USMNT July 6-8 viewing guide and open thread

Another pair of MLS games will be available on Fox this weekend following the World Cup coverage for those who either can’t stop watching or are still wondering where their USMNT players are. Here’s what we’ve got:

Saturday

Los Angeles Football Club v Orlando City SC - 4:30p on Fox

Orlando City continued an incredible slide last weekend, losing their eighth straight game, a 4-0 trouncing at the hands of Atlanta United. The Lions haven’t won in over two months now and will be hard pressed as they head to LA where LAFC have yet to lose a game. The game will be Orlando City’s first under new coach James O’Connor, recently arrived from Louisville City FC of the USL. It remains to be seen what changes O’Connor will put in place but it seems likely that USMNT players Sacha Klejstan and Dom Dwyer will remain a part of the picture moving forward.

Los Angeles comes into the game undefeated in their last four but having left points on the table after giving up not one but two stoppage time goals to the Huston Dynamo mid-week. The tie has LAFC in third place in the Western Conference, four points back of leaders FC Dallas. LAFC have a handful of older generation players like Benny Feilhaber and Lee Nguyen but the most interesting names moving forward seem to be Walker Zimmerman who has been a regular presence in central defense and Shaft Brewer who has seen the field only three times this season but did make a brief appearance late last week.

Sunday

New York City FC v NY Red Bulls - 7:00p on FS1

USMNT fans can close out their soccer weekend with a cross town derby featuring one of the most promising young USMNT players in MLS and two teams that are suddenly manned by new coaches.

NYCFC are already under new leadership with Domenec Torrent stepping in and Patrick Vieira heading to Nice. Torrent won his debut but NYCFC’s road woes continued last weekend with a 3-2 loss to the Chicago Fire. Sean Johnson aside, and it seems unlikely he’ll have a significant role with the USMNT moving forward, their isn’t much to watch on the NYCFC side of the ball from a USMNT perspective, at least not until 18 year old James Sands starts to see playing time. Sands has made the bench but has yet to appear in a game this season.

Conversely 19 year old Tyler Adams continues to be the straw that stirs the Red Bulls drink and he remains one of the most exciting young USMNT players currently getting work done in the MLS. Adams and fellow USMNT player Tim Parker will be under new leadership as it was reported Friday morning that Chris Armas will be taking over for Jesse Marsch who has departed the team (reportedly for RB Leipzig).