10/1/21 HS Sectionals start for area schools, Indy 11 home Sat 7 pm, USMNT team announced no Pulisic/Reyna, Champs League dramatics, NWSL issues

High School Sectionals Starting Soon

The 3^rd ranked CHS Varsity girls host Sectionals starting next week at Murray Stadium. Coming off a tough 0-2 loss at home to Noblesville last week – the CHS Girls will look to rebound during sectionals and hope for a rematch down the road. The Carmel Boys defeated Guerin 3-0 last week as they head to sectionals at Westfield High ranked 10^th in the state. State Rankings going into sectionals.

The #3 Ranked CHS Girls will be hosting their sectional at Murray Stadium starting Wednesday night vs Guerin Catholic at 6 pm. Tickets avail for $6 per session or $10 for the entire tourney.

GIRLS SECTIONALS

8. Hamilton Southeastern (6): Anderson, #20 Fishers, #4 Hamilton Southeastern, Muncie Central, #1 Noblesville, Pendleton Heights
9. Ben Davis (7): Avon, Ben Davis, Brownsburg, Decatur Central, Indianapolis Shortridge, Mooresville, Plainfield
10. Carmel (7): #10 Carmel, #13 Guerin Catholic, Indianapolis Arsenal Technical, #6 North Central (Indianapolis), Pike, Westfield, #10 Zionsville

The CHS Boys will be at the Westfield sectional starting Oct 6^th with Pike as the first matchup on Wednesday night at 7:30 pm tickets avail for $6 per session or $10 for the entire tourney. Three of the teams are in the top 12 of the state. Guerin is hosting and will start with a match-up with Cardinal Ritter Wed night at 7:30 pm.

Boys Sectionals –

8. Noblesville (6): Anderson, Fishers, Hamilton Southeastern, Muncie Central, Noblesville, Pendleton Heights

10. Westfield (6): Carmel, Indianapolis Shortridge, North Central (Indianapolis), Pike, Westfield, Zionsville
11. Lawrence North (7): Franklin Central, Indianapolis Arsenal Technical, Indianapolis Cathedral, Indianapolis Crispus Attucks, Lawrence Central, Lawrence North, Warren Central

26. Guerin Catholic (7): Brebeuf, Guerin Catholic, Hamilton Heights, Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter, Lebanon, Western Boone

Indy 11 Returns home Sat vs Atlanta United 2 –7 pm & MyIndy TV 23, ESPN+

The 11 have a chance to move up the rankings with a home match vs Atlanta United 2 this Sat at 7 pm. It will be Spanish Heritage Night at the Mike.

US Men Roster for Oct Qualifiers Announced No Pulisic, Reyna

The US men return to action next Thursday with the 2^nd leg of World Cup Qualifiers on Thurs night vs Jamaica at 7:45 pm on ESPN2. Of course Pulisic and Reyna are both missing as they are both still injured from the last round of qualifiers. Returning to the fold is midfielder Weston McKinney, along with phenom forward Ricardo Pepi along with the return of Gyasi Zardes. I will be headed to Columbus for the Costa Rica game on Oct 13^th!

See the full roster below..

USMNT roster for October World Cup qualifiers

GOALKEEPERS (3): Sean Johnson (New York City FC), Zack Steffen (Manchester City), Matt Turner (New England Revolution)

DEFENDERS (10): George Bello (Atlanta United), John Brooks (Wolfsburg), Sergiño Dest (Barcelona), Mark McKenzie (Genk), Shaq Moore (Tenerife), Tim Ream (Fulham), Chris Richards (Hoffenheim), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United), DeAndre Yedlin (Galatasaray)

MIDFIELDERS (8): Kellyn Acosta (Colorado Rapids), Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig), Gianluca Busio (Venezia), Luca de la Torre (Heracles), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Yunus Musah (Valencia), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders)

FORWARDS (6): Brenden Aaronson (Red Bull Salzburg), Paul Arriola (D.C. United), Matthew Hoppe (Mallorca), Ricardo Pepi (FC Dallas), Tim Weah (Lille), Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew)

Here’s the schedule (all times ET):

Thursday, Oct. 7 — vs. Jamaica (7:45 p.m., ESPN2, Univision, TUDN)
Sunday, Oct. 10 — at Panama (6 p.m., Paramount+, Universo)
Wednesday, Oct. 13 — vs. Costa Rica (7 p.m., ESPN2, UniMás, TUDN) Columbus

Who Shane likes to start vs Jamaica

Pepi

Aaronson/Weah

McKennie/Musah

Adams

Robinson/John Brooks/Miles Robinson/Dest

Steffan

Champions League Punishes American’s

To say our American’s did poorly in this second stage of Champions League would be an understatement – every team with American’s lost except Juventus (McKinney played last 20 min) in 2-1 win over Chelsea (Pulisic is injured) and RB Salzburg with Aaronson beating Tim Weah and Lille 2-1. Dest and Barcelona lost 3-0 (Dest had a hand ball) @ Benefica, Adams and RB Leipzig lost to Club Brugge at home 2-1, Dortmund did win 1-0 but Reyna has not returned from his knee injury suffered in his last US game. Brooks and Wolfsburg tied

Of course the huge news of the 2^nd legs was Man United’s come from behind last second goal from Ronaldo to beat Villarreal 2-1, and PSG getting Messi’s 1^st goal to beat Man City 2-1 at home. Of course Barcelona’s 2^nd 3-0 loss in Champions League will certainly be the end for Barca Coach Ronald Koeman – look for Belgium’s Roberto Martinez to be at the top of the list of coach options. And of course the biggest upset in Champions League history – Real Madrid losing 2-1 to Sheriff Triaspol at home. For Chelsea – they are certainly struggling now without Pulisic – the offense that started so strong with Lukaku has gone stale

Games this Weekend

Liverpool vs Man City leads the game weekend Sunday at 11:30 am on NBCSN followed by El Traffico LA Galaxy hosting LAFC at 8 pm on ESPN. Sat gives us Man United vs Everton at 7 am on NBCSN, then Atletico Madrid host the reeling Barcelona on ESPN+ at 3 pm.

BIG GAMES TO WATCH THIS WEEKEND

Atlético Madrid vs. Barcelona

Saturday, 3 p.m. (ESPN+)

The wheels officially fell off Barcelona on Wednesday in an abysmal 3-0 Champions League loss at Benfica. Manager Ronald Koeman surely has to go now. Guillem Balagué, the Spanish journalist who reports for CBS Sports, the BBC, and other outlets reported Thursday that Barcelona’s brass met when the team returned from Lisbon to figure out an action plan.

Belgium manager Roberto Martínez is the leading candidate to replace Koeman, if he’s willing to leave the Red Devils before next year’s World Cup — where the team will be a title favorite. The rumor around Europe is Martinez would say yes if the call comes.

In the meantime, Barcelona has to go to the defending La Liga champions, whose tenacious defense and smart counter-attacks have long given the Blaugrana fits. Oh, and Atlético’s squad is now led by former Barcelona stars Luis Suárez and Antoine Griezmann. You can be sure they’ll be up for this.

CF Montréal vs. Atlanta United (Saturday, 7 p.m., ESPN+) & Orlando City vs. D.C. United (Saturday, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+)

With the Union not playing until Sunday this weekend, take the opportunity Saturday night to watch these games between Eastern Conference playoff rivals. D.C. enters the weekend in third place, the Union in fifth, Atlanta in sixth, Orlando in seventh and Montréal in eighth.

Lille vs. Marseille

Sunday, 11 a.m. (beIN Sports, beIN Sports Español)

Fresh off earning a return to the U.S. squad, Lille’s Tim Weah squares off with one of the players who didn’t make the cut, Marseille’s Konrad de la Fuente.

» RE

Liverpool vs. Manchester City

Sunday, 11:30 a.m. (NBCSN, Telemundo)

This is always a big game in the Premier League, and this time the teams come in as the top two in the standings. Liverpool has a one-point lead over City, which lost at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Fortunately for City, Liverpool doesn’t have Lionel Messi. But the Reds do have a league-best 15 goals scored this season, with five coming from Mo Salah.

Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Los Angeles FC

Sunday, 8 p.m. (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)

It seems hard to believe that both star-studded L.A. teams could miss the playoffs. But the Galaxy are sixth in the West and LAFC is ninth. If Minnesota, Vancouver and perhaps San Jose can box them out, it might just happen.