A fantastic matchup for American fans comes to us from the Eridivisie, where Aron Johannsson‘s AZ Alkmaar host Juan Agudelo‘s FC Utrecht.
With both on scoring form, it should be a very intriguing match. Utrecht are still hoping to avoid relegation, just three points above the drop zone, while Johannsson has three goals in his last five matches.
The only thing that could rob us of the enjoyable American battle would be a thigh injury to Johannsson. He was withdrawn at halftime two matches ago against Viesse, and didn’t play last time out. However, Brian Sciaretta disputes Dutch reports and says AZ told him that Johannsson will play.
Over in the Premier League, Jozy Altidore will feature this weekend, as Sunderland look to add to their Capital One Cup finals appearance with an extended run in the FA Cup. Altidore has played 90 minutes in his last two league matches, and will be hoping that Gus Poyet goes with him again in the knockout competition against Southampton.
Also getting a chance to shine in the FA Cup’s fifth round is Eric Lichaj with Nottingham Forest, who take on League One opponents Sheffield United on Sunday. Unfortunately, Lichaj has played just two matchs for Forest since January 11, and none since the end of the month.
The only other American left in the FA Cup is Everton’s Tim Howard, who will lace it up at Goodison Park against Swansea City on Sunday.
Clint Dempsey will not play for Fulham for the third straight weekend, mainly because the Premier League bottom-feeeders don’t have a fixture this time around. They were ousted from the FA Cup by Sheffield Wednesday last round. Since playing all 120 minutes in that extra-time “thriller,” the 30-year-old has played a total of zero minutes. In fact, he’s logged just 26 ticks in the club’s last three Premier League matches.
The sad part about Dempsey’s failure to see the pitch at Craven Cottage is that it’s fully deserved. While he’s playing with a shell of the squad he had before departing for Spurs, he’s also been a shell of himself. It’s worrying stuff for USMNT fans, who can only hope he returns to form in the beginning of the MLS season.
Brek Shea is hoping to feature more for Barnsley than his last time out, starting but withdrawn at halftime in a tactical substitution with his club up 1-0. He had played the full 90 in their previous two league matches.
Injured for the time being is Oguchi Onyewu at Sheffield Wednesday, and he’ll miss out on a chance to play against Charlton in the FA Cup.
In France, Alejandro Bedoya has seen a decreasing role in the FC Nantes squad lately. Since playing the full 90 on December 21, he hasn’t done that since, and didn’t even make the 18 for their last two matches, including one against PSG in the league cup.
