photo by ISIphotos.com
by GIANFRANCO PANIZO
For the Americans Abroad, this weekend was a topsy-turvy one, with numerous players not seeing the field or playing in losing efforts while others came away with solid performances.
Jozy Altidore had an impressive showing as he made a game-changing 30-minute cameo in his Hull City debut against Bolton Wanderers. Altidore delivered the game-winning assist just one minute after stepping onto the field, and was a handful for Bolton defenders, nearly scoring on two occasions.
Steve Cherundolo also enjoyed a strong outing, bouncing back from a week of inactivity (due to swine flu scare) with a 90-minute performance in Hannover 96's 2-0 win over Nurnberg.
The only American to find the back of the net this weekend was Jon-Paul Pittman, who scored Wycombe Wanderer's first goal in their 5-2 defeat to Norwich City. Pittman went the entire 90 minutes.
Here is how the rest of the Americans Abroad contingent fared this weekend:
England
PREMIERSHIP
- Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made two saves in Everton's 1-0 loss vs. Burnsley on Sunday.
- Jozy Altidore came off the bench and played 30 minutes in Hull City's 1-0 win vs. Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.
- Clint Dempsey started and played 90 minutes in Fulham's 2-0 loss vs. Chelsea on Sunday.
- Eddie Johnson did not dress in Fulham's 2-0 loss vs. Chelsea on Sunday.
- Jonathan Spector started and played 90 minutes in West Ham's 2-1 loss vs. Tottenham on Sunday.
- Brad Friedel and Aston Villa play Liverpool Monday.
- Brad Guzan and Aston Villa play Liverpool on Monday.
- Eric Lichaj and Aston Villa play Liverpool on Monday.
- Marcus Hahnemann dressed but did not play in Wolverhampton Wanderers' 1-0 loss vs. Manchester City on Saturday.
COCA COLA CHAMPIONSHIP
- Jay DeMerit started and played 90 minutes in Watford's 2-2 draw vs. Blackpool on Saturday.
- Frank Simek did not dress in Sheffield Wednesday's 4-0 win vs. Scunthorpe United on Saturday.
LEAGUE ONE
- Ian Joyce dressed but did not play in Southend United's 0-0 draw vs. Millwall on Friday.
- Zak Whitbread did not dress in Millwall's 0-0 draw vs. Southend United on Friday.
- Mike Grella came off the bench and played 9 minutes in Leeds United's 3-0 win vs. Tranmere Rovers on Saturday.
- Jemal Johnson started, played 81 minutes and received a yellow card in Milton Keynes Dons' 2-1 win vs. Colchester United on Saturday.
- Jon-Paul Pittman started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in Wycombe Wanderers' 5-2 loss vs. Norwich City on Saturday.
Scotland
- Maurice Edu did not dress in Rangers' 2-1 win vs. Heart of Midlothian on Saturday. He is recovering from an injury.
- DaMarcus Beasley dressed but did not play in Rangers' 2-1 win vs. Heart of Midlothian on Sunday.
Italy
- Oguchi Onyewu dressed but did not play in AC Milan's 2-1 win vs. Siena on Saturday.
Germany
BUNDESLIGA
- Michael Bradley started, played 45 minutes and received a yellow card in Borussia Moenchengladbach's 3-0 loss vs. Werder Bremen on Sunday.
- Steve Cherundolo started and played 90 minutes in Hannover 96's 2-0 win vs. Nurnberg on Saturday.
- Sal Zizzo did not dress in Hannover 96's 2-0 win vs. Nurnberg on Saturday.
- Jermaine Jones did not dress in Schalke 04's 0-0 draw vs. TSG Hoffenheim on Friday. He is recovering from an injury.
BUNDESLIGA 2
- Kenny Cooper and 1860 Munich play Karlsruhe on Monday.
- Luis Robles dressed but did not play in Kaiserslautern's 1-1 draw vs. Alemania Aachen on Sunday.
- Matt Taylor did not dress in FSV Frankfurt's 0-0 draw vs. SC Paderborn 07 on Friday.
- David Yeldell started, played 90 minutes and made six saves in TUS Koblenz's 1-0 loss vs. Fortuna Dusseldorf on Friday.
France
- Carlos Bocanegra started and played 90 minutes in Rennes' 1-1 draw vs. Marseille on Saturday.
- Charlie Davies started and played 71 minutes in Sochaux's 2-0 loss vs. Montpellier on Saturday.
Denmark
- Benny Feilhaber started and played 71 minutes in AGF Aarhus' 2-2 draw vs. Silkeborg IF on Saturday.
- Jeremiah White started and played 60 minutes in AGF Aarhus' 2-2 draw vs. Silkeborg IF on Saturday.
- Dan Califf started and played 90 minutes in FC Midtjylland's 4-1 loss vs. FC Copenhagen on Saturday.
- Michael Parkhurst started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in FC Nordsjaelland's 1-0 loss vs. Sonderjyske on Sunday.
- Marcus Tracy did not play in Aalborg's 2-0 win vs. Esbjerg on Sunday.
Norway
- Troy Perkins started and played 90 minutes in Valerenga's 3-2 loss vs. Stabaek on Sunday.
- Mikkel Diskerud dressed but did not play in Stabaek's 3-2 win vs. Valerenga o
n Sunday.
- Clarence Goodson started and played 90 minutes in IK Start's 4-1 loss vs. Lyn on Sunday.
- Hunter Freeman started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in IK Start's 4-1 loss vs. Lyn on Sunday.
Sweden
- Alejandro Bedoya dressed but did not play in Orebro SK's 2-1 loss vs. Elfsborg on Sunday.
Mexico
- Jose Francisco Torres dressed but did not play in Pachuca's 2-1 loss vs. Puebla on Saturday.
- Michael Orozco started and played 90 minutes in San Luis' 1-1 draw vs. Indios de Ciudad Juarez on Saturday.
- Edgar Castillo started and played 90 minutes in UANL's 2-1 loss vs. Monterrey on Saturday.
- Marco Vidal came off the bench and played 8 minutes in Indios de Ciudad Juarez's 1-1 draw vs. San Luis on Saturday.
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What do you think of these performances? Does Altidore's performance make you happy he did not go to Olympiakos? Should Cherundolo be the incumbent at RB for the USMNT? Wondering who Jon-Paul Pittman is?
Share your thoughts below.
Traitor Rossi should never be included in the American’s Abroad Rewind
Jozy definitely looked strong and quick, but when it comes to pure speed Ghilas is an absolute blazer. He went 90mph the entire match, amazing workrate and fantastic pace. I have a feeling those two are going to make for some great highlight reel material.
Awful weekend for the Americans. Hope Spector keeps his head up, because he is still our best RIGHT back option. Jozy’s first touch was sweet and smart; now work on the finishing. I actually feel bad for Howard. Everton are shipping goals like mad, but of the last, oh, seven that I saw he was only really at fault for one. I thought Dempsey showed a lot of effort at least, he wasn’t a ghost. DeMerit to Everton…I like it!
@Jjjtbone;
They are actually the Wolverhampton Wanderers; “wolves” are their nickname.
Rossi didn’t play this weekend. La Liga hasn’t started.
I’m with NATO about getting Americans to play in Scandinavia — especially (because they’re my favorite club) SK Brann in Bergen, Norway. Dedicated fans, a decent league, and good exposure to the rest of Europe. Their most recent “export” was striker Thorstein Helstad, who moved to Ligue 1.
Ives,
With Lescott moving on finally, and DeMerit increasing his international profile, any chance he is a relatively cheap signing this week for an Everton team that could really use a central defender right now?