USMNT weekend viewing guide: time to make an impression

With October rosters to be released shortly, players have one last chance to make an impression this weekend as they continue club play around the world. There are a number of opportunities to watch USMNT players in action, beginning on Friday afternoon with a tough matchup for Julian Green and Greuther Furth.

Friday

Greuther Furth v Bayern Munich - 2:30p on ESPN+

Julian Green’s Greuther Furth are off to a very rough start in their Bundesliga campaign with just one point through their first five matches and look bound to return to 2 Bundesliga. Things won’t get any easier for them this weekend as they face a Bayern Munich side that will have them heavily outmatched. Bayern dropped a couple of points in their opening match of the season when they were held to a 1-1 draw with Gladbach but have won every match since, including last weekends 7-0 win over Vfl Bochum. Furth’s best chance this weekend may be if Bayern become bored with domination and decide to switch to attempting to play volleyball mid-match.

Green started Furth’s first four matches but began last weekends match against Hertha Berlin on the bench and did not make an appearance in the 2-1 loss. The manager is probably feeling some heat to get some results, waiting for the January window doesn’t look like an option so changing leadership wouldn’t be shocking, he’s probably looking to pull any strings he can that might save his job.

Saturday

Chelsea v Manchester City - 7:30a on NBCSN

The EPL match of the weekend will see league leading Chelsea FC taking on 2020-21 winners Man City in a heavyweight bout. Early in the week there was some speculation that while Pulisic would miss Chelsea’s midweek cup matchup with Aston Villa he might be available off the bench this weekend against Man City. Unfortunately, Thomas Tuchel has confirmed that Pulisic remains out for the weekend. Chelsea will have their hands full this weekend with Man City and will also be without the services of Mason Mount in the midfield. Coming off a penalty kick win over Aston Villa it could be a long day for the club as they look to maintain their spot at the top of the table.

Other notes:

• The Philadelphia Union face Miles Robinson, George Bello, and Atlanta United at 3:30p on Saturday afternoon in a match that can be seen on TUDN, Univision, and Twitter.

Streaming overseas

• Matt Miazga and Deportivo Alaves face Atletico Madrid at 8a on ESPN+. Miazga was a late substitute for Alaves in their 1-0 loss to Espanyol on Wednesday.
• It’s a Centerback battle as Chris Richards and Hoffenheim face John Brooks at Wolfsburg at 9:30a on ESPN+. Wolfsburg failed to win for the first time in league action last weekend as they drew 1-1 with Eintracht Frankfurt, dropping points to a lower table team that they may rue as the season rolls on.
• RB Leipzig had another disappointing result last weekend as they drew 1-1 with Koln. Jesse Marsch will look to get Tyler Adams and company on track this weekend when they face Hertha Berlin at 9:30a on ESPN+.
• Josh Sargent saw his first EPL start for Norwich City last weekend. Unfortunately, the club lost to Watford 3-1 and are still looking for their first points of the season. This weekend the club will face Everton in a match that can be seen at 10a on Peacock.
• Yunus Musah continues to work himself back to full health, he came on at the half mid-week in his clubs 3-1 loss to Sevilla. The team face Athletic Club at 10:15a on ESPN+.
• It’s a battle of the Borussia’s on Saturday when Joe Scally and Borussia Monchengladbach face Giovanni Reyna’s Borussia Dortmund at 12:30p on ESPN+. Reyna remains out due to injury while Gladbach look to bounce back from their 1-0 defeat to Augsburg.
• Timothy Weah is healthy and started for Lille Wednesday in their 2-1 win over Stade Reims. It was just the clubs second win of the season and they will look to build some momentum as they face Strassbourg at 1p on Fanatiz USA and beIN Sports.
• Nicholas Gioacchini has seen a handful of minutes over three matches since joining Montpellier in League One and will now get the chance to go up against powerhouse PSG at 3p on Fanatiz USA and beIN Sports.

MLS Mashup (all games on ESPN+):

• Matt Turner and the New England Revolution face Daryl Dike and Orlando City at 7p.
• Paul Arriola, Kevin Paredes, and DC United face Cincinnati at 7:30p.
• It’s a New York showdown as Keaton Parks, James Sands and NYCFC face off against the New York Red Bulls and Caden Clark at 7:30p.
• Gyasi Zardes picked up a goal last weekend and now leads the Columbus Crew into a matchup against Montreal at 7:30p.
• Minnesota United and Houston meet at 8p.
• Ricardo Pepi and the deep stable of USMNT prospects at FC Dallas have their first match without their former head coach Luchi Gonzalez as Dallas take on the Vancouver Whitecaps at 10p.
• Jackson Yueill, Cade Cowell and San Jose face LAFC at 10p.
• The Portland Timbers at Real Salt Lake close out the evening with an MLS after dark matchup at 10:30p.

Sunday

Sporting Kansas City v Seattle Sounders - 7p on FS1

It’s a top of the table matchup as Western Conference leading Sporting Kansas City take on the second place Seattle Sounders who trail by just a point with a game in hand. Peter Vermes has SKC play well and coming off a 4-0 win over Minnesota United that included a goal by Cameron Duke. The team will be facing Cristian Roldan and a Seattle Sounders team that is coming off a 3-2 loss to Liga MX side Leon in the Leagues Cup and a 1-0 loss to Real Salt Lake last weekend. Roldan picked up a goal in the loss to Leon, it was his third goal across all competitions this season.

Other notes:

• Austin FC face Sebastian Lletget, Julian Araujo, and the LA Galaxy at 9:30p on ESPN2.

Streaming overseas:

• Weston McKennie and Juventus have just one win through five matches this season and will look to get the season on track against a Sampdoria side with an identical 1-2-2 record. The teams meet at 6:30a on ESPN+.
• Matthew Hoppe picked up an assist but his club was thumped 6-1 by Real Madrid on Wednesday. Mallorca now face Osasuna at 8a on ESPN+. Osasuna are coming off a 3-1 loss to Real Betis.
• Pelegrino Matarazzo and Stuttgart will look to pick up some points this weekend as they face Bochum at 9:30a on ESPN+. Stuttgart are one of seven teams bunched at the bottom of the table with four or less points.
• Sergino Dest and Barcelona need to pick themselves up out of their funk, they’ve drawn two straight against the heavyweights Granada and Cadiz and have lacked punch. They face a Levante side that has yet to win but has drawn four of their six matches this season. The match can be seen at 10:15a on ESPN+.
• Bryan Reynolds looks unlikely to see time for Roma as they face Lazio at Noon on Paramount+.
• Konrad de la Fuente and Olympique Marseille face Lens at 2:45p on Fanatiz USA and beIN Sports. Marseille are coming off a scoreless draw and remain in second place in Ligue One, though they are seven points back of league leading PSG.

MLS Mashup (all games on ESPN+):

• The Chicago Fire face Walker Zimmerman and Nashville SC at 1p.