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5 to Watch This Weekend

New Captain America Is Back in England and on TV

Clint Dempsey, fresh off a two-match performance as United States national team captain, plays an important match against Swansea City. Plus, Matt Besler holds down the SKC line and more TV goodness.
BY Eduardo Mendez Posted
March 29, 2013
2:08 PM
The road to Brazil was paved with optimistic cheers following a scoreless draw at Estadio Azteca. It was historic, but it’s in the past. Time to refocus on the task at hand. Jamaica is less than two months away, but there’s plenty of American soccer action this weekend. Fingers crossed that this time it’s of the aesthetic kind. So with zero overlap, here is your guide for this weekend’s action.

SATURDAY
Swansea City vs. Tottenham Hotspur
11:00 a.m. (all times Eastern)
Fox Soccer 2 Go, tape delayed at 3:30 p.m. On Fox Soccer Channel

While some thought that Michael Bradley was the future captain of the U.S., Clint Dempsey’s gritty performance with the armband said otherwise. The attacker’s focus must now shift to his Champions League aspirations, which are in danger after a recent string of poor performances from Tottenham. Just four points ahead of fifth-place Arsenal, Tottenham are up against a Swansea City side that is reeling after back-to-back losses. Dempsey only went 70 minutes the last time these two met in mid-December. Tottenham will need more than that from Deuce to maintain its Champions League standing.

Everton vs. Stoke City
1:30 p.m.
Fox Soccer Channel, Fox Deportes

Geoff Cameron didn’t have a stellar week. Brek Shea saw less than 10 minutes of action. It doesn’t matter. The two still remain in the U.S. picture moving forward. Stoke City faces a Tim Howard-less Everton that has fallen out of the Champions League picture. Howard is still recovering from fractured bones in his back and is not scheduled to be in Saturday’s lineup. There will also be no preview of Marouane Fellaini for those thinking of the American's next match in May. The Belgian international is suspended due to yellow card accumulation.

Sporting Kansas City vs. Montreal Impact
8:30 p.m.
MLS Live

Omar Gonzalez’s performance was masterful Tuesday night, but it should not overshadow the contributions from Matt Besler. The center back pairing of the future may feature the last two MLS Defenders of the Year. That said, things aren’t as pleasant for Besler in Kansas City. Despite having Supporters’ Shield aspirations, Sporting finds itself with just five points out of a possible 12. It doesn’t get much easier in Week 5 as Kansas City travels to first-place Montreal. The undefeated Impact have allowed only two goals this season. It’s up to Besler and Graham Zusi to secure Sporting’s first victory since Week 1. Note: This match is the Stream of the Week on MLSsoccer.com. If you don’t have MLS Live, you can still watch it for free.

SUNDAY
Aston Villa vs. Liverpool
8:30 a.m.
Fox Soccer

Brad Guzan put up the performance necessary to earn a draw at Azteca. Now he must do the same to help Aston Villa stave off relegation. On paper, this is a difficult matchup for a team that is only three points clear of the relegation zone, but Liverpool hasn’t been a model of consistency this season. The Reds followed impressive victories over Wigan Athletic and Tottenham with a 3-1 shellacking at the hands of Southampton. Another three points at home may solidify Villa’s place in the Premier League standings.

Puebla vs. Tigres
2:00 p.m.
ESPN Deportes, ESPN 3

“Redemption,” no word better describes the reemergence of DaMarcus Beasley. The 30-year-old will look to build on his recent form against a first-place Tigres side featuring José Torres. Ricardo Ferretti’s club can now focus on capturing a Liga MX title after gifting the Seattle Sounders a chance to advance in the CONCACAF Champions League. Thanks, Ricardo. Throw in an appearance from Michael Orozco Fiscal—maybe even one from Jonathan Bornstein—and there are enough storylines to give this a watch Sunday afternoon.

BEST OF THE REST
MLS: Toronto F.C. vs. L.A. Galaxy(2:00 p.m., Saturday, MLS Live)—Landon Donovan isn’t match fit, but the buzz surrounding his return makes this one worthy of a glance on your mobile device.

NO U.S. ANGLE BUT...
Serie A: Inter vs. Juventus(9:00 a.m., Saturday, beIN Sport USA)—The Derby of Italy. Enough said.

Liga MX: Guadalajara vs. América (10:00 p.m., Sunday, Telemundo, Telemundo Deportes)—This is the Clásico of Clásicos in Mexico. It’s the perfect way to end your weekend.

So what are you watching this weekend? Which matches did we miss that we should tune in for? Let us know in the new and improved comments section.

Eduardo Mendez (@Mendez_FC) is a writer based in Brooklyn and an ASN contributor.

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