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CONCACAF Abroad: Weekend Rewind

David Suazo (Reuters) 

By GIANFRANCO PANIZO

Is David Suazo the best CONCACAF player plying his trade in Europe? It is certainly possible. But those who support that statement were fed more ammunition after the Honduran striker scored twice in Benfica's 6-0 route over Maritimo.

Suazo's national comrades Wilson Palacios and Maynor Figueroa were not as lucky. Though both players went the full 90 for Wigan Athletic against Arsenal, the duo were each awarded a yellow card as they saw their team falter thanks in part to an Emmanuel Adebayor goal in the 16th minute.

Mexico's representatives also had a topsy-turvy weekend. Pavel Pardo, Aaron Galindo, Carlos Vela and Antonio DeNigris all missed out on the soccer action. Meanwhile, Rafa Marquez, Andres Guardado, Omar Bravo and Ricardo Osorio all participated in their team's shutout victories. Bravo even notched his first La Liga goal with his 69th minute spot kick.

Jamaican forward Marlon King also hit home a penalty this weekend as he enjoyed scoring for the second consecutive week. King's penalty kick, five minutes away from the final whistle, was the game winner as Hull City sealed a come from behind victory against Middlesbrough.

Here's how the rest of the CONCACAF Abroad players did this past weekend: 

CANADA

  • Julian de Guzman started and played 90 minutes in Deportivo La Coruna's 2-0 win vs. Malaga on Sunday.
  • David Edgar dressed but did not play in Newcastle’s 2-2 draw vs. Stoke City on Saturday.
  • Paul Stalteri did not dress in Tottenham’s 2-0 win vs. West Ham on Monday.
  • Rob Friend started and played 82 minutes in Borussia Monchengladbach’s 3-1 loss vs. Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.
  • Daniel Imhof did not dress in VFL Bochum’s 4-0 loss vs. Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.

  • Kevin McKenna did not dress in FC Cologne’s 2-1 loss vs. Hamburg on Sunday.

  • Nik Ledgerwood started, played 61 minutes and drew a yellow card in 1860 Munich’s 2-0 loss vs. Alemania Aachen on Friday.

  • David Hoilett came off the bench and played 30 minutes in St. Pauli’s 3-2 win vs. TUS Koblenz on Sunday.

  • Josh Simpson came off the bench and played 10 minutes in Kaiserslautern’s 0-0 draw vs. MSV Duisburg on Sunday.

  • Atiba Hutchinson started and played 90 minutes in FC Copenhagen’s 5-2 win vs. AC Horsens  on Sunday.

  • Kenny Stamatopolous and Tromso are currently out of season.

  • Michael D'Agostino did not dress in Blackpool’s 2-0 win vs. Charlton Athletic on Saturday.

  • Olivier Occean and Lillestrom are currently out of season.

  • Patrice Bernier did not play in FC Nordsjaelland’s 0-0 draw vs. AGF Aarhus on Monday.

  • Issey Nakajima-Farran did not play in FC Nordsjaelland’s 0-0 draw vs. AGF Aarhus on Monday.

  • Mike Klukowsi started and played 90 minutes in Club Brugge’s 2-0 loss vs. KSC Lokeren on Sunday.

  • Adrian Cann did not play in Esbjerg’s 1-1 draw vs. Vejle on Sunday.

  • Andrew Ornoch came off the bench, played 13 minutes and drew a yellow card in Esbjerg’s 1-1 draw vs. Vejle on Sunday.

  • Tam Nsaliwa started and played 90 minutes AEK Athens’ 1-0 win vs. Panthrakikos on Sunday.

  • Marcel De Jong started and played 90 minutes in Roda JC’s 3-0 win vs. Vitesse Arnhem on Saturday.

  • Richard Hastings started and played 90 minutes in Inverness’ 3-1 loss vs. Dundee United on Saturday.

COSTA RICA

  • Gilberto Martinez started and played 90 minutes in Brescia’s 1-0 win vs. Albinoleffe on Saturday.

  • Bryan Ruiz started and played 90 minutes in KAA Gent’s 3-1 loss vs. Cercle Brugge on Friday.

  • Randall Azofeifa came off the bench and played 12 minutes in KAA Gent’s 3-1 loss vs. Cercle Brugge on Friday.

  • Alvaro Saborio and FC Sion Sitten’s game vs. FC Luzern on Saturday was postponed.

GRENADA

  • Jason Roberts did not dress in Blackburn’s 3-1 loss vs. Liverpool on Saturday.

HONDURAS

  • David Suazo started, played 90 minutes and scored TWO GOALS in Benfica's 6-0 win vs. Maritimo on Sunday.

  • Maynor Figueroa started, played 90 minutes and drew a yellow card in Wigan’s 1-0 loss vs. Arsenal on Saturday.

  • Wilson Palacios started, played 90 minutes and drew a yellow card in Wigan’s 1-0 loss vs. Arsenal on Saturday.

  • Julio Cesar Leon did not dress in Parma’s 1-0 win vs. US Avellino on Saturday.

  • Edgar Alvarez did not dress in Pisa’s 4-2 win vs. Ancona on Saturday.

JAMAICA

  • Marlon King started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in Hull’s 2-1 win vs. Middlesbrough on Saturday.

  • Ricardo Fuller came off the bench and played 33 minutes in Stoke’s 2-2 draw vs. Newcastle United on Saturday.

  • Ricardo Gardner came off the bench and played 45 minutes in Bolton’s 2-0 loss vs. Chelsea on Saturday.

  • Nyron Nosworthy dressed but did not play Sunderland’s 1-0 loss vs. Manchester United on Saturday.

  • Damion Stewart started and played 90 minutes in Queens Park Rangers’ 1-0 win vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

  • Jason Euell did not dress in Southampton’s 1-1 draw vs. Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.

  • Claude Davis did not dress in Derby County’s 2-1 loss vs. Crystal Palace on Saturday.

  • Deon Burton did not dress in Sheffield Wednesday’s 1-1 draw vs. Southampton on Saturday.

  • Luton Shelton and Valarenga are currently out of season.

  • Rudolph Austin and SK Brann are currently out of season.

MEXICO

  • Rafael Marquez started and played 90 minutes in Barcelona’s 4-0 win vs. Valencia on Saturday.

  • Andres Guardado started and played 58 minutes in Deportivo La Coruna’s 2-0 win vs. Malaga on Sunday.

  • Omar Bravo came off the bench, played 45 minutes and scored a GOAL in Deportivo La Coruna's 2-0 win vs. Malaga on Sunday.

  • Ricardo Osorio started and played 90 minutes in VFB Stuttgart’s 3-0 win vs. Energie Cottbus on Saturday.

  • Pavel Pardo did not dress in VFB Stuttgart’s 3-0 win vs. Energie Cottbus on Saturday.

  • Carlos Salcido started and played 90 minutes in PSV Eindhoven’s 4-2 win vs. FC Groningen on Saturday.

  • Giovani Dos Santos did not dress in Tottenham’s 2-0 win vs. West Ham on Monday. He was out with an ankle sprain.

  • Carlos Vela dressed but did not play in Arsenal’s 1-0 win vs. Wigan Athletic on Saturday.

  • Nery Castillo did not dress in Manchester City’s 1-1 draw vs. Fulham on Saturday.

  • Guillermo Franco did not dress in Villarreal’s 3-3 draw vs. Getafe on Saturday.

  • Hector Moreno started and played 90 minutes in AZ Alkmaar’s 2-0 win vs. SC Heracles Almelo on Saturday.

  • Aaron Galindo did not dress in Eintracht Frankfurt’s 4-0 win vs. VfL Bochum on Saturday.

  • Antonio DeNigris did not dress in Ankaraspor’s 3-1 win vs. Besiktas on Saturday.

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

  • Kenwyne Jones came off the bench and played 21 minutes in Sunderland’s 1-0 loss vs. Manchester United on Saturday.

  • Carlos Edwards came off the bench and played 13 minutes in Sunderland’s 1-0 loss vs. Manchester United on Saturday.

  • Dwight Yorke started and played 61 minutes in Sunderland’s 1-0 loss vs. Manchester United on Saturday.

  • Darryl Roberts started and played 90 minutes in Denizlispor’s 1-0 loss vs. Fenerbahce on Friday.

  • Stern John did not dress in Southampton’s 1-1 draw vs. Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.

  • Jason Scotland started and played 90 minutes in Swansea City’s 0-0 draw vs. Bristol City on Saturday.

  • Russell Latapy dressed but did not play in Falkirk’s 2-1 loss vs. St Mirren on Saturday.

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What do you think of these performances? Is Suazo the best CONCACAF Abroad player? Happy to see Omar Bravo net his first La Liga goal? Will Nery Castillo get out of his Manchester misery this winter? 

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Honduras is finishing top 3. I guarantee it. They’re midfield and strikers have improved immensely and have not only passed Costa Rica but lapped them. Costa Rica will have to settle for 4th.

    Reply
  2. How could you sat he dint cut it? HE scored 8 goals in Serie A being having to contend with 4 other talented strikers and portugal is not a sup bar league and benifica is not a sub par team. some of these quotes are big socceresque. and he is the best outfield player in concacaf along with Rafa and Gaurdado.

    Reply
  3. “The argument could be made that Suazo is the best Attacking player from CONCACAF currently playing in Europe but we got to keep in mind that he couldn’t cut it at Inter and is now playing in a sub par league like the Portuguese.” – Christian

    I hardly believe Suazo couldn’t cut it at Inter, last season he got 8 goals in 27 league appearances for Inter. The majority of those appearances came as a substitute in the final 10-15 minutes of matches. Meanwhile last season Julio Cruz got 13 goals in 28 appearances, as a STARTER.
    If there was a minute-based comparison, it would be clear Suazo was more productive than a frequent starter like Cruz. (Unfortunately, I dont have the time to do this analysis)

    Reply
  4. I’d hardly call it easy, Moe; Playing under a coach they actually respecte, Canada badly outplayed the U.S. in the Gold Cup and was screwed out of the final by a call that every replay on earth showed was lousy; and the U.S. record over time, if not so much recently, against Mexico speaks for itself.

    But having said that, the U.S. has a massive population that dwarfs most of the rest of CONCACAF combined and it SHOULD win easily. Without MLS, many of the pros over here would simply be over there somewhere, not “Not playing.” That’s why Mexico’s list here is short as well — a decent domestic league.

    Reply
  5. Just a few clarifications, Pardo and Franco are injured or carrying knocks and Galindo has been benched since reporting late to Frankfurt’s training sessions following his trip to Honduras.

    Danny:

    You’re comparing Suazo to two GKs? really?

    Moe:

    Apart from Jozy @ Villarreal, there aren’t any yanks playing at top clubs. I wouldn’t consider the Danish or Norweigan leagues “top” leagues although I agree with you on MLS not getting enough credit.

    The argument could be made that Suazo is the best Attacking player from CONCACAF currently playing in Europe but we got to keep in mind that he couldn’t cut it at Inter and is now playing in a sub par league like the Portuguese.

    Reply
  6. Internazionale chose to loan him to Benfica for the season. They were a handful of teams interested in acquiring his services but a deal was never agreed on, so he was loaned. I don’t think Suazo was or will be in any of Mourinho’s plans…

    Reply
  7. moe,
    it does seem that these nations do have a good amount of players playing for other nations in conacaf. However i dont think that they have the depth we have. It seems every nation has 2 or 3 players playing for good teams the rest are irrelevant. Also i think that mls may not get the credit it deserve.

    Reply
  8. Suazo is a beast… Definitely up there as one of the top players in the CONCACAF… Hard to say though really… But he is definitely up there…

    Reply
  9. lol that pic of Suazo and Nuno Gomes Ives…Benfica killed Maritimo big time last weekend…Also Benfica went top of the table for the first time in three years…

    FORCA BENFICA

    Reply
  10. Even though Canada did draw the group of death for last qualifying round, I don’t understand how there team is so poor. They have all the talent they need to which they should be a legit threat for Concacaf.

    Reply
  11. Looking at these players and the time they get for some of these times, it amazes me that the US is either the best or second best team in CONCACAF, and that we have no problems defeating most of these nations.

    Reply

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