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5 to Watch This Weekend

Chandler Seeks Europe; Donovan's First MLS Start?

Nuremberg needs some results to reach the Europa league, while the Los Angeles Galaxy battle FC Dallas. Eduardo Mendez has the five matches you should be watching this weekend.
BY Eduardo Mendez Posted
April 12, 2013
12:20 PM
SATURDAY
Bayern Munich vs. Nuremberg
9:30 a.m. (all times Eastern)
GolTV

With six games in hand, the Bundesliga has already been decided. The remaining European spots have not. There is still an opportunity for Timothy Chandler to find himself in the Europa League next season. Chandler has gone the full 90 for Nürnberg the last two weeks. He has attempted three shots—two on goal—in the process. More will be needed from the midfielder if Nuremberg is to chip away at the four-point advantage held by SC Freiburg and Eintracht Frankfurt. After a mid-week Champions League performance, Bayern will not be at full strength. This is the perfect opportunity for Chandler and company to steal a point.

FC Dallas vs. Los Angeles Galaxy
7:30 p.m.
NBC Sports Network

Eventually, Jurgen Klinsmann will have to address the elephant in the room: When will Landon Donovan return to the national team picture? The Galaxy were eliminated from the CONCACAF Champions League Wednesday night. Perhaps of more importance, Donovan went the full 90 for the first time since returning from his self-imposed exile. He’ll have another opportunity to improve his fitness against an upstart FC Dallas team that sits atop the Supporters’ Shield standings. The Galaxy remain the only unbeaten team in MLS. Something has to give Saturday night.

SUNDAY
Stoke City vs. Manchester United
9:00 a.m.
Fox Soccer Channel

How did it ever come to this for Stoke City? After losing five of its last six matches, Stoke finds itself just three points clear of relegation. Geoff Cameron and company will have to improve on recent form if they are to avoid the dreaded drop zone. That task becomes more arduous by the fixture. This week Stoke hosts the soon-to-be-crowned Premier League champions. More than talent separates Stoke from Manchester United; forty-three points to be exact. If Stoke does not improve its recent form, it’ll be more than that next season. It’ll be an entire division of English football.

UNAM Vs. Tigres
1:00 p.m.
Univision, Univision Deportes

Tigres still finds itself atop the Liga MX table, albeit narrowly. With just a two-point advantage over Atlas, José Francisco Torres must travel to Mexico City to take on the Pumas of UNAM. The Pumas sit seven points back in the table. This is the first meeting in the Clausura tournament between the two. Tigres—who remain unbeaten after 13 matches—will look to build on that championship form. It will be a tough test on the road, however. UNAM have not lost at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario since late January.

U.S. Under-17 men’s national team vs. Honduras
6:00 p.m.
Fox Soccer Channel, Univision Deportes

It’s not the revenge the U.S. wanted. That chance will come in June. In the meantime, the U.S. can exact some semblance of revenge by eliminating Honduras from the CONCACAF U-17 Championship. A victory over Los Catrachos will setup a potential showdown with Mexico April 17. That alone makes Sunday’s quarterfinal worth watching.

BEST OF THE REST
MLS: Seattle Sounders vs. New England Revolution (4:00 p.m., Saturday, MLS Live)—The Sounders are the only winless team in MLS. The pressure is on to correct that. Enjoy rookie sensation Andrew Farrell as well.

NO U.S. ANGLE BUT...
English FA Cup: Millwall vs. Wigan Athletic (12:15 p.m., Saturday, Fox Soccer Plus)—It’s not the sexiest matchup, but MLS fans should have their eye on former Sporting Kansas City midfielder Roger Espinoza.

English FA Cup: Chelsea vs. Manchester City (11:00 a.m., Sunday, Fox Soccer Channel)—The world will be tuning in for this one. You should too.

So what are you watching this weekend? Which matches did we miss that we should tune in for? Let us know in the new and improved comments section.

Eduardo Mendez (@Mendez_FC) is a writer based in Brooklyn and an ASN contributor.

 

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