’10 to Track’ soccer matches, Sunday (4/15) – MLS, the best of UEFA, and the rise of Number B

The ten best soccer matches to follow, for us, the newish American soccer fans!  Weekends bring out the very best.

Noob acts as your filter and guide, Noobites.   But if you’ve got the time, Google up even more scores today.  The European scheds in particular were chock full  of sensational matches.  Couldn’t fit them all!

1. Atlanta United vs. NYCFC – MLS

#B hosts the last undefeated and #1 in the East in a fabulous finish to the soccer weekend.   Catch this one FS1 at 6:00 PM Eastern.  Atlanta’s only in its second year and the fan support is unreal.  They’ll have 45,000 on hand probably.

Both teams made the playoffs last year.  NYCFC has added some offense to its repertoire now, so this will be a superb showcase.

RESULT:   2-2

 

 

Atlanta already hold the MLS single-game attendance record.

B.  Portland Thorns vs. Orlando Pride – NWSL

Last season’s #2 and #3 face off here.  Portland won of their first two.  Swamp City-Orlando have yet to do so.

RESULT:   Portland   2-1

 

 

Number B, rising from the swamp to teach you a lesson, Orlando.

3. UNAM Pumas vs. Puebla – Liga MX

12^th place hosts 11^th in a match that actually matters, despite those numbers.  They’re really both tied for 10^th in the table, but down on tiebreakers.  More, they’re only a point out of 8^th, and top eight make the postseason Liguilla.

Noob thinks Necaxa are the ones who will win this midtable game of Mexican musical chair.  With only three matches to go in the Clausura (second half-season), one of these two needs to win today to have a chance.  Draws won’t cut it.

RESULT:   Pumas   4-2     UNAM climbs into a tie for 9th

4. Newcastle United vs. Arsenal – Premier League

Arsenal’s quest for a top-four finish and Champions League berth is good and gone.  In 6^th now, they seem headed to Europa League.

Newcastle are having a fabulous season.  If they can actually manage to hold onto 10^th place (or even climb), it would be special.  They were only just promoted to Premier this season.   (8:30 AM, NBCSN)

RESULT:   Newcastle   2-1     In other EPL news, congrats to Man City, finally clinching the league title!

 

Badass seahorses.

Ok.

Tallyho!

5. Paris Saint-Germain vs. AS Monaco – Ligue 1

PSG has all but officially dethroned last season’s champion.  AS Monaco are #B, now just must worry about holding onto a Champions League invite.  France’s league has dropped out of the top four in UEFA rankings, and so now only gets three CL spots.

RESULT:   PSG   7-1

6. Lazio vs. AS Roma – Serie A

Primo intracity rivalry!   And a wildly important one to boot.  Three teams are tied for the final two slots in the table that will earn CL berths.

Lazio plays some questionable-at-best-defense, but scores enough to make up for it.  Roma don’t score tons usually, and Noob thinks they’ll be the odd team out in the end.

RESULT:   0-0

 

 

Oh yes, we will be entertained.

 

7. Independiente vs. Boca Juniors – Argentina Premier

They’re heading down the home stretch, and Independiente have work to do.  They’re a point out of 5^th and a Copa Libertadores spot.  Today, the get a bad matchup, hosting the league #1, the only team that’s already guaranteed to be in the next CL.  Juniors are every bit as good on defense, and heaps better at scoring.

RESULT:   Independiente   1-0    Independiente climbs to 3rd

8. Benfica vs. Porto – Primeira Liga

The race in Portugal has seriously heated up, is now maybe the most entertaining in Europe.  They’re heading into the final leg of the season, and Benfica only lead Porto for 1^st by a point.  More, the next two clubs are just five points back.  Top match of the weekend!

RESULT:   Porto   0-1    Porto to 1st!

 

 

Even hotter than Portuguese VW-racing.

9. Galatasaray vs. Istanbul Basaksehir – Turkey Super Lig

And here’s the league giving Portugal a run for its money for a great race.  Istanbul is tied for 1^st and Galatasaray are in a tie for 3^rd just two points behind.  And this is also a top-10 league in Europe, if just.

Galatasaray was in a match featured this past Relegation Monday and suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of one of the league’s worst teams.   It’s looking like it might cost them a CL slot, as Turkey gets two.

RESULT:   Galatasaray   2-0   A new #1!

10. PSV Eindhoven vs. Ajax – Netherlands Eredivisie

The weekend of Tracking finishes off with another #1 vs. #B.  PSV leads Ajax by seven in the table, so this is pretty much must-win for Ajax regarding the title.  But they’re five points clear of 3^rd place for the league’s second and final CL spot, so a draw doesn’t wreck their whole campaign.

RESULT:   Eindhoven   3-0     Congrats to Eindhoven on winning the league!

 

 

 

A truly wrecked campaign