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Americans Abroad: Midweek Rewind

Tim Howard 1 (AP)  

by GIANFRANCO PANIZO

Amongst the midweek action, Carlos Bocanegra and Rennes reached the Coupe de France final after defeating Grenoble 1-0 on Tuesday. Bocanegra, who typically plays left back for the French club, played centrally in the game that saw Rennes reach the cup final for the first time in 38 years.

Bocanegra wasn't the only American celebrating a positive result either. Just days after clinching a spot in the FA Cup Final by defeating Manchester United, Tim Howard helped Everton shut-out Chelsea in their league game on Wednesday. Howard made four saves in the scoreless draw.

Here is how the rest of the Americans Abroad contingent fared this weekend:

England

PREMIERSHIP

  • Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made four saves in Everton's 0-0 draw vs. Chelsea on Wednesday.

COCA COLA CHAMPIONSHIP

  • Eddie Johnson came off the bench and played 7 minutes in Cardiff City's 2-2 draw vs. Charlton Athletic on Tuesday.

  • Marcus Hahnemann started, played 90 minutes and made nine saves in Reading's 2-0 win vs. Derby County on Tuesday.

Italy

  • Danny Szetela dressed but did not play in Brescia's 3-0 win vs. US Avellino on Tuesday. 

France

LIGUE 1

  • Carlos Bocanegra started and played 90 minutes in Rennes' 1-0 win vs. Grenbole in the semifinals of the Coupe de France on Tuesday.

Denmark

  • Danny Califf started and played 90 minutes in FC Midtjylland's 2-1 loss vs. FC Copenhagen on Wednesday. 
  • Jeremiah White came off the bench, played 22 minutes and scored a GOAL in AGF Aarhus' 3-0 win vs. Sonderjyske on Wednesday.
  • Benny Feilhaber came off the bench and played 4 minutes in AGF Aarhus' 3-0 win vs. Sonderjyske on Wednesday.

  • Michael Parkhurst started and played 90 minutes in FC Nordsjaelland's 2-1 loss vs. Brondby IF on Thursday.
  • Marcus Tracy started and played 81 minutes in Aalborg' 3-1 loss vs. Esberj on Thursday.

Sweden

  • Charlie Davies started and played 90 minutes in Hammarby's 1-0 loss vs. IFK Goteborg on Thursday.

American-born Players Playing for Other Countries

  • Giuseppe Rossi (Italy) started and played 45 minutes in Villarreal's 2-1 vs. Recreativo Huelva on Thursday.

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What do you think of these midweek performances? Think Bocanegra and Rennes can capture the French title? Impressed to see Howard shut out two of the best teams in the EPL in the same week? Think Jeremiah White should be called into the Gold Cup roster?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Please stop reporting on American-born players playing for other countries. It makes me sick to see the names of those traitors.

    Reply
  2. Davies can also play the wing in a 4-3-3!

    I would like to see any of Ching/Jozy/Coop/Tracy up top w/ options of Landon/Adu (left) and Davies/White (right) on the wings.

    I def would like to get Deuce playing the AM. Love his vision and short link up passes.

    Add in any combo of Bradley/Edu or Sasha/Feilheiber sitting behind. Could be very nice. It seems we have a glut of talent in the Center Mid position.

    Reply
  3. I’m banking and praying both Howard and Bocanegra win their respective domestic league titles. That would be GRAND.

    Posted by: ISAF | April 23, 2009 at 11:33 PM
    Everton to win the title! lol

    Reply
  4. I have Davies as a super-sub for the WC. We’ll have Altidore and Donovan up top with Cooper and Davies. We could bring a 5th striker but who between Ching or EJ? Neither would start and only have a few mins at most in any match. Maybe Marcus Tracy could be the 5th for experience and depth?

    Reply
  5. Off topic but Fernando Torres has scored 5 braces all season. Pretty damn high number. Hoping he can get a hat-trick against Hull. He’s scored 13goals in 20 league appearances, majority of goals since January.

    Anelka and Ronaldo have 15. Seems like this season the defense is holding strong or strikers are underperforming.

    Reply
  6. Come on Dempsey. I’m pegging him to get a brace this weekend against Stoke. He’s had 2 braces this term.

    He and AJ are tied for Fulham’s top league scorer with 7 goals. Dempsey has 8 in all competitions whereas AJ has 9. Of course AJ has played in more games especially as a starter and is a striker whereas Dempsey is a midfielder and no goals through free kicks or PK’s. Let’s hear some for the DEUCE.

    Reply
  7. if jeremiah white doesn’t get called up to at least the Gold Cup then we know there is a problem with out coaching staff. and we better see charlies davies as well.

    Reply
  8. Tim Howard only made 2 saves. Vidic and Anderson scored their PKs, Berbatov and Ferdinand were stopped by Howard.

    Posted by: John Gilbert | April 23, 2009 at 08:12 PM
    That was on the weekend v. ManU. This is a MID-WEEK update; Howard made 4 saves v. Chelsea.

    Reply
  9. Gilbert:

    You may be confused. Howard made other saves in the game against Man Utd. And for the record- saves made in a PK shootout do not count as official stats in the EPL or FA Cup.

    Reply
  10. Hoping Boca/Reness win the Coupe de France becuase I think it means EUFA cup for them next year. Timmy has been playing really well and Charlie has two goals in 5 games which is not to bad.

    Reply
  11. *Sigh* Freddy Adu won’t be playing anytime soon for Monaco. Not because the manager’s out to get him smh. It is simply because there are better players. Unless Adu spikes Park, Licata, Mollo, Nimani, and Pino’s drink, he will never play.

    Good for Bocanegra and Rennes as a whole. That back for of Bocanegra (LB), Fanni (CB), Hansson (CB), and Mangane (RB) has been unbelievable.

    Reply
  12. Tim Howard only made 2 saves. Vidic and Anderson scored their PKs, Berbatov and Ferdinand were stopped by Howard.

    Reply
  13. Lets hope Benny gets the call up for the Gold Cup. I think he is the best center mid prospect we have in our pool right now. With Edu,Sasha,M.Bradley,Clark, and Mastroeni the mid field has some depth. Lets go NATs in WC 2010

    Reply
  14. In terms of playing time I think this is pretty good for midweek. I really want Monaco to do well because if they do, they’ll have a little margin for error( at least during the games) and give Freddy a chance

    Reply

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