Photo by ISIphotos.com
Danny Szetela’s five-year professional career has included many things. From the dispersal draft that landed him with the Columbus Crew as a 16-year old, to the transfer that saw him go from MLS to Spanish club Racing de Santander, to his first U.S. national team cap and an appearance in the Olympics.
One thing that had been missing is a goal. Szetela finally added his first professional goal this weekend, scoring what wound up being the game-winner in Brescia’s 3-2 win over Triestina.
Szetela’s goal was one of many bright spots for Americans Abroad this weekend. You had Michael Bradley earning the start and playing 90 minutes for Borussia Moenchengladbach. You also had Jozy Altidore getting off the bench and playing 10 minutes for Villarreal. You had goalkeeper Luis Robles making his first career start for Kaiserslautern in a 4-1 win against Ahlen on Friday. Lastly, you had Charlie Davies scoring a goal on Monday for Hammarby, less than a week after scoring a goal for the U.S. national team.
While there were good weeks, there was at least one very bad week for TUS Koblenz goalkeeper David Yelldell, who gave up NINE goals in Koblenz’s 9-0 loss to Hansa Rostock. Unfortunately for Americans Abroad, none of those nine goals were scored by Heath Pearce, who failed to get off the bench for Rostock.
Here is how all the Americans Abroad did this weekend:
ENGLAND
PREMIER LEAGUE
- Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made eight saves in Everton’s 3-1 loss to Arsenal on Saturday.
- Brad Friedel started, played 90 minutes and made three saves in Aston Villa’s 0-0 tie vs. Portsmouth on Sunday.
- Brad Guzan dressed but did not play for Aston Villa.
- C!int Dempsey came off the bench and played 17 minutes in Fulham’s 0-0 tie vs. Sunderland on Saturday.
- Jonathan Spector did not dress in West Ham’s 1-0 loss to Hull on Sunday. He is still recovering from a hip injury.
COCA COLA CHAMPIONSHIP
- Marcus Hahnemann started, played 90 minutes and made nine saves in Reading’s 2-1 loss to Preston on Saturday.
- BobbycConvey did not dress for Reading.
- Jay DeMerit did not dress in Watford’s 3-0 win vs. Southampton on Saturday.
- Frank Simek did not dress in Sheffield Wednesday’s 1-0 win vs. Sheffield United on Sunday. He is close to returning from ankle surgery.
- Eddie!Johnson came off the bench and played one minute in Cardiff City’s 2-0 win vs. Charlton on Saturday.
SCOTLAND
- DaMarcus Beasley, Maurice Edu and Glasgow Rangers were off this weekend.
- Mike Videira did not dress in Hamilton’s 2-1 loss to St. Mirren on Saturday.
GERMANY
BUNDESLIGA
- Steve Cherundolo started and played 90 minutes in Hannover 96’s 5-2 loss to TSG Hoffenheim on Saturday.
- Sal Zizzo did not dress for Hannover 96.
- Neven Subotic started and played 90 minutes in Borussia Dortmund’s 3-3 tie vs. Werder Bremen on Saturday.
- Michael Bradley started and played 90 minutes in BorussiaIMoenchengladbach’s 2-2 tie vs. VFL Bochum on Friday.
- Brian Arguez did not dress in Hertha Berlin’s 2-1 win vs. VFB Stuttgart on Saturday.
BUNDESLIGA 2
- Heath Pearce dressed but did not play in Hansa Rostock’s 9-0 win vs. TUS Koblenz on Sunday.
- Matt Taylor started and played 62 minutes for TUS Koblenz.
- David Yelldell started, played 90 minutes and made four saves for TUS Koblenz.
- Gregg Berhalter started and played 90 minutes in 1860 Munich’s 3-1 win vs SpVgg Greuther Feurth on Sunday.
- Luis Robles started, played 90 minutes and made zero saves in Kaiserslautern’s 4-1 win vs. Ahlen on Friday.
- Grover Gibson did not dress for Ahlen.
SPAIN
- Jozy Altidore came off the bench and played 10 minutes in Villarreal’s 0-0 tie vs. Espanyol on Saturday.
ITALY
SERIE B
- Danny Szetela came off the bench, played 37 minutes and scored his first professional goal in Brescia’s 3-2 win vs. Triestina on Saturday.
FRANCE
LIGUE 1
- Carlos Bocanegra started and played 90 minutes in Rennes’ 0-0 tie vs. Auxerre on Sunday.
- Freddy Adu came off the bench and played eight minutes in Monaco’s 2-1 loss to Nice on Saturday.
- Andrew Jacobson did not dress in Lorient’s 3-2 loss to Paris St. Germain on Saturday.
LIGUE 2
- Quentin Westberg dressed but did not play in Troyes’ 0-0 tie vs. Strasbourg on Saturday.
BELGIUM
- Oguchi Onyewu did not dress in Standard Liege’s 2-1 win vs. RAEC Bergens Mons on Saturday.
DENMARK
- Danny Califf started and played 90 minutes in FC Midtjylland’ 2-1 win vs. AGF Aarhus on Monday.
- Jeremiah White started and played 90 minutes for AGF Aarhus.
- Benny Feilhaber did not play for AGF Aarhuse.
- Lee Nguyen did not play in Randers’ 1-1 tie vs. Vejle on Sunday.
- Tally Hall dressed but did not play for Ejsberg’s 4-2 loss to Odense BK on Sunday.
NORWAY
FIRST DIVISION
- Troy Perkins started and played 90 minutes in Valarenga’s 3-1 win vs. Lillestrom on Monday.
- Adin Brown did not play in Aalesunds’ 1-0 win vs. Bodo Glimt on Sunday. He is out for the season with an injury.
SECOND DIVISION
- Cam Weaver did not dress in Haugesund’s 1-0 loss to Kongsvinger on Sunday.
- Clarence Goodson came off the bench in IK Start’s 1-1 tie vs. Sogndal on Saturday.
- Kyle Veris started and played 90 minutes in Hodd’s 1-0 loss to Honefoss on Sunday.
- Jay Needham started and played 90 minutes in Alta’s 3-2 win vs. Sarpsborg on Sunday.
SWEDEN
- Charlie Davies started, played 88 minutes and scored a goal in Hammarby’s 3-0 win vs. Djurgarden on Monday.
- Ryan Raybould did not dress in Gefle’s 3-2 win vs. Sundsvall on Monday.
- Colin Burns started and played 90 minutes in Ljunskile’s 3-0 loss to Halmsted on Sunday.
- Etchu Tabe started and played 90 minutes for Ljunskile.
MEXICO
- Jose Francisco Torres came off the bench and played 45 minutes in Pachuca’s 3-0 loss to Toluca on Sunday.
- Michael Orozco did not dress in San Luis’ 5-2 loss to Tecos on Friday.
- Sammy Ochoa did not dress for Tecos.
- Marco Vidal did not dress in Indios de Ciudad de Juarez’s 0-0 tie vs. Club America on Saturday.
- Daniel Hernandez started and played 90 minutes in Chiapas’ 1-0 loss to Santos Laguna on Sunday.
- Jesus Padilla{did not dress in Chivas de Guadalajara’s 1-0 win vs. Atlante on Saturday.
- Sonny Guadamara did not dress in Morelia’s 2-0 win vs. Cruz Azul on Saturday.
American-born Players Playing for Other Countries
- Giuseppe Rossi (Italy) started and played 73 minutes in Villarreal’s 0-0 tie vs. Espanyol on Saturday.
- Edgar Castillo (Mexico) started and played 90 minutes in Santos Laguna’s 1-0 win vs. Chiapas on Sunday.
- Joe Lapira (Ireland) started and played 80 minutes Nybergsund’s 5-0 loss to Moss on Sunday.
- Brede Hangeland (Norway) started and played 90 minutes in Fulham’s 0-0 tie vs. Sunderland on Saturday.
- Boaz Myhill (Wales) started, played 90 minutes and made one save in Hull City’ 1-0 win vs. West Ham on Sunday.
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If there are players I forgot to list feel free to list them below. Please remember that I’m trying to focus on first divisions and, in some cases, second divisions, so keep that in mind when suggesting players for the list.
Which performances impressed you? Which disappointed you? Are you starting to get worried by the lack of playing time for Altidore, Adu and Bradley?
Share your thoughts below.