THE SOCCER REPORT
U.S. Men host Chile in Houston, Cristiano Ronaldo exits early from Portugal match
Mar 26, 2019, 8:09 am
Christian Pulisic highlights Team USA's roster to face Chile on Tuesday night at BBVA Compass Stadium. Courtesy: Nike, Inc.
This week's international fixtures continue with a local connection to the action as the U.S. Men's National Team is set to host reigning South American Champion Chile at BBVA Compass Stadium. It will be the fourth match, and toughest test yet, for Manager Gregg Berhalter since being appointed to the position back in December.
Team USA is 3-0-0 under Berhalter after defeating Ecuador, 1-0, in a friendly last Friday in Orlando. The current roster includes 15 players who ply their trade domestically in Major League Soccer and is headlined by 20-year-old Bundesliga star Christian Pulisic, who will join Premier League club Chelsea this summer after a $73 million move.
Tickets still remain for tonight's match with just over half of the stadium expected to be full. Attendance has been an issue for the USMNT following their failure to qualify to the last year's FIFA World Cup, but the Harris County - Houston Sports Authority will be hoping to attract as big a crowd as possible in their efforts for Houston to be a 2026 FIFA World Cup host city.
Lift off in t-minus 24 hours.— U.S. Soccer MNT (@U.S. Soccer MNT) 1553558400.0
International Friendlies
Among some of the other international friendlies that stood out where Venezuela's 3-1 victory over Argentina in Madrid, Spain. Despite it being an exhibition, much of the headlines after would be about Lionel Messi's window to win a championship with his home country. The FC Barcelona star left the national team after that match as an injury precaution. Among those that featured where also Atlanta United teammates Gonzalo Martinez (Argentina) and Josef Martinez (Venezuela), the latter scoring the final goal of the game via a penalty.
👑 @JosefMartinez17 scores from the spot to put 🇻🇪 up 3-1 vs Leo Messi and 🇦🇷 https://t.co/1wnNoXfi7v— MLS Rewind (@MLS Rewind) 1553291183.0
Mexico began life with their new coach Gerardo Martino with a 3-1 win over Chile in San Diego, California. The win provided many talking points and positives for El Tri as they, like the United States, prepare for this summer's Concacaf Gold Cup. Mexico hosts Paraguay on Tuesday night in Santa Clara, California.
Panama tied Brazil 1-1 in Portugal where former Houston Dynamo Adolfo Machado scored for the Central Americans in their historic draw with the five-time FIFA World Cup champs.
UEFA EURO 2020 qualifiers
⏰ RESULTS ⏰ 🔥 Moise Kean nets on competitive debut for Italy 😮 Sergio Ramos Panenka penalty secures Spain win 💪 E… https://t.co/JYEWHNGwL8— UEFA EURO 2020 (@UEFA EURO 2020) 1553377728.0
One of the bigger international tournaments besides the FIFA World Cup is the European Championship. The 2020 edition, to be disputed across 12 European countries to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the competition, is undergoing it's qualification stage. One of the thrillers this week has been Germany's 3-2 win at rival Netherlands. France, the current World Champion, continues to look strong as they demolish their competition.
A local tie to the Euro 2020 qualifiers exists as Houston Dynamo defender Aljaz "Kiki" Struna started in both of Slovenia's matches this week, the two results ending in 1-1 draws to Israel and Macedonia.
🚨 RESULTS 🚨 Performance of the night? 🤔 👏 France, England & Turkey cruise to victory ✅ Portugal and Serbia play… https://t.co/FDw53BlPXL— UEFA EURO 2020 (@UEFA EURO 2020) 1553550248.0
For the defending European Champions Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo suffered an injury that saw him leave their 1-1 draw with Serbia. Overlapping to club competition, many wonder how big of a hit this could be for Juventus in their aim to win the UEFA Champions League.
A worrying sight for Juventus 😬 Cristiano Ronaldo was forced off after pulling up in Portugal’s Euro 2020 qualifie… https://t.co/C6eNWRIgVC— ESPN FC (@ESPN FC) 1553547169.0
Concacaf Nations League
The 16 confirmed teams for #GoldCup2019 Watch the Groups & Schedule Unveil on April 10th at Banc of California Stad… https://t.co/96qXXgClm7— Gold Cup 2019 (@Gold Cup 2019) 1553560698.0
All the participants in this summer's Concacaf Gold Cup are now confirmed after action wrapped up in the Nations League tournament. Houston Dynamo midfielder Darwin Ceren was one of the players involved in pivotal matches as he started and helped El Salvador win 2-0 over Jamaica.
------
Upcoming Matches (All Times CT):
Tuesday, Mar. 26
1:00 p.m. - [UEFA Euro 2020 qualifier] Armenia vs. Finland (ESPN3, Univision Deportes)
2:00 p.m. - [International Friendly] Morocco vs. Argentina (beIN Sports)
2:45 p.m. - [UEFA Euro 2020 qualifier] Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Greece (ESPN3)
2:45 p.m. - [UEFA Euro 2020 qualifier] Malta vs. Spain (ESPN+, Univision Deportes)
2:45 p.m. - [UEFA Euro 2020 qualifier] Italy vs. Liechtenstein (ESPN+)
2:45 p.m. - [International Friendly] Czech Republic vs. Brazil (ESPN3)
7:00 p.m. - [International Friendly] USA vs. Chile (ESPN2, UniMas)
9:00 p.m. - [International Friendly] Mexico vs. Paraguay (UniMas)
Wednesday, Mar. 27
1:00 p.m. - [UEFA Women's Champions League] PSG vs. Chelsea (beIN Sports)
7:30 p.m. - [Copa Libertadores] Cruzeiro vs. Deportivo Lara (beIN Sports)
Friday, Mar. 29
2:30 p.m. - [Bundesliga] Hoffenheim vs. Bayer 04 Leverkusen (FS2, Univision Deportes)
3:00 p.m. - [La Liga] Girona vs. Athletic Bilbao (beIN Sports)
Saturday, Mar. 30
7:30 a.m. - [Premier League] Fulham vs. Manchester City (NBC Sports)
9:30 a.m. - [Bundesliga] Freiburg vs. FC Bayern Munich (FS2, UniMas)
10:00 a.m. - [Premier League] Manchester United vs. Watford (NBC Sports)
10:00 a.m. - [Premier League] Brighton vs. Southampton (CNBC)
10:15 a.m. - [La Liga] FC Barcelona vs. Espanyol (beIN Sports)
12:30 p.m. - [Premier League] West Ham vs. Everton (NBC Sports)
12:30 p.m. - [La Liga] Celta Vigo vs. Villarreal (beIN Sports)
12:30 p.m. - [Bundesliga] RB Leipzig vs. Hertha BSC Berlin (FS2)
2:30 p.m. - [MLS] San Jose Earthquakes vs. LAFC (Twitter, Univision)
2:45 p.m. - [La Liga] Alaves vs. Atletico Madrid (beIN Sports)
8:00 p.m. - [MLS] Colorado Rapids vs. Houston Dynamo (KUBE57)
Sunday, Mar. 31
8:00 a.m. - [Premier League] Cardiff City vs. Chelsea (NBC Sports)
8:30 a.m. - [Bundesliga] Hannover 96 vs. FC Schalke 04 (FS1, Univision Deportes)
10:30 a.m. - [Premier League] Liverpool vs. Tottenham (NBC Sports)
2:45 p.m. - [La Liga] Real Madrid vs. Huesca (beIN Sports)
5:30 p.m. - [MLS] Orlando City vs. D.C. United (FS1)
8:00 p.m. - [MLS] LA Galaxy vs. Portland Timbers (ESPN2)
Monday, Apr. 1
2:00 p.m. - [Premier League] Arsenal vs. Newcastle (NBC Sports)
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
The Houston Astros wrapped up yet another series win this week, this time taking two of three from the struggling Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Despite missing several key players and a bullpen that wasn’t fully available, the Astros continued their recent run of success, pushing their record to 52-35.
Manager Joe Espada appeared to be playing the long game in the rubber match on Thursday. After Houston rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, Espada stuck with reliever Jordan Weems instead of turning to his high-leverage arms. That decision, while frustrating to some fans hoping for the sweep, underscored the team’s cautious approach to workload management as they navigate a long season.
One bright spot continues to be rookie Cam Smith, who delivered again in the clutch with a two-run triple in the seventh inning on Thursday. Smith has been Houston’s most dependable bat with runners on base and is quickly settling into the cleanup role—a rarity for a first-year player but one he’s earned with his poise and production.
Astros cleanup hitter RBIs this season:
Cam Smith: 10 RBIs in 7 games
All others: 28 RBIs in 80 games
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 3, 2025
Off the field, the biggest storyline continues to be Yordan Alvarez’s injury. After reports surfaced that the slugger had experienced a setback in his return from a fractured hand, the team clarified that the issue is inflammation, not the fracture itself. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez received injections to address the irritation and is expected to rest for now. Encouragingly, the Astros say the fracture is no longer a concern, and while there’s still no definitive timeline for his return, the overall tone from the club was optimistic.
The transparency around Alvarez’s situation is part of a larger shift. After being criticized in recent seasons for vague injury updates, the Astros have begun issuing daily availability reports. It’s a move that signals the front office is trying to regain some trust with the media and fans after a stretch of frustrating ambiguity around player health.
Now, the Astros head to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. Friday’s opener will feature Lance McCullers Jr. making just his second start since returning from the injured list. McCullers gave up eight runs in his return against the Cubs and will be under the spotlight as he looks to settle back into form. Control will be the key, as walks have long been McCullers’ Achilles’ heel.
Saturday sets the stage for one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season: Framber Valdez versus Shohei Ohtani. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, this weekend in LA should serve as a measuring stick—and perhaps a postseason preview.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
___________________________
*ChatGPT assisted.
Looking to get the word out about your business, products, or services? Consider advertising on SportsMap! It's a great way to get in front of Houston sports fans. Click the link below for more information!