USWNT in She Believes Cup Sat vs Japan 12:30 TNT & Tues 4/9 in Columbus Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario will make their returns to the USWNT Sat as part of the 23-player roster for the She Believes Cup, U.S. Soccer. Two new names are also joining the roster and earning their first senior national team call-ups, both playing for European clubs: 21-year-old Paris Saint-Germain defender Eva Gaetino and 16-year-old Ajax midfielder Lily Yohannes. The question is do Mallory and Macario start or come off the bench vs Japan (presumably the weeker of the 2 games)? These will be the final two matches for Twila Kilgore as USWNT interim coach. Permanent head coach Emma Hayes will take over beginning with the June window, with Kilgore remaining on the staff as an assistant. The USWNT will play in a reformatted She Believes Cup that has a semifinals and final as opposed to a round robin tournament. They will play Japan in the semifinals in Atlanta on Sat April 6th at 12:30 pm on TNT, and then will face either Brazil or Canada in either the 3rd place match at 5 pm or the final at 7 pm on April 9th in Columbus, Ohio ( tix still available- the OBC is going over) on TBS.
USWNT She Believes Cup roster Goalkeepers (3): Jane Campbell (Houston Dash), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars) Defenders (8): Abby Dahlkemper (San Diego Wave FC), Crystal Dunn (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Tierna Davidson (NY/NJ Gotham FC), Emily Fox (Arsenal), Eva Gaetino (PSG), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC), Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit), Jenna Nighswonger (NY/NJ Gotham FC) Midfielders (6): Korbin Albert (PSG), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Horan (Lyon), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC), Emily Sonnett (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Lily Yohannes (Ajax) Forwards (6): Catarina Macario (Chelsea), Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave FC), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC), Mallory Swanson (Chicago Red Stars)
Indy 11 vs Louisville Sat 4 pm on CBS
The Boys in Blue head south Saturday for the first installment of the LIPAFC rivalry in 2024 live on CBS at 4 pm. Indy is coming off a 2-1 loss to Detroit City FC to fall to 1-2-1 on the season, while Louisville defeated Birmingham Legion FC 5-0 to sit perfect atop the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference standings at 3-0-0.
LIPAFC
The Louisville-Indianapolis Proximity Association Football Contest dates back to 2015 with Louisville holding the 10-5-6 advantage. Nineteen of the 21 matches have taken place since Indy joined the USL Championship in 2018 (2 playoff), with Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup matches in 2015 and 2016 making up the remaining two. The Boys in Blue were 1-1 in those match-ups. Indy is looking for its first road win since a 2-1 victory on May 29, 2021. Saturday marks the 22nd overall meeting between the sides all-time, with Louisville leading 10-5-6.
Champions League Elite 8 — starts April 9th & 10th on CBS
GAMES ON TV
Sat, April 6
7:30 am USA Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Man City
7:30 am ESPN+ Norwich City (Stewart) vs Ipswich Town (Champ)
9 am CBSSN AC Milan (Pulisic, Musah) vs Lecce
9:30 am ESPN+ Union Berlin vs Bayer Leverkusen
10 am USA Aston Villa vs Burnley
10 am Peacock Fulham (Robinson, Ream) vs New Castle United
12:30 pm TNT, Max, Telemundo USA Women vs Japan
1 pm para+ Lazio vs Juventus (Weah, McKinney)
7:30 pm Fox LAFC vs LA Galaxy
7 pm CBS Indy 11 @ Louisville
Sun, Apr 7
10:30 am NBC Man United vs Liverpool
11:30 am NBC Sheffield United (Trusty) vs Chelsea
11:30 am ESPN+ Wolfsburg vs Mgladbach (Scalley)
1 pm USA Tottenham vs Notthingham Forest (Reyna)
2:30 pm ESPN+ Bayer Levekusen vs Wolfsburg
4 pm Fox Atlanta United vs Chicago Fire
Tues, Apr 9
3 pm CBS, Arsenal vs Bayern Munich UCL
3 pm Para+ Real Madrid vs Man City UCL
5 or 7 pm TBS, Universo, Peacock USWNT vs Brazil/Can winner Columbus, OH
8:45 pm Fox Sport 1 Columbus Crew vs Tigres CCL
10:30 pm FS1 New England vs America CCL
Weds, Apr10
3 pm CBS PSG vs Barcelona UCL
3 pm Para+ Atletico Madrid vs Dortmund UCL
10:30 pm Fox Sport 1 Monterrey vs Inter Miami (Messi) CCL
8:15 pm FS1 Heredino vs Pachuca CCL
Thurs, Apr 11
3 pm CBSSN AC Milan (Pulisic, Musah) vs Roma Europa
3 pm Para+ Liverpool vs Atalanta
3 pm Para+ Leverkusen vs West Ham United
7 pm ESPN+ Miami FV vs Tampa Bay Rowdies (Jordan Farr)
June 27 Copa America US Men Play Panama
July 24 starts US U23 Men & US Women In Olympics
(American’s in Parenthesis)
How to Watch Indy Eleven USL Championship Action
https://www.uslchampionship.com/cbs CBS Schedule
https://www.uslchampionship.com/espn ESPN
US Ladies
USWNT’s Albert can play amid flak for social posts ESPN Jeff Carlisle
Sophia Smith excited about new USWNT phase ESPN
The USWNT’s new normal? The threat of losing almost any game ESPN Jeff Kassouf
Mal Swanson is starting to look like her old self, and that’s just what the USWNT needs
Who should the USWNT call up? Ranking the NWSL players who deserve a look ESPN Jeff Kassouf
USWNT vs. Japan: How to watch SheBelieves Cup, TV channel, live stream
Macario talks ’emotional’ USWNT return alongside Swanson
NWSL Power Rankings: KC looks unplayable as Utah hits bottom
US Men
Champions league
Pep hails Bellingham’s ‘massive’ impact on Madrid
Xavi: PSG favourites for Barça’s UCL quarterfinal
The battle for extra Champions League places is tight between Italy, Germany and England
Indy 11
Blake, Stanley Earn USL Team of the Week Honors
Indy Eleven Announces 2024 Promotional Schedule – Tickets on Sale NOW!
Reffing
What’s the Call – Hand Ball Decisions –
Become a Licensed High School Ref
Become a Licensed Ref with Indiana Soccer – must be over 13
The USWNT has long been ‘bigger than just the game,’ SheBelieves Cup will be a test of that
By Jeff Rueter and Steph Yang r 2, 2024 The Athletic – Steph Yang & Jeff Rueter
U.S. women’s national team midfielder Korbin Albert’s social media activity will soon be under the microscope – perhaps even more than it was last week, when her reposting of anti-LGBTQ content was resurfaced online and addressed by former USWNT star Megan Rapinoe.
This weekend, the USWNT opens SheBelieves Cup against Japan in the annual invitational tournament played between the U.S. and select international teams.
For the past two years, the USWNT has advocated for trans rights at the tournament – a track record of advocacy that feels especially important in light of transphobic and homophobic sentiments that continue to permeate American society, and after Albert’s social media activity. It’s a jarring contradiction to the way the USWNT has historically spoken out to advance reforms or to advocate for equal rights.
At the center of this discussion are videos Albert reposted to her TikTok account, including one of a sermon given in a Christian worship space talking about how being gay and “feeling transgender” is wrong. Among the posts on her TikTok profile was one from 2023, showing her family taking turns stating that “their pronouns are U.S.A.,” with Albert participating in the video. The post no longer appears on her profile as of Tuesday.
Albert also liked a meme on Instagram of an airplane landing with a caption reading “God taking time off performing miracles to make sure Megan Rapinoe sprains her ankle in her final ever game.”
Rapinoe has been an outspoken advocate of LGBTQ+ rights and trans rights in particular. She responded to Albert via her Instagram story, asking, “Are you making any type of space safer, more inclusive, more whole, any semblance of better, bringing the best out of anyone?” She later stressed to The Athletic that while Albert’s activity inspired the post, her focus is on the queer lives at stake, whether they be at risk through anti-trans commentary online or targeted legislation.
Rapinoe signed off her message with “Yours Truly, #15.” Albert wears the No. 15 shirt for the USWNT, a number made available after Rapinoe’s retirement last fall.
Albert wears No 15 against Brazil in March (John Todd/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
Queer and trans youth remain at higher risk of bullying, facing legislative hurdles and attempting self-harm. The Trevor Project’s 2023 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ Young People found that 41 percent of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, including roughly half of transgender and nonbinary youth. Additionally, the Trevor Project found that transgender and nonbinary youth were 2 to 2 1/2 times as likely to experience depressive symptoms, seriously consider suicide and attempt suicide compared to their cisgender LGBQ peers.
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Albert later apologized on Instagram, saying, “I truly believe that everyone should feel safe and respected everywhere and on all playing fields.”
The 20-year-old midfielder is not the only player on the team or in women’s soccer to hold conservative views. As noted by a former USWNT player in 2018 after Jaelene Hinkle’s public refusal to wear the team-issued rainbow pride jerseys, there have always been people in the locker room “that are not okay, or in agreement with, the (gay) lifestyle.” The difference with Albert, as it was in 2018 with Hinkle, was that other conservative players had kept their anti-LGBTQ opinions to themselves and the team managed to go out and play together.
Now, that dynamic may be challenged as SheBelieves opens in Georgia, a state where anti-trans rhetoric from high-level leadership is pertinent and playing out in real time.
Last Tuesday, the state senate passed House Bill 1104, originally intended to provide mental health resources for young student-athletes, but which now includes language that bans transgender girls from competing on girls’ public school teams and bans them from locker rooms that match their gender identity.
In past similar situations, the USWNT has been a direct advocate for the queer and trans community, many of whom make up a passionate part of their fan base. The 2022 SheBelieves Cup took place in Frisco, Texas. During the tournament, Texas governor Greg Abbott issued guidance to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services asking employees to report trans children and their parents to state authorities, referring to gender-affirming care as a form of “child abuse.”
On the night that letter was sent, several USWNT players wore athletic tape around their wrists with the message “Protect Trans Kids.” After the game, midfielder Catarina Macario (who displayed her wristband after scoring in the first half) said it was an idea prompted by Rapinoe — and one that she and others were determined to amplify.
Macario shows her wristband after scoring against Iceland in February 2022 (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
“With the platform we have, we really wanted to show why this team is different and why we do things that are much bigger than just the game,” Macario said. “It was just a way to show awareness, especially because we were playing in Texas.”
The U.S. opened the following SheBelieves Cup in Florida, another state that had enacted anti-trans legislation. The players wore tape on their wrists again, this time with the words “Defend Trans Joy.”
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Those games were played as the Missouri state legislature was reviewing a wave of proposed legislation along similar lines as Florida and Texas. Becky Sauerbrunn, a Missouri native and the team’s captain, wrote an op-ed piece for the Springfield News-Leader that left no questions about why she felt strongly opposed to the motions, stating that the proposals “don’t consider any of the actual challenges to women and girls in sport.”
“I have been championing gender equity in sport for a long time,” Sauerbrunn wrote in part, “and I am done seeing transgender youth being cruelly targeted to score political points. Transgender people are exactly that, people — not tools to be wielded in a climb up the political ladder.”
This wasn’t the case of a team’s captain championing a cause in isolation. The piece resonated within the locker room.
“I did read what Becky said, and she is a true leader,” Alex Morgan said at the time. “Not only within our team, but standing up for trans kids and being an ally and advocate for a lot of groups who are targeted.”
The USWNT’s advocacy has not been limited to SheBelieves Cup and trans rights. Albert has only just begun to be introduced to a team with a years-long history of taking visible stances on an array of political and societal issues. Sauerbrunn said it was a crucial part of representing the United States on its national team, and Morgan agreed.
“When I represent this country, it’s knowing that it is a great country, but it’s also a country that has a lot to work on,” Morgan told Time ahead of the 2019 World Cup. “But I’m willing to be a part of that, to put the work in, to make it as good as it can be.”
The USWNT has been a political body almost by virtue of its very existence, as women’s sports are inherently political.
USWNT players such as Rapinoe have used their platform for advocacy (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)
In the United States, women were denied the ability to play organized sports until the landmark Title IX legislation passed in 1972, protecting people from discrimination based on “sex in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance.” It took 13 more years for the first version of the USWNT to form, and nearly a full 20 before it played in the first Women’s World Cup.
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With that context in mind, it’s inherent that today’s USWNT players are not just athletes, but also symbols of societal progress – whether they desire that label or not. Yet USWNT players tend to be highly aware that to represent one of the world’s most diverse nations in this particular arena — especially given the on-field prominence of the team — is a rare platform for advocacy.
Individually and as a group, USWNT figures have spoken out about racial justice in the weeks following the murder of George Floyd and the death of Breonna Taylor. They’ve fought for equal pay in their own labor deal with U.S. Soccer, even as the federation’s lawyers argued that they deserved less because the “overall soccer playing ability” for the men’s national team is “materially influenced by the level of certain physical attributes, such as speed and strength, required for the job.” After striking that deal, they’ve advocated to improve working conditions for other national teams, including Spain, Canada and Jamaica.
Publicly, all of this opened the USWNT up to a wave of criticism from detractors who felt their full focus should be on kicking a ball.
With Rapinoe’s retirement and veteran captain Sauerbrunn not rostered, the USWNT will enter this year’s SheBelieves with a group dynamic that is still in flux, playing under an interim coach until the arrival of Emma Hayes in May.
The next generation of players is already putting its stamp on the team’s on-field identity. In light of Albert’s social media behavior, this year’s SheBelieves may show us how that generation intends to shape its off-field identity as well.
(Top photo: Robin Alam/Getty Images)
Catarina Macario, Mallory Swanson discuss USWNT returns: ‘You can’t take your health for granted’
By Steph Yang 3, 2024
Two players that the United States desperately missed during the 2023 Women’s World Cup are back in national team camp, with Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario both returning for the SheBelieves Cup after long injury recoveries.Swanson suffered a torn patellar tendon on April 8, 2023 in a national team game against the Republic of Ireland in Austin, Texas. Macario tore her ACL on June 1, 2022 while playing for her now-former club, Lyon. Macario’s last appearance for the USWNT was in a friendly against Uzbekistan on April 12, 2022 in Chester, Pennsylvania.“I think the first thing that comes to my mind is just being grateful,” Swanson said about her return. “One thing that I learned throughout my injury was that you can’t ever take life for granted. You can’t take your health for granted.”Both players ended up missing the World Cup. Their absences were a huge blow to the USWNT’s chances as they both played critical roles in the starting XI, and their return could be key for the USWNT’s Olympic hopes.Swanson said that there was a moment after her first surgery that she thought she might still make it back in time for the World Cup. “I remember texting my surgeon and being like ‘How long is this recovery,’ and he was like ‘Six months,’ and I was like ‘Oh, I can make it four. I’m gonna do it,’” she said.
But, as she revealed on The Women’s Game podcast in February, she suffered a septic infection in her knee after the first surgery and had to have a second surgery to remove the infection.“And I think that was the point that really slowed me down,” she said. “And looking back at it, I’m very thankful for how everything worked out because ultimately I learned a lot about life. I’ve never gone through something like what I went through and I think it gave me some time to evaluate myself, evaluate my life, and also take a step back and enjoy, honestly, being with my husband in Chicago.”Meanwhile, Macario was rehabbing in London during the World Cup and said it was difficult to watch the tournament. But it was also a sunny summer in the city, which helped.“(The sun) helped a lot to feel like I was a little bit back home in San Diego or Brazil,” she said. “I just tried to focus on the little things that I could control, and obviously it did take a lot longer than I expected, which was devastating. But the most important thing is that now I’m back and I hope that I can contribute to the team as much as possible leading up to the Olympics and this tournament as well. I just feel like I’ve been very, very blessed with all the people around me showing so much support and love and not feeling rushed to come back.
“Even though I could have had two children by now,” Macario added, laughing.
The USWNT will face Japan on Saturday, April 6 in the first of two games for the nation in the truncated SheBelieves Cup. Before joining the USWNT in training, Swanson and Macario returned to play for their respective clubs and have looked in good form. Swanson played a full 90 minutes for the Chicago Red Stars last weekend, scoring a goal against the Orlando Pride. Macario has been building her minutes for Chelsea since her return to play on March 3 as a substitute against Leicester City, a game in which she also scored a goal.Being able to get back into the rhythm of games with their clubs has been a matter of communication between themselves, their clubs, and U.S. Soccer, and some good timing. Macario, of course, can go directly to future U.S. head coach Emma Hayes at Chelsea for feedback, but said she ultimately left the loading to the experts.“I know that Chelsea and U.S. Soccer, they’re basically having meetings all the time and just try and figure out the right way to manage me in order to allow me to be in this environment for as long as possible,” she said. “Considering that I’ve been out for so long, we do have to take certain things into consideration.”wanson, who also played 80-plus minutes in two NWSL games before that last weekend, didn’t hide that it was a grueling transition.
“I was just like, ‘Welcome back!’ I forgot how hard (playing 90 minutes) is,” she said. “I think with U.S. Soccer and then with the Red Stars and talking to (head coach) Lorne (Donaldson), I think the timing actually worked out pretty well being able to use preseason and those preseason games as games that I can build minutes in.”
SheBelieves will be the last games under interim head coach Twila Kilgore. Emma Hayes will arrive in June for two friendlies against South Korea, which is a short window for both Swanson and Macario to get back up to speed with the national team as well as to adjust to newer and younger teammates who have joined the pool, including Jenna Nighswonger, Olivia Moultrie, and Jaedyn Shaw. There are also newcomers like Eva Gaetino and Lily Yohannes, whom Macario got a chance to see up close when Chelsea faced Ajax in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal.
At 16, USWNT midfielder Lily Yohannes is right on time
“She’s a tremendous player. Really sweet girl. I honestly cannot believe that she’s 16,” said Macario. “She just reads the game so well and you can really see that. Ajax, they had a tremendous run in the Champions League and I do feel like that was a lot thanks to her.
“I remember joking around with her after the first game, I was like, ‘Oh, you’re American, right? You’re gonna join us?’ or something like that. And then I find out a few days later that she was called into camp. So that was really sweet.”Both Swanson and Macario were clearly in good spirits, laughing as they answered questions and ruminated on returning to play together after long recoveries.
“I feel like it’s always once something’s taken away from you, you always have a new perspective on it,” said Swanson. “I’m very just grateful to be back in this environment, back with this team and wearing the crest because it means so much.”
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Macario described how it felt to step back on the field when she substituted in for Chelsea against Leicester. She said it felt the same being back in USWNT camp.
“It just really felt like a dream, just felt surreal,” she said. “It almost, looking back in the 641 days that it took, it just kind of all happened in the blink of an eye.
“I felt like crying but at the same time not because well, first of all, I’m in public and I hate crying in public. … I think probably the biggest thing was just getting over that mental hurdle that was like, ‘OK, I’m safe, I’m good to play again. I got this.”
(Top photo: Getty Images)
Alex Morgan, Lindsey Horan on Korbin Albert social media activity: ‘Disappointing and extremely, extremely sad’
By Meg LinehanApr 3, 2024 The Atletic
On Wednesday, USWNT captain Lindsey Horan and Alex Morgan delivered a prepared statement to reporters addressing last week’s resurfacing of USWNT midfielder Korbin Albert’s social media activity.
“We just want to address the disappointing situation regarding Korbin that has unfolded over this past week. We’ve worked extremely hard to uphold the integrity of this national team through all of the generations, and we are extremely, extremely sad that this standard was not upheld,” Horan began. “Our fans and our supporters feel like this is a team that they can rally behind, and it’s so important that they feel and continue to feel undeniably heard and seen.”
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Albert had engaged with content on TikTok that runs counter to the U.S. team’s long-running and public support of LGBTQ+ rights. Her activity included reposting videos — one of which included a sermon given in a Christian worship space talking about how being gay and “feeling transgender” is wrong. She also liked content about Rapinoe being injured in her final game.
USWNT’s Korbin Albert apologizes for social media posts after Megan Rapinoe’s criticism
“We stand by maintaining a safe and respectful space, especially as allies and members of the LGBTQ+ community,” Morgan continued in the statement. “This platform has given us an opportunity to highlight causes that matter to us, something that we never take for granted.”
Morgan stated that the team has also had internal discussions over Albert’s social media activity, and those discussions “will stay within the team.”
Mal Swanson and Catarina Macario were the two players originally scheduled for the virtual media availability, and Swanson declined to get into any specifics about those conversations when asked.
“We’ve had internal conversations and ultimately, those just stay internal,” Swanson said.
The USWNT has long been ‘bigger than just the game,’ SheBelieves Cup will be a test of that
Morgan stressed at the end of the prepared statement that such an internal discussion would not be avoided, even if unpleasant. “One thing to also to know is that we have never shied away from hard conversations within this team,” she said.
In Albert’s apology, posted on March 28, she wrote in part, “I’m really disappointed in myself and am deeply sorry for the hurt that I have caused to my teammates, other players, fans, friends and anyone who was offended. I truly believe that everyone should feel safe and respected everywhere and on all playing fields. I know my actions have not lived up to that and for that I sincerely apologize. It’s an honor and a privilege to play this sport on the world stage and I promise to do better.”
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UPDATE (4/5): On Friday, USWNT interim head coach Twila Kilgore followed up on Horan and Morgan’s comments by saying, “It is disappointing when somebody falls short of the very high standards that we set within this team. This team has always been a beacon of respect, inclusion and demonstrated great allyship through actions for underrepresented and marginalized groups, including the LGBTQ+ community. And we will continue to do so.
“As Lindsay and Alex mentioned, this team has never shied away from hard conversations and today we’re here continuing to work on getting better, continuing to work on preparing ourselves to make ourselves proud, make our fans proud and put ourselves in the best position to continue to look towards success as we start this tournament.”
Kilgore added that Albert is available to play in the SheBelieves Cup. The U.S. will face Japan in their opening match on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET.
USMNT up to 11th in latest FIFA men’s world rankings, England down to fourth
By Nnamdi Onyeagwarar 4, 2024
The USMNT have climbed up to 11th in the latest FIFA men’s world rankings, while England have dropped to fourth.Following their CONCACAF Nations League victories over Jamaica and Mexico in March, Gregg Berhalter’s U.S. side have moved up two places to 11th, just behind Croatia who complete the top 10.Gareth Southgate’s England, though, have failed to secure a victory in their last three games, drawing with Belgium and losing to Brazil during the March international break, having drawn with North Macedonia in their final European Championship qualifier in November.
How to follow the Copa America on The Athletic…
Germany, who host the European Championship this summer, remain 16th.
Argentina, who won the World Cup in 2022 and have only lost one of their last 12 games since the competition, are still ranked as the world’s No 1 side.
France remain in second while Belgium, who are unbeaten in their last 13 games, move up to third from fourth place.
Indonesia are the biggest climbest in the most recent rankings, moving up eight places to 134th, while Vietnam suffered the biggest drop, going down ten places to 115th.
An England summer exit or target the World Cup – what next for Gareth Southgate?
England lost to Brazil at Wembley Stadium last month and have not won since beating Malta 2-0 in November (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
FIFA Men’s World Rankings Top 15:
- Argentina
- France
- Belgium
- England
- Brazil
- Portugal
- Netherlands
- Spain
- Italy
- Croatia
- USMNT
- Colombia
- Morocco
- Mexico
- Uruguay
USMNT weekend viewing guide: Firming things up
Races are heating up
By jcksnftsn Apr 5, 2024, 9:05am PDT
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It’s really getting to crunch time and despite La Liga taking a break this weekend for the Copa del Ray final there is a lot of action to watch as the Old Firm derby and some key Championship matches add themselves to the mix. Here’s what we’re watching:
Friday
Eintracht Frankfurt v Werder Bremen – 2:30p on ESPN+
Timothy Chandler has appeared in three straight matches and four of the past five for Eintracht Frankfurt though all four appearances have been with under five minutes remaining in the match. Frankfurt drew with Union Berlin last weekend and remain in sixth place on a little tier by themselves; they are nine points back of fifth place RB Leipzig and five points ahead of seventh place Augsburg.
Saturday
Norwich City v Ipswich Town – 7:30a on ESPN+
We’re keeping an eye on the English Championship as well this weekend where Josh Sargent and Norwich City take on league leading Ipswich Town. There are a couple of tight races in the promotion hunt with three teams, including Ipswich Town separated by just two points and battling for the top two spots and automatic promotion. Sargent and Norwich city are involved in the second race which is for sixth place and the final promotion playoff position. Currently Norwich hold the position by four points over Haji Wright’s Coventry City but Coventry have a game in hand so it’s still a wide open race with six matches to play and there are three other teams just two points removed from Coventry as well that will be looking to sneak in.
Crystal Palace v Manchester City – 7:30a on USA Network
Chris Richards picked up a knock last weekend against Nottingham Forest and is expected to miss a couple of weeks for Crystal Palace who take on Manchester City on Saturday morning. Palace are coming off a 1-0 loss to Bournemouth and their recent run of form has included draws to relegation candidates Forest and Luton Town but they remain eight points out of the relegation scrap heading into a brutal final stretch of the season that will see them play five of their seven matches against top eight opponents including City and league leading Liverpool.
AC Milan v Lecce – 9a on CBSSN
Coming off of International break Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah were both substitutes last weekend, typical for Musah but an extra rest for Pulisic after long travel. Milan defeated Fiorentina 2-1 and hold a six point advantage over Juventus for second place in Serie A. This weekend’s opponent is Lecce who are five spots, but just four points, removed from relegation in what is a tight lower third of the Serie A table.
Union Berlin v Bayer Leverkusen – 9:30a on ESPN+
Brenden Aaronson saw a second straight start last weekend as Union Berlin played Eintracht Frankfurt to a scoreless draw. After their incredibly rough start to the season Berlin have straightened things out a bit and are now nine points clear of relegation but things will be quite challenging this weekend as they face a Bayer Leverkusen side that is running away with the Bundesliga title and undefeated in 40 straight matches.
Heidenheim v Bayern Munich – 9:30a on ESPN+
Lennard Maloney returned from injury last weekend and saw a minute off the bench in Heidenheim’s 3-3 draw with Stuttgart after missing the past three matches due to injury. Heidenheim have avoided the relegation scrap in their first year following promotion but are winless in their past six matches heading into their fixture against Bayern Munich who are having a down year but handled Heidenheim 4-2 in the first meeting between the clubs this season.
Fulham v Newcastle United – 10a on Peacock
Tim Ream has not been seeing minutes recently but Antonee Robinson continues to play nearly every minute for the EPL side, he’s over 3,100 minutes for the club across all competitions this season with seven matches (and 630 minutes) still remaining to play. Fulham are coming off a bad loss to Nottingham Forest but remain in thirteenth place, five points behind their opponent this weekend Newcastle, who are in eighth.
Luton Town v Bournemouth – 10a on Peacock
Tyler Adams was back in a big way last weekend, picking up man of the match honors while going the full 90’ in Bournemouth’s 2-1 win over Everton. Adams received an understandable break mid-week given that he’s just returned from injury as Bournemouth defeated Crystal Palace 1-0. Bournemouth have won three straight and the nine points has they well clear of the relegation zone and in the middle of the table as they take on a Luton Town side that currently sit in the relegation zone, three points from safety and are looking for their first win in twelve matches.
PSV Eindhoven v AZ Alkmaar – 12:45p on ESPN+
Sergino Dest, Malik Tillman, Ricardo Pepi, and PSV saw their undefeated Eredivisie campaign come to an end last weekend with a 3-1 loss to NEC Nijmegen but bounced back midweek with a 2-0 win over Excelsior. PSV still hold a nine point lead for the league title with six matches remaining. They take on fourth place AZ Alkmaar who they defeated 4-0 in December which included Malik Tillman assisting on a Sergino Dest goal.
LAFC v LA Galaxy – 7:30p on Fox
Timothy Tillman and Aaron Long will start for LAFC as they take on the LA Galaxy in the most recent edition of el Traffico. The Galaxy are currently leading the Western Conference while last years champions, LAFC, are off to a slower start, currently in 9th place.
Sunday
Rangers v Celtic – 7a on CBSSN
Cameron Carter-Vickers and Celtic have a one point lead over Rangers who have a game in hand as they head to Ibrox Stadium for the latest edition of the Old Firm Derby with huge title implications. Carter-Vickers has dealt with some injury issues this season but has started four straight for Celtic including wearing the captains armband in the last three.
Hoffenheim v Augsburg – 9:30a on ESPN+
John Brooks has returned from his red card suspension and will be available for Hoffenheim as they take on Augsburg who are three points ahead of them in the table, with both teams looking unlikely to threaten for European qualification nor be threatened by relegation. It remains to be seen whether Brooks will return immediately to the starting lineup, he has been in and out of the lineup a bit this season and cards have been a bit of an issue recently; in addition to his early red card that led to his suspension Brooks has received a yellow card in three of his previous four matches.
Monaco v Rennes – 11:05a on beIN Sports
Folarin Balogun didn’t get the start last weekend but came on as a sub and netted two goals in Monaco’s 5-2 win over Metz last weekend. With the win Monaco remained within a point of second place and three points ahead of Lille in the race for the final Champions League spot.
Wolfsburg v Borussia Monchengladbach – 11:30a on ESPN+
Wolfsburg snapped an eleven match winless streak last weekend as they defeated Werder Bremen 2-0 with Kevin Paredes starting yet again. The win gives Wolfsburg an eight point cushion over Mainz for relegation and leaves them tied with Joe Scally, Jordan Pefok, and Borussia Monchengladbach who fell to Freiburg 3-0 last weekend.
Sheffield United v Chelsea – 12:30p on NBC
Auston Trusty started at left-wingback for Sheffield United on Thursday in the team’s 3-1 loss to league leading Liverpool. The loss leaves Sheffield on track for both relegation and a historic goals-allowed number. On Sunday they face Chelsea who broke back into the top ten with a 4-3 win over Manchester United on Thursday.
Tottenham Hotspur v Nottingham Forest – 1p on USA Network
Matt Turner wasn’t on the field but he did make it into the refs book on Tuesday as he picked up a yellow card for kicking a ball onto the field to delay a Fulham restart as Nottingham Forest needed a full team effort to pull off the 3-1 win. Giovanni Reyna saw minutes as a substitute for the second straight match, coming on in relief of Morgan Gibbs-White who had already picked up a goal and an assist in the match.
Juventus v Fiorentina – 2:45p on Paramount+
Weston McKennie was also given a bit of a rest coming out of the international break and was brought on as a halftime substitute in Juventus’ 1-0 loss to Lazio in league play. Midweek Juventus bounced back to win the first leg of their Copa Italia semi-final matchup, also against Lazio, 2-0. Timothy Weah came on as a late substitute in both matches and picked up a yellow card in each one as well. On Sunday Juventus will take on tenth place Fiorentina who are also coming off a midweek Copa Italia win, 1-0 over Atalanta.
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 “Tyler has been always (talkative). He’s a captain with the national team. Even in the trainings, he’s going to be arguing. If he’s losing, he’s not gonna be happy. He will be demanding with the others. And this is a very good thing to have in the team.”The above quote is from Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola, when asked about Tyler Adams’  leadership qualities just after Tyler’s first start of the season Saturday against Everton. The 25-year-old from Wappingers Falls, N.Y. went the full 90 in the Cherries’ 2-1 win, and was named Player of the Match. Heat maps that wouldn’t look out of place at a Jackson Pollock exhibit — paint sprayed across the entire canvas — will do that for a player.So is it safe to say that Adams is back? Well, based on the fact that he didn’t come off the bench in Bournemouth’s 1-0 win over Palace on Tuesday, it could be a case of the USMNT midfielder still working his way back to full-full fitness. But for a player as focused, vocal, and intense as Tyler, it would seem that he’s going to be tough to keep off the pitch for long.”He wants to go for all the balls,” continued Iraola. “He’s very instinctive and he wants to cover a lot.”Here’s to hoping he gets the chance to continue to provide cover in the Cherries’ next match: a visit to Luton Town on Saturday.Elsewhere in England …Four USMNTers were at the City Ground on Tuesday, as Nottingham Forest beat Fulham 3-1 in the most recent Premier League Bowl. Highlights of the match included: Antonee Robinson (26; Liverpool, ENG) playing his 12th straight complete game for Fulhamerica; and Gio Reyna subbing on in the 77th minute for the Tricky Trees, meaning in the last week the 21-year-old from Bedford, N.Y. has seen more playing time (45 minutes) than he had the entire two months prior (41). Tim Ream (36; St. Louis, MO) and Matt Turner (29; Park Ridge, NJ) did not see any action, although Matty T showed he’s a dawg who’s always up for a dawgfight, after getting a yellow card for barking at the ref from the bench.    In the Championship, Haji Wright (26; Los Angeles, CA) made it five goals in his last six games for Coventry City, popping in a far-post worm-burner (Watch) in the Sky Blues’ 3-1 win at Huddersfield Town on Friday. Not to be outdone, Josh Sargent (24; O’Fallon, MO) made it four in his last six with a lovely little set-piece first-timer (Watch) in Norwich City’s 2-1 win over Plymouth Argyle on Friday. And then Duane Holmes (29; Columbus, GA) completed the end-of-week Americans Abroad Hat Trick by driving one home from close range (Watch) in Preston North End’s 3-0 win over Rotherham United. Good Friday, indeed.Balogun Brace Built by Extra Train Rides, Extra Training:We at ASU could not be any happier for Folarin Balogun  (22; London, ENG), after the USMNT striker scored his seventh and eighth goals of the season (Watch) as a sub in Monaco’s 5-2 win at Metz on Saturday. The off-the-bench brace was the first by an American Abroad in Europe’s Top 5 leagues since Charlies Davies did the same for Sochaux in 2009.The current campaign has been a bit of a struggle for the former Arsenal forward, whose summer arrival with the French club was met with lofty expectations after joining for $44 million on the heels of 22 goals for Reims in Ligue 1 in 2022-23. But after scoring three goals in his first five games for Monaco, Balo has been in and out of the starting lineup for Les Rouge et Blanc, only scoring three times since October 7 before his brace over the weekend.While his goal-scoring struggles have been front and center for all to see, something that had been kept behind the scenes until now was the hard work and sacrifice Balogun originally put in to become a high-level finisher. Speaking to the Inside Track podcast, individual instructor Saul Isaksson-Hurst talked about how Balogun, then with Arsenal, would take the train from London to France on his off days to get extra one-on-one training with the former Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs academy coach.“Flo would be doing a finishing session at Arsenal, but there would be six or seven other players there and it may not be specifically on what he needs to work on,” said Isaksson-Hurst. “Flo used to come back on the Eurostar on his days off to do sessions and then go back. He’s another really committed young pro.”Here’s to hoping the hard work done years ago continues to pay dividends for one of America’s finest.News and Notes:After his assist against Lazio in Juventus’ 2-0 Coppa Italia win on Tuesday (Watch), it’s now 10 dimes in all comps for Weston McKennie  (25; Little Elm, TX) this season. Half of these have been to Dusan Vlahovic, so naturally Wes gave him a friendly shout-out on IG.Malik Tillman  (21; Nürnberg, GER) had an assist (Watch) — his 11th of the season — in PSV’s 2-0 win at Excelsior on Tuesday. The victory comes on the heels of their first league loss of the season on Saturday, a 3-1 defeat at NEC Nijmegen, which ended a remarkable 26-match undefeated streak to open their Eredivisie campaign.Brenden Aaronson  (23; Medford, NJ) got the start and played 65 minutes in Union Berlin’s scoreless draw at Frankfurt on Saturday. The Iron Ones are now undefeated in Aaronson’s last three starts.Alex Zendejas  (26; El Paso, TX) scored his fifth in his last six games for Club America (Watch) in a 4-0 win at New England Revolution Tuesday in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.Gianluca Busio (21; Greensboro, NC) scored his sixth goal of the season for Venezia (Watch) in their 3-2 loss at Reggiana Monday. The Canal Boys are now one point out of the Serie B automatic promotion spots with seven matches to play.In Spain’s second tier, Konrad de la Fuente  (22; Barcelona, ESP) bagged a brace (Watch) in Eibar’s 5-1 win over Eldense on Sunday. Los Armeros are in second place — hence, in the automatic promotion spots — with nine matches to go in LaLiga2.Parting Shots:Massive congrats to teen striker Joel Imasuen for making his Werder Bremen first-team debut in the Green-Whites’ 2-0 loss to Wolfsburg on Sunday. The 19-year-old born in Atlanta, Ga. came on in the 89th minute of the match, having earned his place in the senior squad thanks to 27 goals in 21 matches for Werder Bremen II this season. Imasuen played with Hertha Berlin from 2016-21, then spent a season with Viktoria 1889 Berlin before joining Werder Bremen in 2022. |
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Will things get any better at Barcelona for the exiting Xavi? (David Ramos/Getty Images)
Openda has been in fine form for a struggling Leipzig team (Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
City are motoring at full speed with Haaland and De Bruyne back (Darren Staples/AFP via Getty Images)
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