There’s no denying that the wave of accidents to American gamers will take a variety of the joy out of this weekend’s video games. However ASN’s Brian Sciaretta nonetheless discovered sufficient to look foward together with his weekend preview.
BY
Brian Sciaretta
Posted
February 21, 2020
2:00 PM
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TYPICALLY, THIS weekly column highlights and previews the ten finest video games to observe from an American perspective in a given weekend. This weekend, nonetheless, is way harder as a result of along with MLS being out of season, the variety of accidents amongst Individuals in Europe is staggering.
Here’s a checklist of gamers you most likely gained’t be seeing this weekend
Christian Pulisic
Weston McKennie (is definitely questionable)
Tyler Adams
Zack Steffen
Matt Miazga
Duane Holmes
Richard Ledezma (suspended)
Julian Inexperienced
Antonee Robinson
Jonathan Amon
Christian Cappis (suspended)
Sebastian Soto
Then along with this, you will have your gamers who’re in unhealthy conditions at their golf equipment which have glued them to the bench – Bobby Wooden, Matt Polster, Fabian Johnson, and Ethan Horvath are the very best examples of this.
Then you definately had a couple of Individuals overseas who performed on Saturday – Tim Ream and Andrija Novakovich. That was truly a blended bag. Tim Ream’s handball gifted Derby County a penalty which led to a Wayne Rooney aim in a 1-1 draw vs. Derby. However Andrija Novakovich had probably the greatest video games of his younger profession when his aim and help lifted Froninone to a 2-0 away win over Cosenza. Fronsinone, in the meantime, is now within the automated promotion locations for the primary time within the Serie B season.
However on account of accidents, benchings, and Friday video games, simply arising with 10 video games to observe this weekend from an American perspective is tough.
However it nonetheless might be finished, and right here they’re
Werder Bremen – Borussia Dortmund
The BundesligaSaturday, Feb. 22: 9:30am EST
This recreation options groups heading in reverse instructions. Non surprisingly, every group boasts a younger American attacking participant – and these two gamers are additionally heading in reverse instructions.
Werder Bremen is in second to final place and is staring the prospect of relegation within the face. A loss right here will solely possible dig the outlet deeper. Josh Sargent has proven little or no for Werder for the reason that Bundesliga resumed from winter break. He’s not the group’s drawback however he has not been an answer both.
In the meantime, Giovanni Reyna has been distinctive for Borussia Dortmund in current weeks and has been given an increasing number of duties. Midweek, Reyna got here right into a Champions League recreation vs. Paris St. Germain with Dortmund trailing 1-0. The 17-year-old finally assisted on the winner. The mix of Reyna and world sensation Earling Haaland has made Dortmund some of the thrilling groups to observe.
These two groups met two weeks in the past within the German Cup and Reyna ended up scoring a sensational aim in what was truly a loss 3-2 loss for Dortmund. Asking Werder to win this recreation – and two consecutive video games towards Dortmund, will likely be exhausting. However Dortmund has loads of motivation on this recreation to qualify for the Champions League subsequent yr and the membership sits in third place (however is simply two factors away from the fifth-place Bayer Leverkusen.
VfB Stuttgart – SSV Jahn Regensburg
The two.BundesligaSaturday, Feb. twenty second: 7:00am EST
Pellegrino Matarazzo is among the finest tales on this planet of Individuals overseas. Born and raised in New Jersey, Matarazzo was employed as Stuttgart’s head coach within the winter break to assist information it to promotion. Since taking up, the membership has acquired 10 out of a attainable 12 factors within the 2.Bundesliga and it nonetheless holds its grip on third place. If Hamburg stumbles, a Stuttgart win might ship it into second place.
Matarazzo’s rise to being Stuttgart’s supervisor was fast and shocking however he’s off to a implausible begin.
Austria Wien – Pink Bull Salzburg
The Austrian BundesligaSunday, February twenty third: 11:00am EST
At first, it appeared as if Jesse Marsch and his Pink Bull Salzburg group have been going to coast to the Austrian Bundesliga title this yr. However the membership dropped factors in attracts within the fall because of the truth the Champions League pressured squad rotation. Then over the winter break, Salzburg bought three of its finest gamers – together with Earling Haaland. The membership lacks a lot of its firepower and final weekend it misplaced its first league recreation of the season to LASK. That outcome noticed LASK leapfrog Salzburg for first place.
Salzburg will try and climb again into first place however standing in his approach is Austria Vienna who begin American central defender Erik Palmer-Brown within the backline. Palmer-Brown is making an attempt to spice up his inventory and get again into the image for the nationwide group or U-23 group. A win over Salzburg would spotlight his season.
VfB Wolfsburg – Mainz
The BundesligaSunday, February twenty third: 12:00pm EST
It has been a bizarre season for U.S. nationwide group defender John Brooks who was an everyday starter and a strong contributor within the first half of the season. He was benched for awhile beginning the second half of the season however has since taken benefit of a purple card suspension to Marin Pongracic to get again onto the sphere. Brooks was mediocre final weekend in a win over Hoffenheim however was strong in a midweek win over Malmo within the Europa League.
Brooks stays a gifted participant however one additionally with a brief leash with supervisor Oliver Glasner. If he desires to proceed to begin for ninth place Wolfsburg, he’ll want a robust outing vs. Mainz to proceed to construct belief with Glasner. That will even have the additional advantage of giving Brooks momentum heading into the November worldwide window.
Charlton Athletic – Luton City
The ChampionshipSaturday, February twenty second: 10:00am EST
As soon as left for useless within the relegation zone of the Championship, Luton City is now coming off two consecutive wins and is simply 4 factors from security. Saturday’s recreation towards nineteenth place Charleton Athletic is winnable for Luton City and that will put the membership inside placing distance of rising within the survival locations.
United States U-20 central defender Cameron Carter-Vickers, who joined Luton City on mortgage from Tottenham after his earlier mortgage to Stoke Metropolis was prematurely terminated, had his finest recreation of season final weekend in a 1-0 away win over Middlesbrough. Proper now, each recreation is important for each him and Luton City. If Carter-Vickers can play nicely then maybe he can lastly discover a membership who will buy him outright from Tottenham.
Heracles – Ajax
The EredivisieSunday, February twenty third: 10:45am EST
Sergino Dest has had a breakout season. It hasn’t at all times been easy however for a youngster to begin most of Ajax’s video games within the Champions League, Dutch Cup, Europa League, and Eredivisie is a significant accomplishment.
In current weeks he’s performed nicely though the 2-0 midweek loss to Getafe within the Europa League was one which everybody on Ajax wish to overlook. Ajax has a six level cushion atop the Eredivisie standings and wish to hold it that approach with a win over Tenth-place Heracles.
Gent – St. Truiden
Belgium’s Professional LeagueSunday, February twenty third: 2:00pm EST
Chris Durkin has been an everyday starter for St. Truiden for greater than two months and has usually carried out nicely sufficient to the place you’ll count on the membership to choose up the choice to purchase on his mortgage from DC United.
However Gent is among the finest groups in Belgium and at the moment sits second. St. Truiden is among the smaller golf equipment within the league and sits in twelfth place and this will likely be a giant check for Durkin and St. Truiden. Whereas St. Truiden is unlikely to compete for a European spot or get relegated, the chance for its gamers is probably going on a person foundation. For Durkin to construct up his worth, strong performances towards golf equipment like Gent assist. It additionally may put him again into the U-23 image.
Pumas – CA Monarcas Morelia
Liga MXSunday, February twenty third: 1:00pm ET
Surprisingly, Pumas has emerged because the early chief in Liga MX. U.S. U-23 attacking midfielder Sebastian “Bofo” Saucedo is among the group’s starters. Morelia, in the meantime, is off to a horrible begin within the Clausura the place it has simply 5 factors from six video games
It might be a giant yr for Saucedo who’s chasing silverware in Mexico and will head to Tokyo this summer time within the Olympics if he may also help the U.S. group qualify subsequent month. Saucedo has carried out nicely since shifting to Pumas from Actual Salt Lake in December. However he is among the least talked-about gamers within the U-23 pool however he’s turning into an thrilling prospect.
Lens – SM Caen
Ligue 2Saturday, February twenty second: 9:00am EST
Kansas Metropolis-born ahead Nicholas “Niko” Gioacchini, 19, has earned a variety of enjoying time in France’s second tier with SM Caen this yr. So far has been an important studying expertise for him and he has scored two targets in 13 appearances.
However SM Caen has been drifting in the direction of the relegation zone in current weeks and the upcoming schedule will likely be powerful. An away go to to third-place Lens on Saturday will likely be particularly difficult. For Gioacchini, he has by no means represented the US earlier than at any stage and might be behind various gamers in the mean time. However he has made a variety of progress this yr and the mixture of youth and enjoying time will hold him within the combine.
Freiburg – Fortuna Dusseldorf
The BundesligaSaturday, February twenty second: 9:30am EST
Fortuna Dusseldorf can have an uphill climb if it desires to keep away from relegation however Saturday is a giant alternative. It’s at the moment within the relegation playoff place however is forward of Werder Bremen solely on aim differential and is forward of last-place Paderborn by only a level. However Werder Bremen has a really tough recreation vs. Borussia Dortmund and Paderborn visits Bayern Munich.
Fortuna Dusseldorf has the simplest of paths for factors this weekend among the many backside three. However seventh place Freiburg on the street remains to be very tough.
Zack Steffen has been out for Fortuna Dusseldorf in current weeks on account of a foul knee. However U.S. nationwide group midfielder Alfredo Morales ought to get the beginning and Fortuna must play with desperation if it desires to keep away from the drop.
