The American weekend preview

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Apr 21, 2023

Hoffenheim escaped the Bundesliga basement following the insertion of winter acquisition John Brooks (left) back into the starting lineup at center back. Credit: Imago via ZUMA Press/ISI Photos

The weekend begins when America's two Premier League teams, Fulham and Leeds United, face off, while there are 31 games involving teams in MLS, the NWSL and USL Championship, 25 on Saturday and six on Sunday.

Soccer on TV: Weekend viewing

SATURDAY

• Fulham vs. Leeds United (Premier League, 7:30 am. ET, USA Network, Universo)

Will Leeds do any better on the road than it has in its last two games at Elland Road? Back-to-back defeats  -- 5-1 to Crystal Palace and 6-1 to Liverpool -- dropped it back into the relegation pack -- fifth from the bottom among five teams separated by four points.

The situation is a little better at Fulham, which won 3-1 at Everton -- a boost for Leeds in its relegation fight -- to end its run of five straight defeats.

No time frame has been given for Tyler Adams' return, but four Americans could start at Craven Cottage: Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson for Fulham and Weston McKennie and Brenden Aaronson for Leeds.

• Hoffenheim vs. FC Cologne (Bundesliga, 9:20 am. ET, ESPN+)

Three wins followed by a 1-1 draw at leader Bayern Munich have moved Hoffenheim out the relegation zone -- it sat in last place in mid-March -- and it could climb to as high as 12th place with a win over FC Cologne, against which it is unbeaten in its last 13 games.

Credit goes to American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo for his work since his hire in early February. One of his big personnel moves was reinserting John Brooks back in the lineup five weeks ago after benching him shortly after arriving in Sinsheim.

• Major League Soccer

After eight weeks, two teams are still winless and five others have only one win.

The teams in the most trouble are Sporting KC (0-5-3 with just two goals scored), the LA Galaxy (0-4-3 with its worst start in its 28 seasons) and CF Montreal (1-6-0 with six shutout defeats).

Sporting KC faces the toughest test, traveling to New England to face the Revs, who lead the Eastern Conference, ahead of FC Cincinnati on goal difference and just one point back of St. Louis City for the Supporters’ Shield lead.

• Reading: LAFC puts unbeaten mark at risk in Nashville

Saturday:
APPLE TV/MLS SEASON PASS
Charlotte FC vs. Columbus 7:30 pm.
FC Cincinnati vs. Portland 7:30 pm.
CF Montreal vs. NY Red Bulls 7:30 pm.
New England vs. Sporting KC 7:30 pm. (free)
NYCFC vs. FC Dallas 7:30 pm. (free)
Orlando vs. DC United 7:30 pm.
Philadelphia vs. Toronto FC 7:30 pm.
Houston vs. Inter Miami  8:30 pm.
Nashville SC vs. LAFC  8:30 pm.
Colorado vs. St. Louis City 9:30 pm. (free)
Real Salt Lake vs. San Jose 9:30 pm. (free)
LA Galaxy vs. Austin FC 10:30 pm.
Seattle vs. Minnesota United 10:30 pm. (free)
Note: All times ET.

• National Women's Soccer League

The early leaders Portland and Washington (both 2-0-1) are at home for matches with the NWSL's two other unbeaten teams Houston (1-0-2) and Racing Louisville (0-0-3), respectively.

Saturday:
PARAMOUNT+
OL Reign vs. Chicago 3:30 pm.
Washington vs. Houston 7 pm.
Gotham FC vs. North Carolina 7:30 pm.
Portland vs. Louisville 10:30 pm.
Note: All times ET.

• USL Championship

The game of the week is a top-of-the-standings clash in the Eastern Conference.

The first-place Charleston Battery (4-0-2) and second-place Louisville City (4-2-0) feature the USL Championship's top two young prospects, a pair of 17-year-old players.

Louisville City center back Joshua Wynder dressed for the USA in its 1-1 tie with Mexico and could be selected for the U.S. U-20 World Cup team.

• Reading: Picking the USA's 2023 Under-20 World Cup squad: Many options amid much uncertainty

Battery winger Fidel Barajas (tied for the league-lead with three assists) will have to wait until later in the year to play in his first world championship. The San Jose Earthquakes academy product started for Mexico when it won the Concacaf U-17 Championship title and qualified for the U-17 World Cup to be played in the fall.

Saturday:
ESPN+
Indy Eleven vs. Monterey Bay 7 pm.
Charleston vs. Louisville City 7:30 pm.
Rio Grande Valley vs. Memphis 901 8 pm.
Colorado Springs vs. New Mexico 8 pm.
San Antonio FC vs. Phoenix 8:30 pm.
El Paso vs. Pittsburgh 9:30 pm.
Orange County SC vs. Birmingham 10 pm.
Sac Republic FC vs. Detroit City FC 10 pm.
Sunday:
ESPN+
Miami FC vs. Las Vegas 4 pm.
Loudoun United vs. Oakland 4 pm.
San Diego vs. Tampa Bay 6 pm.
Note: All times ET.

SUNDAY

• Atlanta United vs. Chicago (MLS, 4:30 pm. ET, Apple TV/MLS Season Pass, free, FS1, Fox Deportes)

Atlanta returns to Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the start a three-game homestand.

It picked up points in its last two outings on the road -- 1-1 at NYCFC and 2-2 at Atlanta United -- but also picked up a bunch of injuries.

Brad Guzan is expected to miss about 10-to-12 weeks after suffering a torn medial collateral ligament in the NYCFC match. The availability of Giorgos Giakoumakis and Thiago Almada won't be known until Saturday.

Almada, the subject of transfer rumors about a record move to Napoli, is back in training after missing the game at Toronto. Giakoumakis, who left the Toronto game early in the second half with a hamstring injury, has also resumed training.

• National Women's Soccer League

The Kansas City Current plays its first league game since the sudden firing of Matt Potter ahead of its Challenge Cup match at Houston, which it won 2-0 with assistant coach Caroline Sjoblom serving as interim head coach.
 
On Friday, Current GM Camille Ashton said the 2022 NWSL runner-up's 0-3-0 start weighed in the decision, which did not involve any issues with players. Rather, she cited "the lack of collaboration and partnership" that management and ownership "would otherwise expect with our head coach."

Sunday:
PARAMOUNT+
KC Current vs. Orlando 5 pm.
Angel City vs. San Diego 8 pm.
Note: All times ET.