ASN WatchList
U.S. Women, FA Cup, Liga MX All on TV This Weekend
Welcome to ASN WatchList, our new and improved weekly guide to the best soccer on TV. It's also Sean Maslin's first piece for ASN, so be a mensch and welcome him in the Comments section.
WE'RE REBOOTING OUR TV COLUMN, effective immediately. It's weekly, as before. It focuses on Americans, as befits this site. But it will now include some of the top European, South American, Asian, and African matches—contests that American soccer obsessives should keep in their consideration set.
So while we will continue to keep a close eye on Fabian Johnson and Tim Ream and Ventura Alvarado, we will also alert you to other TV opportunities—say, the epic confrontation between Boca Juniors and River Plate or perhaps even the Serbian derby between Partizan Belgrade and Red Star.
Also, if you want to tell us about a great bar or restaurant where you watch your soccer, please do so in the Comments section below.
OK—let’s get to this week’s action (all times Eastern).
3pm, Fox Sports 1
Last Sunday proved to be a mixed bag for U.S. Soccer. While the men's national team pulled off the victory against Panama, the women looked completely overmatched in a 2-0 loss to France. Jill Ellis' side has now lost two of its last four matches as it prepares for both the Algarve Cup (which begins next month) and the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in June.
If the Yanks are to turn it around, it will need need to do so against an English side that is one of the rising powers of women’s football. England has made two consecutive World Cup quarterfinal appearances and will look to expose a U.S. defense that has given up five second-half goals in its last five matches.
Queretaro vs Cruz Azul; 8:30pm; ESPN Deportes
Tijuana vs Pumas UNAM; 10:30pm; ESPN Deportes
10am; Fox Sports 2
Geoff Cameron came off the bench to make a huge impact in last week’s Premier League match for Stoke, setting up Peter Crouch's late goal to help the Potters to a 1-1 draw with Newcastle. That's the good news. The bad? Cameron has finds himself in the unfamiliar position of fighting for playing time in Staffordshire. Blackburn will no doubt use this FA Cup match as a chance to get itself into form for the English Championship playoff drive. After Wednesday’s 2-1 victory over Rotherham, the Rovers are 10 points behind Brentford for the final playoff spot. FA Cup history lesson. Stoke has never won the FA Cup while Blackburn last won it in 1928. Real Madrid vs Deportivo La Coruna
noon; beIN Sports
Atletico Madrid humiliated Real Madrid last week, 4-0. Real Madrid will be looking to take it out on somebody. This week James and Gareth and Cristiano and Javier face 11th place Deportivo La Coruna. It could get ugly. Club America vs Chiapas
6pm; Univision
Although he was not called in to Jurgen Klinsmann’s January camp, Club America defender Ventura Alvarado continues to show he deserves a look. Perhaps you should give him 90 minutes of your time as well. Alvarado emerged on the scene last year as a replacement for Pablo Aguilar and has once again staked a claim for the starting role. America (2-2-1, 8 points) recently fired manager Antonio Mohamed and replaced him with Gustavo Matosas—so another strong performance could help Alvarado solidify his position.
Palermo vs Napoli; 2:45pm; beIN Sports
Malaga vs Espanyol; 4pm; beIN Sports
7:30am; Fox Sports
One of the few bright spots for Villa this season has been the play of goalkeeper Brad Guzan. Although Guzan has had better seasons in the Premier League he has proven his leadership skills this season by keeping Villa in matches they really had no business being in. But it's really bad in Birmingham: Villa has scored just 12 goals this season—by far the lowest in the Premier League. Leicester City isn't much better. The club has not scored more than two goals in a match in the Premier League since a 2-2 New Year’s Day draw with Liverpool. FA Cup-wise, Leicester can at look back on its highly unlikely 2-1 defeat of Tottenham for inspiration.
FC Barcelona vs Levante; 11am; beIN Sports
Arsenal vs Middlesbrough; 11am; Fox Sports 2 This is Sean Maslin's first piece for American Soccer Now. Tell him what you think of his debut piece below and then follow him on Twitter.
Friday
United States vs. England3pm, Fox Sports 1
Last Sunday proved to be a mixed bag for U.S. Soccer. While the men's national team pulled off the victory against Panama, the women looked completely overmatched in a 2-0 loss to France. Jill Ellis' side has now lost two of its last four matches as it prepares for both the Algarve Cup (which begins next month) and the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in June.
If the Yanks are to turn it around, it will need need to do so against an English side that is one of the rising powers of women’s football. England has made two consecutive World Cup quarterfinal appearances and will look to expose a U.S. defense that has given up five second-half goals in its last five matches.
Also on Friday
Borussia Dortmund vs Mainz; 2:30pm; GolTVQueretaro vs Cruz Azul; 8:30pm; ESPN Deportes
Tijuana vs Pumas UNAM; 10:30pm; ESPN Deportes
Saturday
Blackburn Rovers vs Stoke City10am; Fox Sports 2
Geoff Cameron came off the bench to make a huge impact in last week’s Premier League match for Stoke, setting up Peter Crouch's late goal to help the Potters to a 1-1 draw with Newcastle. That's the good news. The bad? Cameron has finds himself in the unfamiliar position of fighting for playing time in Staffordshire. Blackburn will no doubt use this FA Cup match as a chance to get itself into form for the English Championship playoff drive. After Wednesday’s 2-1 victory over Rotherham, the Rovers are 10 points behind Brentford for the final playoff spot. FA Cup history lesson. Stoke has never won the FA Cup while Blackburn last won it in 1928. Real Madrid vs Deportivo La Coruna
noon; beIN Sports
Atletico Madrid humiliated Real Madrid last week, 4-0. Real Madrid will be looking to take it out on somebody. This week James and Gareth and Cristiano and Javier face 11th place Deportivo La Coruna. It could get ugly. Club America vs Chiapas
6pm; Univision
Although he was not called in to Jurgen Klinsmann’s January camp, Club America defender Ventura Alvarado continues to show he deserves a look. Perhaps you should give him 90 minutes of your time as well. Alvarado emerged on the scene last year as a replacement for Pablo Aguilar and has once again staked a claim for the starting role. America (2-2-1, 8 points) recently fired manager Antonio Mohamed and replaced him with Gustavo Matosas—so another strong performance could help Alvarado solidify his position.
Also on Saturday
West Ham vs West Bromwich Albion; 7:30am; Fox Sports 1Palermo vs Napoli; 2:45pm; beIN Sports
Malaga vs Espanyol; 4pm; beIN Sports
Sunday
Aston Villa vs Leicester City7:30am; Fox Sports
One of the few bright spots for Villa this season has been the play of goalkeeper Brad Guzan. Although Guzan has had better seasons in the Premier League he has proven his leadership skills this season by keeping Villa in matches they really had no business being in. But it's really bad in Birmingham: Villa has scored just 12 goals this season—by far the lowest in the Premier League. Leicester City isn't much better. The club has not scored more than two goals in a match in the Premier League since a 2-2 New Year’s Day draw with Liverpool. FA Cup-wise, Leicester can at look back on its highly unlikely 2-1 defeat of Tottenham for inspiration.
Also on Sunday
Roma vs Parma; 9am; beIN SportsFC Barcelona vs Levante; 11am; beIN Sports
Arsenal vs Middlesbrough; 11am; Fox Sports 2 This is Sean Maslin's first piece for American Soccer Now. Tell him what you think of his debut piece below and then follow him on Twitter.
