Posted on 03/20/2018 3:21:41 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
With the top soccer leagues from around the world taking a break until the end of the month, its time for the national teams to start preparing for this summers World Cup with a string of friendlies that will be played in all corners of the globe.
In total, there are over 20 matches will be aired live on US television and/or streaming. On paper, some of the most highly-anticipated games include Russia-Brazil, Italy-Argentina, Germany-Spain, France-Colombia, Germany-Brazil, England-Italy, Spain-Argentina and Mexico-Croatia. Plus the USA will field a very young side against Paraguay in a match that should give several debuts to promising American talent.
Bookmark this schedule for the international break, and well update it if/when there are any last-minute TV or streaming changes.
All kickoffs listed below are in the Eastern United States time zone.
Friday, March 23
Russia vs. Brazil, Noon, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Espanol, iGOL, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports and fuboTV (free 7-day trial)
Serbia vs. Morocco, 3:30pm, beIN SPORTS Connect, iGOL and fuboTV (free 7-day trial)
Austria vs. Slovenia, 3:45pm, ESPN3, ESPN Deportes+ and Sling Orange (free 7-day trial)
Germany vs. Spain, 3:45pm, ESPN3, ESPN Deportes+ and Sling Orange (free 7-day trial)
Portugal vs. Egypt, 3:45pm, ESPN3, ESPN Deportes+ and Sling Orange (free 7-day trial)
Scotland vs. Costa Rica, 3:45pm, ESPN3, ESPN Deportes+ and Sling Orange (free 7-day trial)
France vs. Colombia, 3:45pm, ESPN Deportes, ESPN3 and Sling Orange (free 7-day trial)
Italy vs. Argentina, 3:45pm, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Espanol, iGOL, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports and fuboTV (free 7-day trial)
Poland vs. Nigeria, 3:45pm, beIN SPORTS Connect, iGOL and fuboTV (free 7-day trial)
Peru vs. Croatia, 8pm, Only available via Pay-Per-View
Mexico vs. Iceland, 10:30pm, FS1, UniMas, Univision Deportes, Sling Latino, DIRECTV NOW, Sling TV and fuboTV (7-day free trial)
Saturday, March 24
Sweden vs. Chile, 1pm, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Espanol, iGOL, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports and fuboTV (free 7-day trial)
Monday, March 26
Portugal vs. Netherlands, 2:30pm, ESPN Deportes, ESPN3 and Sling Orange (free 7-day trial)
Tuesday, March 27
Russia vs. France, 11:45am, ESPN Deportes, ESPN3 and Sling Orange (free 7-day trial)
Egypt vs. Greece, 2pm, ESPN3, ESPN Deportes+ and Sling Orange (free 7-day trial)
Belgium vs. Saudi Arabia, 2:45pm, ESPN3, ESPN Deportes+ and Sling Orange (free 7-day trial)
Germany vs. Brazil, 2:45pm, ESPN3, ESPN Deportes+ and Sling Orange (free 7-day trial)
Colombia vs. Australia, 3pm, beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Espanol, iGOL, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports and fuboTV (free 7-day trial)
England vs. Italy, 3pm, FS1, Sling Latino, DIRECTV NOW, Sling TV and fuboTV (7-day free trial)
Spain vs. Argentina, 3:30pm, ESPN Deportes, ESPN3 and Sling Orange (free 7-day trial)
USA vs. Paraguay, 7pm, FS1, UniMas, Sling Latino, DIRECTV NOW, Sling TV and fuboTV (7-day free trial)
Peru vs. Iceland, 8pm, Only available via Pay-Per-View
Mexico vs. Croatia, 10pm, FS1, UniMas, Univision Deportes, Sling Latino, DIRECTV NOW, Sling TV and fuboTV (7-day free trial)
Wednesday, March 28
Poland vs. South Korea, 6pm (delayed), beIN SPORTS en Espanol, iGOL, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports and fuboTV (free 7-day trial)
Thursday, March 29
Peru vs. Iceland, 10pm (delayed), beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Espanol, iGOL, Sling Latino, Sling World Sports and fuboTV (free 7-day trial)
uhm 9:30 pm
pssh
The United States remains at the top of the FIFA women's rankings after winning the SheBelieves Cup, and England moved ahead of Germany into second.The Americans went unbeaten in the four-team round-robin tournament they hosted this month.
England, which lost the final game 1-0 to the Americans, finished runner-up and climbed one ranking place.
Germany dropped to No. 3 after a last-place finish that cost coach Steffi Jones her job. The Germans were ranked in the top two for almost 10 years.
Roma goalkeeper Alisson to captain Brazil against RussiaThe Roma goalkeeper will be the 15th player to captain Brazil in 18 matches under current coach Tite.
...The captaincy became a contentious issue for Brazil following Neymar’s public resignation from the role shortly after leading Brazil to gold at the Rio Olympics in 2016
Upon his July 2016 appointment, Tite took the decision not to appoint a permanent captain, borrowing from his time at Corinthians where he had rotated the armband around the squad.
"I don’t do it just to be nice. I've learned that leadership requires a number of qualities,” Tite said last year. “It's behavioural, tactical, technical, about communication… everyone has these to varying degrees. I try to encourage players to show theirs.”
He has repeatedly insisted that there are “many leaders” in the squad and this week in Moscow the players were each handed a copy of ‘Leading with the Heart: Coach K's Successful Strategies for Basketball, Business, and Life’, by college basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski.
...Van Marwijk is expected to blood a few of the fresh faces in his squad in the Norway game on Saturday or the clash with Colombia on Tuesday in London, and is not concerned that the Danish national team coach will be in Oslo watching his side take on the Norwegians.
Norway game on SaturdaySaturday in Australia. Friday for normal people.
"It’s new, it’s been nice to spend the time together with everybody as a group," the captain said. "We all know the circumstances and it’s just about getting the work in, and we’ve done that to this point and we’ll continue to do that going forward."I think it's only normal when you have a new manager and new staff come in everybody has to impress, everybody wants to put their best foot forward.
"No one really wants to waste time in doing that. We know we’ve got a long path ahead but there's opportunity there to get some good work in and I think with that comes a lot of excitement.
"We are overall preparing for a World Cup and that’s exciting to do it with a new manager and a new way of doing it. I’m just excited as anybody."
However, since falling to that Antoine Griezmann double in Marseille, Germany have bounced back to go on a 21-game unbeaten run, most recently drawing friendlies against England and France.
Germany won all 10 of their qualifiers for this summer's tournament, while Spain had nine wins and a draw.
"It will be a game in which both teams will want to show what they can do," said Low.
"However, neither will want to lay their cards on the table. If we were to play Spain at the World Cup, it would be a very different game and we know they are a top team in every respect.
England come into the game on the back of a pair of 0-0 draws with Germany and Brazil in November, and have not beaten the Oranje since the famous 4-1 win at Euro 96.
Disney show from Argentina. She got free tickets for journalist (150 euros each).
Playing looks a lot better than the screenshot. I'll look into if there is a setting for that.
"This is going to be his team," Sampaoli said, before his side's friendly against Italy on Friday.
"Messi is the best of all and is in a stage of maturity that can he can carry the team on his shoulders. It is more his team than mine."
Houseman, a World Cup winner in 1978, has died aged 64 after losing his battle with cancer.
If anyone needs a link to watch a game send me email.
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