THE SOCCER REPORT
Soccer Recap: USA, Netherlands winners during international break; Pochettino, Maradona sacked
Nov 20, 2019, 8:06 am
THE SOCCER REPORT
Twenty European countries have booked their place for next year's EURO 2020, the inaugural Concacaf Nations League is in the books and Brazil won the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Among the other top stories in soccer this week:
Countries qualified to EURO 2020
Nos acercamos al final, uno de estos 4 equipos será el Campeón del Apertura 2019 de la #LigaBBVAMXFemenil ¿Quién e… https://t.co/iKkZXQXr5r— LIGA BBVA MX Femenil (@LIGA BBVA MX Femenil) 1574201570.0
Friday, November 22
1:30 p.m. - [Bundesliga] Borussia Dortmund vs. SC Paderborn 07 (FS2, FOX Deportes)
1:45 p.m. - [Ligue 1] PSG vs. Lille (beIN Sports)
2:00 p.m. - [La Liga] Levante vs. Mallorca (beIN SPORTS en Español)
7:00 p.m. - [Liga MX] Puebla vs. Necaxa (TUDN)
Saturday, November 23
6:00 a.m. - [La Liga] Leganes vs. FC Barcelona (beIN SPORTS)
6:30 a.m. - [Premier League] West Ham vs. Tottenham (NBC Sports)
8:00 a.m. - [Serie A] Atalanta vs. Juventus (ESPNews, ESPN Deportes)
8:30 a.m. - [Bundesliga] Fortuna Düsseldorf vs. FC Bayern Munich (FS1, Univision, TUDN)
8:30 a.m. - [Bundesliga] Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Wolfsburg (FS2, FOX Deportes)
9:00 a.m. - [Premier League] Arsenal vs. Southampton (NBC Sports)
9:00 a.m. - [La Liga] Real Betis vs. Valencia (beIN SPORTS)
11:00 a.m. - [Serie A] A.C. Milan vs. Napoli (ESPN+)
11:30 a.m. - [Premier League] Manchester City vs. Chelsea (NBC)
11:30 a.m. - [La Liga] Granada vs. Atletico Madrid (beIN SPORTS)
1:45 p.m. - [Serie A] Torino vs. Inter Milan (ESPN+)
2:00 p.m. - [La Liga] Real Madrid vs. Real Sociedad (beIN SPORTS)
2:00 p.m. - [Copa Libertadores Final] Flamengo vs. River Plate (beIN SPORTS)
5:00 p.m. - [Liga MX] Queretaro vs. Morelia (UniMas)
7:00 p.m. - [Liga MX] Cruz Azul vs. Atletico de San Luis (Univision, TUDN)
9:00 p.m. - [Liga MX] Pachuca vs. Pumas UNAM (Univision, TUDN)
Sunday, November 24
8:00 a.m. - [Ligue 1] Bordeaux vs. Monaco (beIN Sports)
8:30 a.m. - [Bundesliga] Augsburg vs. Hertha Berlin (FS1, TUDN)
10:30 a.m. - [Premier League] Sheffield United vs. Man United (NBC Sports)
11:00 a.m. - [Bundesliga] Hoffenheim vs. Mainz (FS1)
11:00 a.m. - [Liga MX] Toluca vs. Santos Laguna (Univision, TUDN)
6:00 p.m. - [Liga MX] Juarez vs. Tigres UANL (TUDN)
Monday, November 25
1:45 p.m. - [Serie A] SPAL vs. Genoa (ESPN+)
2:00 p.m. - [Premier League] Aston Villa vs. Newcastle (NBC Sports)
The Houston Texans (4-1) will visit the struggling New England Patriots (1-4) this Sunday in a matchup that features teams trending in opposite directions. The Texans, led by rising star quarterback C.J. Stroud, are off to their best start since 2012, while the Patriots, mired in a four-game losing streak, turn to rookie QB Drake Maye for his first NFL start.
Texans Overview:
Houston’s offense has been solid, ranking 6th overall and boasting the NFL’s top passing attack. However, injuries loom large with wide receiver Nico Collins, the league’s leading receiver, placed on injured reserve. The Texans will rely more heavily on veteran Stefon Diggs, who has been a steady contributor, and hope for the return of RB Dameon Pierce. The defense, ranking 4th overall, will look to pressure the rookie quarterback, especially with its league-leading 42% pressure rate, per NextGen stats.
Patriots Overview:
New England’s offense has struggled mightily, ranking 31st overall and dead last in passing. The rookie Drake Maye will attempt to provide a spark after the Patriots’ offense has averaged just 11.5 points per game over their last four losses. However, a banged-up offensive line and key injuries on defense, including the loss of safety Jabrill Peppers, leave the Patriots vulnerable.
Key Matchup:
The Texans' pass rush versus New England’s offensive line will be pivotal. The Texans have terrorized quarterbacks all season, and with the Patriots using their fifth different O-line combination, Maye could be in for a rough debut.
Prediction:
The Texans' explosive passing game and relentless defense give them the upper hand, especially against a Patriots team facing instability on both sides of the ball. Houston is favored by 7 points, and unless New England's rookie QB performs beyond expectations, the Texans are well-positioned to continue their strong start to the season.
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