photo by Javier Garcia/ISIphotos.com
By FRANCO PANIZO
Three months into the season, Everton and Fulham are each just two points away from the relegation zone, leaving Tim Howard and Clint Dempsey to attempt to help further their respective club away from there this weekend.
They'll have to do so against one another, though.
Dempsey and Howard will do battle in the marquee match-up involving Americans Abroad this weekend. Dempsey heads into the match looking to build on his two goals and two assists this season, while Howard will aim to prevent that en route to recording his second cleansheet of the campaign.
Timmy Chandler shares a similar task this weekend, as he looks to help Nurnberg make its way up the Bundesliga table. Nurnberg is four points shy of the drop zone, and a win over fourth-place VfB Stuttgart could go a long way in helping Chandler and his club gain some momentum after failing to win in their last four league matches.
Wondering what other interesting match is on tap? Look no further than Michael Bradley and Chievo Verona's match against Inter Milan. Bradley has helped Chievo put together a string of good results since making his way into the lineup (including last weekend's scoreless draw against Juventus), and he'll try to do that once again when the Flying Donkeys take on talented-but-underwhelming Inter Milan.
Here is who the Americans Abroad face this weekend:
Luis Robles and Karlsruher SC play VfL Bochum.
Bobby Wood and TSV 1860 Munich play Matt Taylor and SC Paderborn 07.
Mix Diskerud and Stabaek IF play Josh Gatt, Sean Cunningham and Molde FK. (Gatt is out injured.)
SATURDAY
Brad Guzan, Eric Lichaj and Aston Villa play West Bromwich Albion. (Lichaj is out injured.)
Stuart Holden and Bolton Wanderers play Sunderland. (Holden is out injured.)
Zak Whitbread and Norwich City play Liverpool. (Whitbread is out injured).
Robbie Findley and Nottingham Forest play Blackpool.
Conor Doyle and Derby County play Middlesbrough.
Frank Simek and Carlisle United play Charlton Athletic. (Simek is out injured.)
Mike Grella and Brentford play Notts County.
Anton Peterlin and Walsall play Tranmere Rovers.
Alfredo Morales and Hertha Berlin play Mainz.
Timmy Chandler and FC Nurnberg play VfB Stuttgart.
Fabian Johnson, Danny Williams and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim play Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Quentin Westberg and Evian Thonon Gaillard play Sochaux.
Adrian Ruelas and Jaguares de Chiapas play Michael Orozco and San Luis.
Herculez Gomez and Estudiantes Tecos play Santos Laguna.
Jose Torres and Pachuca play Pumas UNAM. (Torres is out injured.)
Jonathan Bornstein and Tigres UANL play Monterrey.
Sonny Guadarrama and Atlante play Club Tijuana.
SUNDAY
Clint Dempsey and Fulham play Tim Howard, Marcus Hahnemann and Everton.
Brad Friedel and Tottenham Hotspur play Blackburn Rovers.
Jonathan Spector and Birmingham City play Bristol City.
Maurice Edu, Alejandro Bedoya, Carlos Bocanegra and Rangers play Heart of Midlothian.
Dominic Cervi and Celtic play Aberdeen.
Michael Bradley and Chievo Verona play Inter Milan.
David Yelldell and Bayer Leverkusen play Jermaine Jones and Schalke 04.
Steve Cherundolo and Hannover 96 play Bayern Munich.
Edson Buddle and FC Ingolstadt 04 play Alemannia Aachen.
Ricardo Clark and Eintracht Frankfurt play MSV Duisburg.
Jozy Altidore and AZ Alkmaar play Roda JC Kerkrade.
Eugene Starikov and FK Tom' Tomsk play Spartak Moscow.
Sacha Kljestan and RSC Anderlecht play KVC Westerlo.
Conor O'Brien and SonderjyskE play AC Horsens.
Chris Rolfe and Aalborg BK play Odense BK.
Brad Rusin and HB Koge play FC Midtjylland.
Clarence Goodson and Brondby IF play Silkeborg IF.
Samuel Petrone and Mjallby AIF play Ryan Miller and Halmstads BK.
DaMarcus Beasley and Puebla play Toluca.
Edgar Castillo and Club America play Chivas de Guadalajara.
MONDAY
Oguchi Onyewu and Sporting CP play Gil Vicente.
Michael Parkhurst and FC Nordsjaelland play FC Copenhagen.
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Which matches are you most looking forward to? What's more likely, Dempsey scoring or Howard getting a shutout? Think Chandler will put in a big performance against Stuttgart? How do you think Bradley will do against Inter?
Share your thoughts below.
