over Arminia Bielefeld within the German Cup.

Now returning to the Bundesliga, Schalke has not received in three video games however have an opportunity to climb into the highest 4 with a win over an Augsburg crew that sits second to final within the Bundesliga. McKennie ought to as soon as once more be again within the beginning lineup as he’ll begin to regain his momentum after lacking out on the previous two league video games.

OB – Hobro
Danish Superliga
Sunday, Nov. 3: 9:00am EST

The U.S. U-23 duo of Emmanuel Sabbi and Christian Cappis will doubtless begin for Hobro when it visits fourth-place OB on Sunday. Hobro is a small crew that usually faces relegation battles and Cappis and Sabbi are a giant a part of the probabilities at survival.

Final week, Sabbi scored a purpose in a disappointing 1-1 draw with Silkeborg. Cappis performed solely restricted minutes as a consequence of an harm suffered within the sport every week earlier than.

However for Sabbi and Cappis, each might be enjoying their closing six video games for Hobro as each might be bought this winter when the January switch window opens.