The Soccer Report
Bayern Munich vs. Real Madrid Houston clash part of weekend summer friendlies
Jul 16, 2019, 10:14 pm
The Soccer Report
The Africa Cup of Nations remains as the only major international championship left to decide this summer as the focus turns to preseason in European soccer. This week's schedule has plenty of friendlies with one of those taking place in Houston.
AFC Africa Cup of Nations
The Africa Cup of Nations is down to the final two teams. Manchester CIty's Riyad Mahrez and Algeria will vie for the trophy against Senegal and Liverpool's Sadio Mane. The final will take place on Friday while Tunisia and NIgeria fight for third place on Wednesday.
International Champions Cup
European clubs are advancing their preseason preparations all over the world and some of them are coming to the states to do so. The slate of U.S. Tour games has kicked off with Premier League club Arsenal defeating sister club Colorado Rapids (MLS) 3-0 on Monday night.
Two of the bigger clubs in Europe face off when 28-time Bundesliga Champions Bayern Munich take on 33-time Spanish Champions Real Madrid on Saturday night at NRG Stadium. The two have faced off on several occasions in the UEFA Champions League, a rivalry that is considered a European Classic.
Major League Soccer
East top seven: 1. Philadelphia (36), 2. D.C. United (32), 3. NY Red Bulls (31), 4. Atlanta (30), 5. Montreal (30), 6.NYCFC (29), 7. Toronto (26)
West top seven: 1. LAFC (46), 2. Seattle (35), 3. LA Galaxy (34), 4. Minnesota (33), 5. San Jose (31), 6. Real Salt Lake (29), 7. Dallas (29)
Scoring leader: 19 - Carlos Vela (LAFC)
Assists leader: 12 - Carlos Vela (LAFC) / Maxi Moralez (NYCFC)
National Women's Soccer League
Standings: 1. North Carolina Courage (22), 2. Portland Thorns (22), 3. Reign FC (20), 4. Washington Spirit (18), 5. Utah Royals (17), 6. Chicago Red Stars (17), 7. Houston Dash (13), 8. Orlando Pride (8), 9. Sky Blue FC (8)
Scoring leader: 9 - Sam Kerr (Chicago)
Assists leader: 4 - 5 players tied
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Tuesday, July 16
1:30 p.m. - [Friendly] Dynamo Dresden vs. PSG (beIN SPORTS)
8:00 p.m. - [International Champions Cup] Fiorentina vs. Chivas (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)
Wednesday, July 17
12:00 p.m. - [Friendly] PSV vs. Wolfsburg (ESPN3)
2:00 p.m. - [Africa Cup of Nations 3rd place] Tunisia vs. Nigeria (beIN SPORTS)
6:00 p.m. - [MLS] Atlanta United vs. Houston Dynamo (KUBE57/Telexitos 47.2)
8:00 p.m. - [International Champions Cup] Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)
Thursday, July 18
11:00 a.m. - [Friendly] - Ajax vs. Watford (ESPN3)
7:00 p.m. - [MLS] Cincinnati vs. DC United (ESPN)
9:00 p.m. - [MLS] Portland vs. Orlando (ESPN)
Friday, July 19
11:00 a.m. - [Friendly] - Everton vs. Monaco (ESPN3)
2:00 p.m. - [Africa Cup of Nations Final] Algeria vs. Senegal (beIN SPORTS)
7:00 p.m. - [Friendly] Liverpool vs. Borussia Dortmund (TNT)
7:00 p.m. - [Liga MX] Puebla vs. Tijuana (Univision Deportes)
9:00 p.m. - [MLS] LA Galaxy vs. LAFC (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
Saturday, July 20
1:30 a.m. - [Friendly] Vissel Kobe vs. Barcelona (ESPN2)
6:30 p.m. - [MLS] Toronto FC vs. Houston Dynamo (KUBE57/Telexitos 47.2)
7:00 p.m. - [International Champions Cup] Bayern Munich vs. Real Madrid (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)
Though they have plenty of work to do, the Houston Texans are feeling good about their 2-0 start after dropping their first two games last season.
The Texans scored just three points after halftime Sunday night, but a smothering defensive performance allowed them to hold on for a 19-13 win over the Bears. The victory has them in early control in the AFC South after the Colts, Titans and Jaguars have all opened the season 0-2.
It’s the first time since 2016 that Houston has won its first two games.
“I definitely know that Texans football was not what we put on the field (Sunday), at least in the second half,” quarterback C.J. Stroud said. “We’ll definitely be better, for sure."
Stroud threw for 260 yards and a touchdown, but the Texans punted on five of their seven possessions in the second half and fumbled on another drive. Their only points after halftime came on a field goal early in the fourth quarter.
“Second half we were just flat,” Stroud said. “Just needed a big play or just needed (to) stack plays really. We just couldn’t find our rhythm.”
One thing that slowed the Texans on Sunday was their inability to run the ball effectively. Houston managed just 75 yards rushing against the Bears after leading the NFL with 213 yards in Week 1.
“They had a lot of penetration,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “We weren’t able to have the lanes that we had the previous weeks. Something we have to clean up on the offensive side and make sure we just continue to get a head on the hat no matter what they show us.”
The running game was slowed because of an ankle injury to Joe Mixon, who had 159 yards rushing in the opener. He was injured early in the third quarter and returned near the end of the period, but had just two carries for 5 yards the rest of the game as he dealt with the injury. He finished with nine carries for 25 yards.
Ryans said that Mixon got “rolled up” and that it’s too early to know if he’ll play next week.
The Texans were relentless in their pressure on rookie quarterback Caleb Williams Sunday night. Houston pressured Williams, the top overall pick in the draft, on 36 of his 37 pass attempts, according to NextGenStats.
Defensive ends Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter combined for 17 pressures and the Texans piled up seven sacks, which is tied for the second most in franchise history.
Houston had six different players with a sack Sunday night and the team’s nine sacks through two games ranks second in the NFL behind Minnesota’s 11 entering Monday.
The Texans must get their running game back on track next week, which will be a tough task if Mixon can’t play. They could be without their top two running backs Sunday with Dameon Pierce dealing with a hamstring injury that kept him out of the game against Chicago.
K Ka′imi Fairbairn has been great this season, with Ryans crediting him for Sunday night’s win. He was 4-for-4 against the Bears, making kicks of 59, 56, 53 and 47 yards. He also made three field goals of 50-plus yards in Week 1 to become the first kicker in NFL history to make five or more field goals of 50 yards or longer in a two-game span.
His 59-yard field goal on Sunday night was the second-longest in franchise history behind a 61-yard kick he made in 2021.
“He’s been consistent,” Ryans said. “He’s on it. He’s the reason why we’re standing here. We talk a lot about offense and defense (but) the kicking game is the reason why we won this game.”
RB Cam Akers. Pushed into action because of injuries, Akers fumbled on the Chicago 4 with about 6½ minutes left Sunday. The Bears recovered the ball and it led to a field goal that got them within a score with less than three minutes left.
Mixon and Pierce are the main injuries the team is dealing with this week.
252 — Entering Monday, wide receiver Nico Collins leads the NFL with 252 yards receiving, which is the second most in franchise history in the first two games of a season. Collins, who had a career-high 1,297 yards receiving last season, had 135 yards receiving and a touchdown Sunday night for the seventh 100-yard game of his career.
Stroud and Houston’s offense will look to clean up their play and move the ball more effectively when they face an early test in a visit to the Minnesota Vikings, who are also 2-0, on Sunday.