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Americans Abroad: Weekend Rewind

Carlos Bocanegra 4 (Getty Images) 

By FRANCO PANIZO

It has been hard for Carlos Bocanegra to see the field for Stade Rennes over the past two months, but the U.S. national team captain took another positive step towards reclaiming his left back spot this weekend.

Bocanegra started Rennes' round of 32 Coupe de France game against Saumar, and helped Rennes post a 4-0 victory over the fifth-division club. Bocanegra's start was his third in Rennes' last four games, a stretch of appearances that began in the club's French League Cup victory over Lille on Jan. 14.

Brad Guzan also enjoyed league cup success, as he added another win to his relatively young resume by making three saves in Aston Villa's 3-2 FA Cup win over Brighton. Guzan's latest victory pushes Aston Villa to the fifth round of the competition, and comes just days after he helped the Villans secure a place in Carling Cup final.

Here is how the Americans Abroad fared this weekend:

England

PREMIERSHIP

  • Landon Donovan started and played 76 minutes in Everton's 2-1 loss vs. Birmingham in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday.
  • Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made two saves in Everton's 2-1 loss vs. Birmingham in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday.
  • Clint Dempsey did not dress in Fulham's 3-1 win vs. Accrington Stanley in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
  • Jozy Altidore did not dress in Hull City's 4-0 loss vs. Manchester United on Saturday.
  • Brad Friedel dressed but did not play in Aston Villa's 3-2 win vs. Brighton in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday.
  • Brad Guzan started, played 90 minutes and made three saves in Aston Villa's 3-2 win vs. Brighton in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday.

  • Marcus Hahnemann dressed but did not play in Wolverhampton Wanderers' 2-2 draw vs. Crystal Palace in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday.

COCA COLA CHAMPIONSHIP

  • Jay DeMerit started and played 90 minutes in Watford's 3-2 loss vs. Blackpool on Saturday.
  • Frank Simek dressed but did not play in Sheffield Wednesday's 2-1 win vs. Peterborough United on Saturday.

LEAGUE ONE

  • Ian Joyce did not dress in Southend United's 1-1 draw vs. Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday.
  • Zak Whitbread came off the bench and played 45 minutes in Norwich City's 1-0 win vs. Brentford on Saturday.
  • Mike Grella dressed but did not play in Leeds United's 2-2 draw vs. Tottenham Hotspur in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday.
  • Jemal Johnson started and played 90 minutes in Stockport County's 0-0 draw vs. Carlisle United on Saturday.
  • Jon-Paul Pittman did not dress in Wycombe Wanderers' 1-1 draw vs. Southend United on Saturday.

Scotland

  • Maurice Edu did not dress in Rangers' 1-1 draw vs. Heart of Midlothian on Saturday.
  • DaMarcus Beasley did not dress in Rangers' 1-1 draw vs. Heart of Midlothian on Saturday. He is recovering from a thigh injury. 
  • Dominic Cervi did not dress in Celtic's 4-1 win vs. St Johnstone on Sunday.

Italy

  • Oguchi Onyewu did not dress in AC Milan's 2-0 loss vs. Inter Milan on Sunday. He is recovering from a knee injury.

Germany

BUNDESLIGA

  • Michael Bradley started and played 90 minutes in Borussia Moenchengladbach's 0-0 draw vs. Hertha Berlin on Saturday.
  • Steve Cherundolo started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Hannover 96's 1-0 loss vs. Mainz on Saturday.
  • Sal Zizzo did not dress in Hannover 96's 1-0 loss vs. Mainz on Saturday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
  • Jermaine Jones did not dress in Schalke 04's 2-2 draw vs. VfL Bochum on Saturday. He is recovering from a leg injury.
  • Ricardo Clark did not dress in Eintracht Frankfurt's 1-1 draw vs. Nurnberg on Saturday.

BUNDESLIGA 2

  • Kenny Cooper did not dress in TSV 1860 Munich's 3-0 win vs. Hansa Rostock on Friday. He is recovering from a knee injury. 
  • Luis Robles dressed but did not play in Kaiserslautern's 0-0 draw vs. Ahlen on Satuday.
  • Matt Taylor started and played 63 minutes in FSV Frankfurt's 5-0 loss vs. SpVgg Greuther Furth on Friday.
  • David Yeldell did not dress in TUS Koblenz's 4-2 loss vs. Arminia Bielefeld on Sunday. He is recovering from a leg injury.

France

  • Carlos Bocanegra started and played 90 minutes in Stade Rennes' 4-0 win vs. Saumur in the round of 32 in the Coupe de France on Friday.

Portugal

  • Kamani Hill and Vitoria de Guimaraes did not play this weekend.

Greece

  • Freddy Adu dressed but did not play in Aris Salonika's 0-0 draw vs. Panathinaikos on Sunday.
  • Eddie Johnson came off the bench and played 22 minutes in Aris Salonika's 0-0 draw vs. Panathinaikos on Sunday.

Mexico

  • Jose Francisco Torres started and played 70 minutes in Pachuca's 1-0 loss vs. Queretaro on Saturday.
  • Michael Orozco did not dress in San Luis' 3-2 win vs. Atlante on Saturday. Orozco is linked to a move to MLS and the Philadelphia Union. 
  • Edgar Castillo started and played 90 minutes in Tigres UANL's 3-1 loss vs. Guadalajara on Saturday.
  • Marco Vidal started and played 90 minutes in Indios de Ciudad Juarez's 0-0 draw vs. Santos on Sunday.
  • Herculez Gomez came off the bench and played 39 minutes in Puebla's 3-2 win vs. Estudiantes U.A. de G on Friday.

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What do you think of these performances? Think Bocanegra is starting to find his starting role with Rennes, or is he just benefiting from cup matches? Surprised that Guzan posted a second cup competition win in a week?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. “MLS is a fine league but it’s weakness shows when the US team is majority MLS players. ‘

    That is debateable. Argentina, Brazil, France, Holland all have their best players playing abroad. If they went about their WC qualifying matches with only domestic league players available they would have a harder time of it. granted that he is an idot as a coach but you might have notice how hard a time Maradona had in WC qualifying while trying to use only domestic league players.

    The poor showing of USMNT second stringers says much more about the lack of depth of the US talent pool than it says the MLS is a weak league.

    If anything, US fans should get down on their knees and thank god for the MLS rather than look down on it so much. It’s not perfect but it is helping the US talent pool expand and develop.

    Reply
  2. If we make a serious run in the world cup it def be cause of our goalkeeping…… howard and guzan are both beasts….. In 2014 guzan is gonna be out of control good…… Perkins not so much….. On the honduras third goal he just watched the ball go across to pavon…… Hahneman is def gonna be our third keeper at the world cup……

    Hey Ives, can we get a list of who you think is on the flight to SA 2010 as of now if nothing changes
    Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

    Reply
  3. yeah, i agree with Ives when he says IC are serious WC contenders. In fact, I’ve had many “fights” with people about how IC will make it out of their group and be a serious contender. however, this takes away some of my ammo…

    Reply
  4. That is the most active I have seen EJ in a LONG time. He beat the defender on the header and then beat him again to the ball and a FREAKING super man effort from the keeper kept him off the scoring sheet. Maybe he can slowly get into it.

    Reply
  5. That is an amazing save by the ‘keeper.

    It was good play by EJ too, to win the header and flick it on to his teammate, then to be able to fight off the defender and still put a good shot on goal. 9 out of 10 times it is a goal.

    Reply
  6. I hope Grella can step up his game once Beckford leaves Leeds. They’re bound to be in the CC next year and he’ll need to move up a level in his playing ability to cope but at 23(?) he has time on his side.

    I still have Jones penciled in for June: He’s doing well for my FIFA US team : )

    Reply
  7. If anything, we might have more 2nd Division players next year.

    Which great for some, terrible for others.

    Get healthy and playing Team America.

    Reply
  8. STOP STOP STOP. I am so tired of every time any US player has a lack of playing time in Europe US fans think said player would be better off in the US. With that consideration, Dempsey and Jozy would already be back in the states. Looking at recent games where MLS players took the lead (2009 Gold Cup Final and USA Hondo days ago) MLS is a poor prep for international games….Donovan is the exception not the rule. Boca will either get playing time at Rennes or move before the end of the window. MLS is a fine league but it’s weakness shows when the US team is majority MLS players.

    Reply
  9. Man, Bocanegra needs to get some serious playing time before the world cup. I don’t consider getting a start vs. a 5th division French team serious playing time. He’d be better off coming back to MLS.

    Reply
  10. yeah they do… Beckford is going to leave sooner than later. They also still need to improve their squad in prep for the championship if they do indeed get promotion.

    Reply
  11. Franco — espnsoccernet has Jemal Johnson starting against Carlisle on Saturday and going the full 90 for Stockport County. Is that incorrect?

    Reply
  12. I really hope that the MLS raises the salary cap…. The league would be better off if they could sign all of our young players that play in mexico and all over second tier divisions around the world

    As a red bull fan i would love for them to go get Jose Francisco Torres he would be the perfect partner for Tchani

    Reply
  13. There are rumors that Pittman didn’t play because he is leaving Wycombe. Rumors say Preston, Charlton, and Leeds are interested. I doubt the Leeds one is true though as they don’t need him.

    I still say he will stay at Wycombe tell the summer and then leave.

    Reply
  14. agrreed, jozy is still playing with hull when he is with them… He is on leave because of Haiti and he should still get time when he gets back even if they did sign a striker

    Reply

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