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Americans Abroad: Weekend Rewind

FUSSBALL - BL, Rapid vs Groedig

By FRANCO PANIZO

Terrence Boyd could not have asked for a much better end to his season.

Boyd stayed red-hot by scoring for the fourth consecutive game on Sunday, netting the third goal in Rapid Vienna’s 5-2 victory vs. SV Josko Ried. The 23-year-old forward with hopes of being on the U.S. Men’s National Team that will head to Brazil for the World Cup joined elite company with the goal – his sixth in Rapid Vienna’s last four games – as he became just the fifth American to net 20 times in a top-division European season. The other four players to do so are Clint Dempsey, Jozy Altidore, Aron Johannsson and Earnie Stewart.

Two other players who saw time in their respective season finales were Jozy Altidore and Tim Howard. Altidore came off the bench and played six minutes in Sunderland’s 3-1 loss vs. Swansea City to end his unsatisfactory campaign while Howard started and went the distance as Everton punctuated their strong season with a 2-0 triumph against Hull City.

Timmy Chandler was not in action for FC Nurnberg due to yellow card accumulation, but he witnessed his club get relegated into the 2. Bundesliga. The club needed a win to move past Hamburg SV in the standings and into the Bundesliga’s lone promotion-relegation spot, but Nurnberg suffered an embarrassing 4-1 defeat at Schalke 04 in their final match of the campaign.

Here is how the Americans Abroad did this weekend:

ENGLAND

Premiership

  • Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made three saves in Everton’s 2-0 win vs. Hull City on Sunday.
  • Jozy Altidore came off the bench and played six minutes in Sunderland’s 3-1 loss vs. Swansea City on Sunday.
  • Geoff Cameron started and played 90 minutes in Stoke City’s 2-1 win vs. West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.
  • Brek Shea did not dress for Stoke City.
  • Brad Guzan started, played 90 minutes and made four saves in Aston Villa’s 3-0 loss vs. Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
  • Brad Friedel dressed but did not play in Tottenham Hotspur’s 3-0 win vs. Aston Villa on Sunday.
  • Cody Cropper did not dress in Southampton’s 1-1 draw vs. Manchester United on Sunday.
  • Sebastian Lletget did not dress in West Ham United’s 2-0 loss vs. Manchester City on Sunday.

CHAMPIONSHIP

  • Zak Whitbread dressed but did not play in Derby County’s 4-1 win vs. Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday. Derby Count won the series on a 6-2 aggregate score.

GERMANY

Bundesliga

  • Fabian Johnson started, played 75 minutes and had an ASSIST in TSG 1899 Hoffenheim’s 3-1 win vs. TSV Eintracht Braunchweig on Saturday.
  • Joe Gyau dressed but did not play for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
  • John Brooks started and played 90 minutes in Hertha Berlin’s 4-0 loss vs. Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.
  • Timmy Chandler did not dress in FC Nurberg’s 4-1 loss vs. Schalke 04 on Saturday. He was suspended due to yellow card accumulation.
  • David Yelldell dressed but did not play in Bayer Leverkusen’s 2-1 win vs. Werder Bremen on Saturday.

Bundesliga 2

  • Alfredo Morales came off the bench and played 28 minutes in FC Ingolstadt 04’s 2-0 win vs. Energie Cottbus on Sunday.
  • Bobby Wood started and played 70 minutes in TSV 1860 Munich’s 1-1 draw vs. FC Union Berlin on Sunday.
  • Andrew Wooten did not dress in FSV Frankfurt’s 2-0 win vs. FC Cologne on Sunday.

FRANCE

  • Alejandro Bedoya started and played 78 minutes in FC Nantes’ 3-1 loss vs. St Etienne on Saturday.

NETHERLANDS

  • Aron Johannsson did not dress in AZ Alkmaar’s 1-0 loss vs. Heerenveen on Saturday. Alkmaar won the series on a 3-1 aggregate score.

TURKEY

  • Jermaine Jones started and played 90 minutes in Besiktas’ 1-0 win vs. Elazigspor on Sunday.

BELGIUM

  • Sacha Kljestan dressed but did not play in RSC Anderlecht’s 4-0 win vs. Racing Genk in the Pro League play-offs on Sunday.

AUSTRIA

  • Terrence Boyd started, played 76 minutes and scored a GOAL in Rapid Vienna’s 5-2 win vs. SV Josko Ried on Sunday.

DENMARK

  • Conor O’Brien started and played 63 minutes in Odense BK’s 3-1 loss vs. Esbjerg on Sunday.
  • Babajide Ogunbiyi started and played 90 minutes in Viborg FF’s 3-1 loss vs. FC Nordsjaelland on Sunday.

NORWAY

  • Mix Diskerud and Rosenborg BK play Sandnes Ulf on Monday.
  • Ethan Horvath dressed but did not play in Molde FK’s 2-2 draw vs. Stromsgodset on Sunday.
  • Josh Gatt did not dress for Molde FK. He is recovering from a knee injury.
  • Zarek Valentin did not dress in FK Bodo/Glimt’s 2-1 win vs. FK Haugesund on Saturday. Valentin is recovering from an injury.
  • Michael Stephens came off the bench, played 33 mintues and received a yellow card in Stabaek IF’s 3-2 win vs. Sarpsborg 08 on Sunday.

MEXICO

  • Dennis Flores did not dress in Club Leon’s 1-0 win vs. Toluca in the second leg of their Liga MX semifinals series on Saturday. Club Leon won the series via a 2-0 aggregate score.
  • Miguel Palafox did not dress for Club Leon.

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What do you think of these performances? Has Boyd all but assured himself a place in the USMNT’s 23-man roster for Brazil with his strong form at the end of the season? How do you look back on Howard and Altidore’s campaigns?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. TBoyd should be the starter over Jozy aka “I-dont-salute-the-National Anthem”… Terrence will give his all as oppose to Altidore who doesnt hustle at all.

    Fan’s growing discontent with jozy’s attitude on and off the field is an indication that we should move on from this prima donna who hasnt done a thing in soccer and spends way too much time on social media.

    Reply
    • yeah looked like Jozy was having fun on twitter the other night, kind of disappointing

      I still think Jozy is better on the ball and combines pretty well. However I think Terrence has that little extra something where he’s going to fight to get on the end of a cross. Even if the service isn’t perfect. He see’s opportunity where other strikers might give up on it and put there head down. Certainly deserves some real minutes.

      Reply
      • AZ had a 3-0 lead on agg but you’d think they’d at least dress him in case of anything, if he was fit.

    • Ankle injury, doesn’t seem good. AZ has said it’s something he’s had for awhile but been trying to play through. I guess we’ll see in camp how he does but his production at AZ has dropped off the last couple months. A lot of people still have him as a lock but I can see this keeping him off the 23 if he’s not 100%.

      Reply
    • Gotta be firing on all cylinders going into camp. Hope he’s healthy enough to contribute going forward.

      Reply
      • Are you trying to start a rumpus? I think a lot of people are saving their energy for the debates that will ensue after we start playing the final friendlies.

      • I’ll wait to tell you how wrong you are later. For now I’ll agree that Boyd should make the 30 man roster.

      • I’m joking but Altidore has done his best to open the door for anyone who wants it. The camp and friendlies will be interesting.

      • We still have a training camp to sort that out. On form, Boyd is the front runner, but Jozy might just be better on ability. We will see. I’d like to see a 4-4-2 with Dempsey and Boyd.

    • Boyd and Aron both deserve a real chance in these friendlies. This is Jozy’s third season out of five failing to impress while in Europe. He should stay at Sunderland and learn to fight to play in a good league, against proper defenders. He has the skill, just lacks the mentality.

      Reply
  2. Speaking of Club Leon, since they’re already qualified for Concacaf Champions league, and are currently in the finals of Liga MX, does that now mean that Cruz Azul will be that 4th team for the 2014-15 edition of the competition? Cruz Azul had the best record over this last half of the season (clausura). Ok, I just checked Wiki. Yes. Looks like Timbers will be creamed

    Reply
  3. O/T but Lewandowski is the highest scorer in Germany? In 2012 he finished 3rd. In 2013 he finished 2nd. And now he’s top scorer. Fitting end to his career at Dortmund. I wish he would have joined an Italian or Spanish club though.

    Reply
  4. I am for Boyd/Altidore vs Azeris & Turks. Altidore could be the set-up man (like the Bosnia game), pull defenders way and wear them down, and Boyd could be the finisher.

    Reply
    • Aron’s finishing > Boyd’s, and currently Jozy’s. if you want a finisher you play him. Boyd has shanked a number of chances in the red, white and blue. Aron has barely had a look.

      Reply
      • I’m a huge Boyd fan but also like what I’ve seen of Aron…but I think you have it mixed up, Boyd has hardly had a chance while I’ve seen Aron miss a couple easy chances on goal.

        PS…I like both guys for our future strike force.

      • Boyd 1 start 242 minutes 2 assist 0 goals
        Aron 2 starts 238 minutes 0 assist 1 goal

        pretty small sample size from both really

      • Aron is currently injuried, could play a couple minutes vs Azeris and Turks. Those games are perfect to test-out players combo.

      • Boyd only start “one” game for USNT. I personally believe Aron is better player but we need to test-out Boyd, instead Boyd becoming the “nickle&dime man” for USNT.

      • Altidore is more flexible than people think, Altidore could play Linker role-Barca er: a #9 dropping down to bring defenders in and set-up the other forward.

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