USMNT weekend viewing guide: How high can Hoppe soar?

Things are starting off on the right foot this weekend, with three games on Friday including Bundesliga, FA Cup, and the United States Women’s National Team’s second match against Colombia. The strong slate continues through the weekend, including a rare opportunity to watch Juventus on network television for those who enjoy some morning coffee and a sunrise with their soccer. Let’s get right into it.

Friday

USWNT v Colombia - 7p on ESPN2

Stars and Stripes FC will again have full coverage of the match but the women deserve top billing, so we’re doubling up a bit here. The USWNT take the field Friday night in a great start to the weekend as they face Colombia for the second time this week. The US won the opening match on Monday 4-0, thanks to the Mewis sister show. Samantha Mewis picked up the hat trick, and Kristie add a goal of her own after coming on as a sub in the 64th minute. It was a typically dominating performance by the USWNT, so look for more of the same on Friday evening.

Looking through the paywall:

• Giovanni Reyna played 16 minutes off the bench Tuesday in a 2-1 loss to Bayer Leverkusen after missing last weekend’s draw with Mainz 05 due to a sore throat. BvB have dropped to fourth place, a full ten points behind Bayern Munich for the league lead.
• Wolverhampton Wanderers’ FA Cup match against sixth tier Chorley FC could be an opportunity to get Owen Otasowie some minutes. Otasowie has seen just 3 minutes since the start of the year. The match can be seen at 2:45p on ESPN+.

Saturday

Bayer Leverkusen v Wolfsburg - 9:30a on ESPN+

It’s a top five matchup in the Bundesliga when Bayer Leverkusen meet Wolfsburg and John Brooks on Saturday morning. Bayer Leverkusen currently sit in third place, three points ahead of Dortmund, who they defeated last weekend. Wolfsburg are actually tied with Dortmund on points, but sit in fifth due to goal differential. If Wolfsburg can continue their positive results, they could pressure Dortmund for the final Champions League qualifying position. The team is coming off a 2-0 win over Mainz and is undefeated in their past three matches.

Looking through the paywall:

• Pellegrino Matarrazo and Stuttgart are coming off a 3-0 loss to relegation candidate Arminia Bielefeld, but overall have impressed this season by playing positive, exciting soccer at a level much higher than most expected of the promoted side. They face Freiburg this weekend at 9:30a on ESPN+.
• Tyler Adams came off the bench for RB Leipzig to help see out the 1-0 win over Union Berlin on Wednesday. The club stumbled two weeks ago against Borussia Dortmund, but still sit in second place, four points back of Bayern Munich. The team matchup with Mainz at 9:30a on ESPN+.
• Josh Sargent and Werder Bremen lost 1-0 to Borussia Mönchengladbach midweek, and now face Hertha Berlin at 12:30p on ESPN+ Saturday in a matchup between two teams looking to gain a little breathing room between themselves and the relegation playoffs.
• Aston Villa and Newcastle meet this weekend in EPL action as Aston Villa look to makeup ground in the EPL schedule after having two games postponed due to COVID-19. Villa lost 2-0 to Manchester City in their first match back. Meanwhile, Newcastle are probably wishing their matches had been postponed, as the team is on a four game losing streak and haven’t won a match in their last nine attempts, including a loss to second tier Brentford in the FA Cup. The teams play at 3p on Peacock.

Sunday

Juventus v Bologna - 6:30a on ESPN2

Weston McKennie and Juventus are coming off an Italian Super Cup championship match win over Napoli, but lost 2-0 to Inter Milan last weekend and now sit ten points back of AC Milan in the league table. The team was looking to make an historic run at a tenth straight league title, but stumbled out of the gate with five draws in their first eight matches and has struggled to make up ground. McKennie has come off the bench in the team’s last three league games, but did start and play the full 90 in their Cup championship. The team is facing a 12th place Bologna side that is coming off a 1-0 win over Chievo Verona.

Looking through the paywall:

• Christian Pulisic and Chelsea face Championship side Luton Town in FA Cup action at 7a on ESPN+ Sunday morning. The team could use a positive result, even if it is against a second tier opponent, as they’ve fallen to 8th place in the EPL standings and Frank Lampard’s seat begins to heat up.
• In more FA Cup action, Fulham face a Burnley side coming off a 1-0 win over Liverpool. Both teams are near the bottom of the EPL table, and it should be a competitive match at 9:30a on ESPN+.
• Can Matthew Hoppe continue his outrageous run of form against top of the table Bayern Munich on Sunday? It seems unlikely, but you are now obligated to watch Schalke 04 and their awful team to catch Hoppe in the first division as long as you can. The match is at 9:30a on ESPN+.
• Barcelona face Elche at 10:15a on beIN Sports. Barca are undefeated in their past eight league games, but still sit ten points back of first place Atletico Madrid, who have a game in hand. Barca faces an Elche side that looks bound for a relegation battle.