Ross County F.C. v. Hibernian F.C. (Saturday)
Good news: despite a midweek loss to Raith Rovers, County have matched their point total from last year in twelve fewer matches. Bad news: the loss dropped them into third on goal differential and they lost ground on league leaders Dundee F.C.. Good news: this weekend’s quarterfinal Scottish Cup against Hibernian marks the Staggies’ furthest progression in the competition to date and one must feel that they are playing with the proverbial “house money” at this point. More good news: all 1,600 tickets allocated to the club have been sold and rumors are that, combined with those tickets sold “at large,” there will be around 2,000 County fans at Easter Road on Saturday. Fun Fact: Hibernian midfielder John Rankin and County assistant coach Craig Brewster have each played for both clubs.
Birmingham City F.C. v. Everton F.C. (Saturday)
Two of this year’s Premier League “surprises” meet with much to play for- a win for either club and both Aston Villa and the ever-wilting Liverpool remain in their sights for another week. City could actually pass Villa and move within two points of Liverpool. If they can do that, playing in Europe, improbably, will be a realistic goal down the final stretch of the season. Just as improbably, the big news on the blue half of Merseyside is that this weekend’s match could be the last for Landon Donovan as a Toffee. Unless the MLS season is delayed by the current labor-management kerfuffle, or Everton makes MLS an offer it cannot refuse, or, as has been rumored, Chelsea actually makes an offer for good ol’ Landycakes. Fun Fact: Alex McLeish and David Moyes grew up only 10 miles from each other.Burnley F.C. v. Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. (Saturday)
The stakes in this match are simple- both teams are tied on 24 points (along with Hull City), but goal differential puts Wolves out of the relegation zone and Burnley in it. Luckily for Burnley the match is at Turf Moor, so there is actually a chance that they could win it. Why do I say that? Because in fifteen away matches they’ve earned one point, so playing at home has to be the better option. Then again, Wolves have won a match within the last month, so of the two teams, they’re on a “hot streak.” One of Wolves’ problems? Their top scorer, Kevin Doyle, has six goals. Burnley’s Steven Fletcher has seven. Fun Fact: Wolverhampton have played at Molineaux Stadium since 1889. That same year, in Japan, the Nintendo Playing Card Company was founded. Yes, that Nintendo.
Montpellier H.S.C. v. A.J. Auxerre (Saturday)
Have their been a disproportionate number of exciting matches in Ligue 1 thus far in the season? This weekend features Montpellier- trailing league leaders Bordeaux on goal differential- and third place Auxerre who trail both of these sides by only a single point. Montpellier’s success this year is all the more surprising given that they were in Ligue 2 last year, while Auxerre finished in the middle of the table in 2008-2009. Giving this match even more import is the fact that all three of these teams should be looking over their shoulders at Lyon, Marseille, and Lille, all of whom are still within four points of the league lead. The final months of the French season should contain quite a bit of drama for all six clubs. Fun Fact: Auxerre striker Anicet Andrianantenaina may have the longest surname in football.
Hertha B.S.C. v. 1. F.C. Nürnberg (Saturday)
What do you say about Hertha? They are likely to be relegated at the end of the season, but they keep earning just enough points to keep things interesting, which is why this match with Nürnberg- just one point above the Bundesliga’s relegation zone- may still have implications for both clubs. Nürnberg, though a point clear of relegation at the moment, are too far behind the two teams ahead of them to be worrying about moving up- they need to focus on opening a lead on the clubs behind them. Fun Fact: Nürnberg’s reserve team- which plays in the Regionalliga Süd features midfielder Pellegrino Matarazzo who, depending on the source you consult, is either an American or and Italian- or both. Either way, he’s 32 and playing in the German 4th division- don’t look for him in South Africa.
A.F.C. Ajax v. PSV Eindhoven (Sunday)
Normally a meeting of two of the most historically successful clubs in the Netherlands would have the Eredivisie title on the line- but not this year. This year both are just hoping to keep up with Steve McLaren’s first place F.C. Twente. Should Twente lose to ADO Den Haag, PSV could overtake them with a win or Ajax could move within three points of the league leaders and one point of PSV. A win for Ajax would also put them within a point of a Champions League playoff qualifying spot rather than the Europa League berth they currently hold. Fun Fact: PSV’s back-up goalkeeper Bas Roorda is from the northeastern Dutch province of Drenthe, specifically from the city of Assen. Fun Fact 2: I am apparently a 13 year old boy.
R.C. Deportivo de La Coruña, S.A.D. v. Sevilla (Sunday)
Fifth place Sevilla meet sixth place Deportivo with both teams hoping to hold onto their Europa League spots and Sevilla looking to overtake Mallorca and their Champions League playoff qualification spot. A win for either club would also be big if it were coupled with an Athletic Bilbao as it would remove any need for either club to worry about being caught by the teams behind them during the final leg of the season. One has to wonder how much further up the La Liga table Deportivo would be if they had a legitimate scoring threat- club leader Riki has only four goals this season. The club itself has only scored 29 goals in 25 matches and is in sixth place in one of the top leagues in the world, and six teams below them in the table have scored more goals- kind of amazing when you think about it.
F.C. Kobenhavn v. Brondby I.F. (Sunday)
Both of these teams have a long successful history behind them, but they are headed in different directions at present. Kobenhavn lead the Danish Superliga and have lost only once in the last six league matches. Brondby, conversely, are in free fall. They’ve won only once in their last six matches and were Randers and HB Koge not so far behind the pack, they might have to worry about relegation if they don’t turn things around in the next few weeks. Fun Fact: Among the Kobenhavn alumni who have played in the EPL are Lars Jacobsen, Antii Niemi, Brede Hangeland, and Niclas Jensen. Fun Fact 2: Brondby’s midfielder Remco van der Schaaf is on loan from Burnley, for whom he has made one appearance since signing a three year contract in 2008. I don’t know if I’m happy or sad for him.
Aris Thessaloniki F.C. v. PAOK Thessaloniki F.C. (Sunday)
Well, one of Aris’ American players got another call-up to the USMNT, and it wasn’t Freddy Adu. This is odd if only because all accounts of the duo’s exploits in the Greek Super League lead one to believe that it is Adu who, though he has played less, has produced more. Well, whatever the case, neither one of them is likely to be on the plane to South Africa this summer. Oh yes, this is a Thessaloniki Derby an both clubs have a bit to play for as well! Aris will be looking to hold onto the last Champions League playoff qualifying spot, and PAOK will be hoping that, with a win and a Panathinaikos loss, they can leapfrog into first place. Fun Fact: The city of Thessalonika is the home town of Katia Zygouli- you’re welcome.
Halmstads B.K. v. Trelleborgs F.F. (Sunday)
Remember only a year or two ago when the Swedish Allsvenskan seemed to be full of American players? A few transfers over the break and those days are over. This match- the first of the 2010 campaign in Sweden- actually features two of the remaining three Yanks still playing in the land of Smörgåsbords and Volvos- okay, fine, there are two more playing in the second division Superatten, but you get the idea. Based on last year’s finish this should be a relatively evenly matched…match- Halmstads finished in eighth place and Trelleborgs finished in tenth. Fun Fact: Halmstad’s Brazilian forward/midfielder Anselmo has been a professional footballer since 1998. Since leaving Palmeiras in 2003 he has played for a dozen teams in four countries.
Henderson United Tigers v Dynamo LV
This weekend is the start of the Spring season for the Tigers. They have lost and gained three players since last fall. They are looking good in practice but this will be their first test to see if new players Devon and Garrett can make an impact on the front line. And if other new player Chance can hold down the fort on defense. Dynamo LV are returning from last season when they were a middling team, and the Tigers are looking forward to a win. But things do change quickly in our U-10 division, so we’ll see how Saturday afternoon pans out. Go Tigers Go!
