USMNT Feb 22-24 viewing guide and open thread

Between players still breaking in (see: Sargent, Josh), players dealing with injury (see: Pulisic, Christian; Williams, Danny; or Chandler, Timothy), and other games not making the major networks this weekend, the viewing guide is a bit sparse this weekend but there are a few options and as always the comments section will be open for general discussion and updates on those harder to find games.

Friday

Werder Bremen v Stuttgart - 2:30p on FS2

Josh Sargent continues to consistently get at least some playing time for Werder Bremen having seen the field as a substitute in eight of nine games since joining the senior side. However, he has yet to break through to the starting lineup and it seems unlikely that will change anytime soon. Werder Bremen are currently on a five game unbeaten streak and sit in 10th place, just four points back of 6th place Wolfsburg. This weekend they will be facing a Stuttgart team that faces a relegation battle down the stretch having accumulated just 15 points through their first 22 games.

Saturday

Newcastle v Huddersfield Town - 10a on NBCSN

DeAndre Yedlin and Danny WIlliams could face off this weekend if Williams were to return from his knee injury that has kept him out since early December, but his availability is unknown at this point. Huddersfield Town could use all the help they can get at this point, they have lost twelve of their last thirteen with the lone exception being a scoreless draw with Cardiff City. It’s a near certainty the team will be relegated as they have just eleven points which is a full six points behind the next closest team and a full fourteen from safety.

Newcastle has over double the points but sit just a point above the final relegation spot themselves and will look to take advantage of a poor Huddersfield side to add to that cushion. DeAndre Yedlin has been a consistent presence for the team this year, appearing in all but two of the clubs matches so far this season.

Fortuna Dusseldorf v. Nurnberg - 12:30p on FS2

Alfredo Morales is a bit of a forgotten man for the USMNT but the defensive midfielder continues to see time for 12th place Fortuna Dusseldorf who at the moment appear to be comfortably out of the relegation scrum. The team is coming off a 2-0 loss to Bayer Leverkusen and will look to get things turned back around by extracting revenge on Nurnberg for handing them a 3-0 loss in September in the middle of a seven game winless streak for Dusseldorf. The win against Dusseldorf was just one of two for Nurnberg this season as the team has really struggled to find the back of the net and sit dead last in the Bundesliga with just 13 points through 22 games.

Other Notes:

• There could be a head to head matchup of American’s in Liga MX if Joe Corona and Ventura Alvarado take the field. Unfortunately Alvarado missed Necaxa’s last match due to injury, the first time he’s missed any minutes this season, and Joe Corona has struggled to find the field for Tijuana since returning from his loan spell. The two teams face off at 10p on ESPN Deportes.

Sunday

Hannover 96 v Eintracht Frankfurt - 9:30a on FS1

It seems as though Bobby Wood has been relegated to a substitute role for Hannover who are themselves facing a relegation battle. The team has managed just one win in the past three and a half months and sit second to last with 14 points. A major factor in Hannover’s struggles have been their inability to score, with just 17 goals through their first 22 games. Unfortunately, Wood hasn’t really been able to contribute in this area and has had just 3 goals and an assist through 1,066 club minutes this season.

Hannover will be play an Eintracht Frankfurt team that currently sit in seventh place and would like to make a push into the final European qualifying spot in the Bundesliga. Timothy Chandler has returned to training over the last couple of weeks but his return date for Eintracht Frankfurt is unknown at this time.

Other Notes:

• Borussia Dortmund need to turn things around quickly after failing to defeat last place Nurnberg on Monday, allowing Bayern Munich to get back within three points of the league lead. The team will play Bayer Leverkusen in a top five matchup but Christian Pulisic likely remains out with a hamstring injury suffered prior to the Nurnberg game.

Bonus Monday Action: RB Leipzig v Hoffenheim - 2:30p on FS2

Tyler Adams continues to impress for RB Leipzig, picking up his first Bundesliga assist last weekend to seal the teams 3-1 win over Stuttgart. The team is undefeated since Adams started taking the field in January and currently sit in fourth place, the final Champions League qualifying spot. This weekend they will face eighth place Hoffenheim who are themselves just two points back of the final spot for European qualifying.

Let us know what you’re seeing in the available games or what else you’re watching in the comments below.