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Americans Abroad: Weekend Rewind

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Oguchi Onyewu 2 (Reuters)

by GIANFRANCO PANIZO

Oguchi Onyewu became the latest American to net two goals in Europe, heading home the opener and the final goal in Standard Liege's 3-0 victory over Royal Excelsior Mouscron. The American international struck in the 14th minute and then capped off Liege's scoring with his second in the 65th. Onyewu, who now has three goals this season, played the entire match and also received a yellow card in the win.

Another American who found the back of the net was Maurice Edu. Edu, who is beginning to cement himself in Rangers' starting lineup, scored his second game-winning goal of the season when he knocked in a rebound from close range. The goal and the win kept Rangers' hopes of a Scottish Premier league championship alive.

Tim Howard was not scoring goals this weekend, he was busy stopping them. In the semifinals of the FA Cup, against his former club, Manchester United, Howard stepped up and kept Sir Alex Ferguson's men scoreless for 120 minutes. Howard then made two vital saves in a 4-2 penalty shoot-out victory that earns Everton an FA Cup final match-up vs. Chelsea.

It wasn't all good for the American internationals. Michael Bradley missed an opportunity to find the back of the net for Borussia Moenchengladbach, who lost 4-1 at the hands of Eintracht Frankfurt. In the 65th minute of the encounter, Bradley stepped up to take a penalty kick but was denied by goalkeeper Markus Proll.

Here is how the rest of the Americans Abroad performed this weekend:

England

PREMIERSHIP

  • Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made three saves in Everton's 4-2 (0-0) penalty shoot-out win vs Manchester United in the semifinals of the FA Cup on Sunday.

  • Brad Friedel started, played 90 minutes and made five saves in Aston Villa's 1-1 draw vs. West Ham on Saturday.

  • Brad Guzan dressed but did not play in Aston Villa's 1-1 draw vs. West Ham on Saturday.

  • Clint Dempsey started and played 90 minutes in Fulham's 0-0 draw vs. Middlesbrough on Saturday.

  • Jonathan Spector did not dress in West Ham's 1-1 draw vs. Aston Villa on Saturday. He is recovering from a concussion.

COCA COLA CHAMPIONSHIP

  • Jay DeMerit started and played 90 minutes in Watford's 1-0 loss vs. Birmingham on Saturday.

  • Eddie Johnson came off the bench and played 14 minutes in Cardiff City's 6-0 loss vs. Preston North End on Saturday.

  • Frank Simek dressed but did not play in Sheffield Wednesday's 2-0 win vs. Southampton on Saturday.

  • Marcus Hahnemann started, played 90 minutes and made eight saves in Reading's 0-0 draw vs. Barnsley on Saturday.

LEAGUE ONE

  • Jemal Johnson did not dress in MK Dons' 1-0 win vs. Scunthorpe United on Saturday.

  • Zak Whitbread started and played 88 minutes in Millwall's 4-2 loss vs. Bristol Rovers on Saturday.

  • Ian Joyce dressed but did not play in Southend United's 2-0 loss vs. Leicester City on Saturday.

  • Mike Grella came off the bench and played 5 minutes in Leeds United's 3-1 win vs. Tranmere Rovers on Saturday.

Scotland

  • Maurice Edu started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in Rangers' 3-2 win vs. Hibernian on Sunday.

  • DaMarcus Beasley did not dress in Rangers' 3-2 win vs. Hibernian on Sunday.

Germany

BUNDESLIGA

  • Michael Bradley started and played 90 minutes in Borussia Moenchengladbach's 4-1 loss vs. Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.
  • Steve Cherundolo did not dress in Hannover 96's 2-1 loss vs. Hamburg SV on Sunday.
  • Sal Zizzo came off the bench and played 4 mins in Hannover 96's 2-1 loss vs. Hamburg SV on Sunday.

BUNDESLIGA 2

  • Heath Pearce did not dress in Hansa Rostock's 3-1 win vs. RW Oberhausen on Friday.
  • Luis Robles and Kaiserslautern play TSV 1860 Munich on Monday.
  • David Yelldell started, played 90 minutes and made four saves in TUS Koblenz's 3-2 win vs. MSV Duisburg on Sunday.
  • Matt Taylor did not dress in TUS Koblenz's 3-2 win vs. MSV Duisburg on Sunday.
  • Grover Gibson did not dress in Ahlen's 0-0 draw vs. Mainz on Friday.

Spain

  • Jozy Altidore did not dress in Xerez's 2-1 win vs. Alaves on Sunday.

Italy

  • Danny Szetela did not dress in Brescia's 2-1 win vs. Vicenza on Sunday. 

France

LIGUE 1

  • Carlos Bocanegra started and played 90 minutes in Rennes' 3-1 loss vs. Monaco on Saturday.

  • Freddy Adu dressed but did not play in AS Monaco's 3-1 win vs. Rennes on Saturday.

LIGUE 2

  • Quentin Westberg dressed but did not play in Troyes' 1-0 loss vs. Boulogne on Friday.

Belgium

  • Oguchi Onyewu started, played 90 minutes, received a yellow card and scored TWO GOALS in Standard Liege's 3-0 win vs. Royal Excelsior Mouscron on Saturday.
  • Jared Jeffrey did not play in Club Brugge's 3-2 win vs. RAEC Bergen Mons on Saturday.

Denmark

  • Danny Califf started and played 90 minutes in FC Midtjylland's 2-0 loss vs. Randers FC on Sunday. 
  • Jeremiah White started, played 79 minutes and received a yellow card in AGF Aarhus' 1-0 win vs. FC Copenhagen on Sunday.

  • Benny Feilhaber started and played 65 minutes for AGF Aarhus.

  • Michael Parkhurst started and played 90 minutes in FC Nordsjaelland's 3-0 loss vs. Odense BK on Sunday.
  • Marcus Tracy and Aalborg play Vejle on Monday.

Austria

  • Preston Zimmerman came off the bench and played 45 minutes in Kapfenberg SV's 2-1 loss vs. Austria Vienna on Saturday.

Norway

  • Troy Perkins started and played 90 minutes in Valarenga's 1-1 draw vs. Brann on Sunday.

  • Clarence Goodson did not dress in IK Start's 1-1 draw vs. Aalesunds on Sunday.

  • Hunter Freeman started and played 8 minutes in IK Start's 1-1 draw vs. Aalesunds on Sunday.

Sweden

  • Charlie Davies and Hammarby play Djugardens on Monday.

Mexico

  • Jose Francisco Torres dressed but did not play in Pachuca's 2-0 loss vs. Morelia on Saturday.
  • Michael Orozco started and played 88 minutes in San Luis' 1-0 loss vs. Monterrey on Saturday.

  • Marco Vidal started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Indios de Ciudad Juarez's 0-0 draw vs. UNAM on Sunday.

  • Daniel Hernandez started and played 90 minutes in Necaxa's 1-0 win vs. U.A.N.L. on Saturday.

  • Jesus Padilla and Chivas de Guadalajara play America on Sunday evening.

American-born Players Playing for Other Countries

  • Giuseppe Rossi (Italy) started and played 90 minutes in Villarreal's 0-0 draw vs. Valladolid on Sunday.

  • Edgar Castillo (Mexico) and America play Chivas de Guadalajara on Sunday evening.

  • Brede Hangeland (Norway) started and played 90 minutes in Fulham's 0-0 draw vs. Middlesbrough on Saturday.

  • Boaz Myhill (Wales) started, played 90 minutes and made two saves in Hull City's 1-0 loss vs. Sunderland on Saturday.

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What do you think of these performances? Is Onyewu destined for a bigger club this summer? Think Edu is ready to start for the national team again? Is Tim Howard on his way to being the best American goalkeeper ever? Sad to see Bradley miss an opportunity to score? Happy to see Giuseppe Rossi miss a potential game-winning penalty kick?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. If you want to get a ticket to a Big Four match, I’ve heard the only way to get in is to ridiculously overpay through a ticket broker…

    Reply

  2. American Abroad: don’t try to get into a derby or high-quality match like a big-four matchup. The thing in England is people have a “ticket history” and if you’ve never been to a Premier league game they won’t let you in.

    I HIGHLY suggest you read this book before you go, the author just moves to England and throws himself into Pompeyland without any prior knowledge to the EPL. It will give you an idea on how difficult it is to get tickets.

    http://www.amazon.com/Bloody-Confused-Clueless-American-Sportswriter/dp/0767928083/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240231478&sr=1-10

    Good luck, and take lots of pics to share when you get back!!

    Reply

  4. American, i think it is easier in person. When you get there ask where the ticket outlet is and go to one. When I was in Italy there was a ticketmaster type outlet and they hooked me up with a non scalped ticket. They put in my passport info and everything…

    Reply

  9. I’m going to be in england from may 6th – may 17th and want to know how to get premiership tickets. I heard there are matchday tickets sold on day of but the websites are confusing me. if i can’t get tickets at least I can still enjoy the matches in some pub with a bunch of drunk football fans.

    Reply

  10. Isaac, I think you misunderstood my comments about Benny. I’m surprised only because he’s been out for so long and hasn’t seen the field and he suddenly gets the start. I completely agree with you that, given the opportunity, Benny remains an intriguing option for the USMNT in the future. Happy to see him at least getting an opportunity!

    Reply

  11. Way too soon to say Benny is back. Feilhaber only played due to lots of injuries for AGF. Remains to be seen if he can get regular PT or if this was a one-time fill-in type thing.

    Reply

  14. It’s only four minutes…but it’s good to see Sal Zizzo got a little love too.

    Ives, could you put the ages next to these guys. I assume you have a template you just fill in each week and it would be nice to have age as standard information. The main reason I care about yanks abroad is for the national team and so I’m less interested in Grover Gibson (31?) than Preston Zimmerman (21?).

    Reply

  16. Justin-

    Daniel Hernandez was called into US camp at least once under Bruce (2006 cycle I believe) after being a regular at dmid for the Revs. But he was never capped. The others have never been capped nor invited to any camps as far as I know. So, in theory, none are tied to the US. In Hernandez’s case, he’s already past 30 and isn’t likely to be Nat material as this point.

    Reply

  21. Feilhaber played striker for AGF because of the desperate nature of their injury situation; he created several quality openings.

    Reply

  22. Supposedly Gooch might go to BMG if they stay up. If so he could strengthen them but they’re relegation fodder each continous season. They need a consistent goal scorer.

    Gooch should just head to PSG or Marseille. It would be a tough FIGHT for a sport in the starting XI but he could do it. Other teams like Bordeaux or Rennes he could play on A UEFA Cup playing team.

    Reply

  24. BENNY FEILHABER!!!!!!!!!!!!!(Read it just like the announcers did as he scored the wonder goal to beat Mexico in the Gold Cup)

    I am so stoked that he is getting back to playing form.

    Reply

  25. So many people are surprised by Feilhaber starting. In reality, past his massive ego, agression, attitude and injuries, he’s really one of the best midfield prospects we’ve got. His passing is creative, he’s strong, he’s reasonably quick, great stamina, smart tackler, and, as you all should know,( and if you don’t you’ve been living under a rock) he’s got a great shot. To be honest, its hard to find a midlevel team that wouldn’t like a young prospect like him.

    Reply

  29. Just a thought if we have players playing on mondays why not wait to do this column until after they play because I feel like every week there are people that we never actually hear about because they are always playing on monday.

    Reply

  30. Looks like some more yanks could be coming to League One. Jon-Paul Pittman and Wycombe are currently in 3rd place thanks to a 3-0 win this weekend. Pittman was great, a real play maker, getting 2 assists. He has really done well since moving from the Conference. And for those you who think he isn’t a yank because of what Wycombe say on their website, he is! Google him if you want, he was born in Oklahoma.

    Reply

  31. Feilhaber started? Torres didn’t get into the game?? What’s going on with this bizarro weekend? Ives . . . any more information on this?

    Whats so bizzare about Benny starting? He is finally fit after a long time out with a knee injury. He did well today despite playing out of position.

    Reply

  33. “Hunter Freeman started and played 8 minutes in IK Start’s 1-1 draw vs. Aalesunds on Sunday.”

    Begs the question: who bad is he hurt?

    Reply

  34. Feilhaber started? Torres didn’t get into the game?? What’s going on with this bizarro weekend? Ives . . . any more information on this?

    Thanks much.

    Reply

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