Ready, Set, Watch: 22 Televised Games Feature MNT Players this Week

With the huge friendlies against Peru and Brazil on the horizon next month set against the backdrop of the massive USA-Mexico match on Oct. 10 at the Rose Bowl, you can be sure Jurgen Klinsmann and the coaching staff is keeping a close eye on the player pool. Their job is made a lot easier thanks to the impressive number of games being televised this week involving MNT players. A total of 22 matches featuring more than 30 current MNT players will be broadcast. Here’s a look at what to watch for in the action around the world.

Bundesliga Begins

Let the games begin in Germany. With the highest average attendance of the top leagues in Europe, Bundesliga play for the 2015-16 season begins this weekend, as does the first season of these matches being broadcast on FOX. A number of MNT players will look to get off on the right foot.

Fabian Johnson helped lift Borussia Mönchengladbach to a third-place finish in the league last year, which ultimately earned the club a spot in the 2015-16 UEFA Champions League group stage. The German side went 10-0-2 with Johnson in the starting lineup in the first half of 2015, and begins this year’s run on Saturday against rival and traditional powerhouse Borussia Dortmund.

John Brooks is back for his third year at Hertha Berlin. Brooks has earned 71 appearances there since debuting in 2012, becoming a regular starter in the latter stages of the season. Berlin begins its season against Augsburg on Saturday.

Timmy Chandler, who scored his first international goal this summer in the MNT’s match against Guatemala, is back for another year at his hometown club Eintracht Frankfurt. The team begins the year against Wolfsburg on Sunday.

Aron Johannsson makes his debut in the German top flight. He finished the year at AZ Alkmaar in the Dutch Eredivisie, recording four goals in his final three matches as his former club snatched the third spot and a place in the 2016 UEFA Europa League. Now Johannsson takes his talents to Werder Bremen, which opens its campaign on Saturday against Schalke.

Alfredo Morales

Alfredo Morales led FC Ingolstadt to a first place finish in second Bundesliga a year ago which promoted the team to the premier division. Ingolstadt debuts against Mainz on Saturday.

Premier League Continues

The English Premier League got started last weekend and play continues across the pond this week.

Brad Guzan, who earned the Golden Glove as the top goalkeeper in the 2015 Gold Cup, posted a clean sheet in the season opener. Now he’ll stand between the posts against perennial Premier League powerhouse Manchester United on Friday. Fellow netminder Tim Howard will also be in action for Everton, as the Toffees take on Southampton.

Brad Guzan

DeAndre Yedlin continues to challenge for a spot at Tottenham Hotspur. The club hosts its home opener against Stoke City, where Geoff Cameron started at centerback in his side’s 1-0 loss to Liverpool.

Vamos Vamos

Liga MX is in full swing now and a number of MNT players will be in action south of the border.

Ventura Alvarado scored his first goal of the season last week in Club America win against Motagua in the Champions League. This week the team will look to keep up the momentum when it faces Santos on Friday night.

Joe Corona, coming off a sweet assist that led to the game-winner last week, plays with Veracruz on Tuesday night against his former team Club Tijuana and the current home of defender Michael Orozco.

Greg Garza and Atlas can be seen twice on TV this week. The first game is against Pumas on Wednesday, the second is Saturday night against Puebla.

Goalkeeper William Yarbrough and Liga MX debutant Miguel Ibarra have a pair of games this week. Leon takes on Tigres on Tuesday night, then can be seen Saturday night when they travel to Morelia.

MLS Heating Up

With the playoff race heating up, the MLS season is getting very interesting.

A quartet of MNT players will be in action Wednesday in the semifinal of the 2015 U.S. Open Cup when Sporting Kansas City hosts Real Salt Lake. Kyle Beckerman and Nick Rimando will do their best to push RSL through, but their MNT teammates Matt Besler and Graham Zusi from Sporting KC stand in the way.

League MLS matches continue on Thursday, when New York City FC hosts first place D.C. United at Yankee Stadium. Mix Diskerud is in a New York state of mind, while D.C. United’s Bill Hamid and Perry Kitchen will try to pick up another road win.

On Friday, Chris Wondolowski will try to score his 10th goal of the season when San Jose Earthquakes host Colorado Rapids.

MLS Saturday is MNT Saturday. Captain Michael Bradley, who scored a brilliant MLS Goal of the Week nominee last weekend, and Jozy Altidore travel with Toronto FC to Harrison, N.J., for a match against the Red Bulls. Shortly after that game kicks off, New England Revolution and Houston Dynamo play in a game featuring five MNT players (Juan Agudelo, DaMarcus Beasley, Brad Davis, Lee Nguyen and Jermaine Jones). Moving westward, the LA Galaxy with Gyasi Zardes and Omar Gonzalez visit FC Dallas, while up in Kansas City, Matt Besler, Graham Zusi and Sporting KC host Western Conference leaders Vancouver Whitecaps FC. The night concludes with Real Salt Lake taking on Portland Timbers in Sandy, Utah, where Kyle Beckerman will captain RSL with Nick Rimando between the posts.

Brad Evans

On Sunday afternoon, Seattle Sounders FC featuring Clint Dempsey and their team captain Brad Evans will do their best to hold off the visiting Orlando City SC.