Americans Abroad: Weekend Rewind

 
 
by FRANCO PANIZO

If Jozy Altidore is to regain the top form he demonstrated earlier this year, then his performance in this past weekend's game was a step in the right direction.

Coming off a pair of lackluster performances with the U.S. national team, Altidore responded by starting and playing 74 minutes in Hull City's 3-3 draw vs. West Ham United on Saturday. Altidore did not find the back of the net, but he worked tirelessly and proved to be a handful for West Ham all match long.

Frank Simek also continued to enjoy his new-found playing time, going the full 90 minutes in Sheffield Wednesday's scoreless tie against Ipswich Town.

Not all was positive this weekend, however, as Tim Howard and Everton surrendered three goals in a shutout loss to Manchester United, while Freddy Adu failed to find minutes for Belenenses despite playing a fourth division club.

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

England

PREMIERSHIP

COCA COLA CHAMPIONSHIP

LEAGUE ONE

• Zak Whitbread did not dress in Millwall's 2-0 loss vs. Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday. He is recovering from an injury.

• Mike Grella dressed but did not play in Leeds United's 3-0 win vs. Brighton on Saturday.

• Jemal Johnson came off the bench and played 8 minutes in Milton Keynes Dons' 2-1 loss vs. Southend United on Friday.

• Jon-Paul Pittman started and played 30 minutes in Wycombe Wanderers' 2-0 win vs. Millwall on Saturday.

Scotland

• Maurice Edu did not dress in Rangers' 3-0 win vs. Kilmarnock on Saturday. He is recovering from a knee injury.

• DaMarcus Beasley did not dress in Rangers' 3-0 win vs. Kilmarnock on Saturday.

• Dominic Cervi dressed but did not play in Celtic's 2-1 loss vs. Dundee United on Sunday. 

Italy

• Oguchi Onyewu did not dress in AC Milan's 4-3 win vs. Cagliari on Sunday. He is recovering from a knee injury.

Germany

BUNDESLIGA

• Michael Bradley started and played 90 minutes in Borussia Moenchengladbach's 2-1 win vs. Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.

• Steve Cherundolo did not dress in Hannover 96's 2-0 loss vs. Schalke 04 on Saturday.

• Sal Zizzo did not dress in Hannover 96's 2-0 loss vs. Schalke 04 on Saturday. He is recovering from a knee injury.

• Jermaine Jones did not dress in Schalke 04's 2-0 win vs. Hannover 96 on Saturday. He is recovering from a leg injury.

BUNDESLIGA 2

• Kenny Cooper did not dress in TSV 1860 Munich's 1-0 win vs. Arminia Bielefeld on Friday. He is recovering from a knee injury.

• Luis Robles and Kaiserslautern play FC Union Berlin on Monday.

• Matt Taylor dressed but did not play in FSV Frankfurt's 3-1 win vs. RW Oberhausen on Saturday.

• David Yeldell started, played 90 minutes and made one save in TUS Koblenz's 1-0 win vs. Alemania Aachen on Sunday.

France

• Carlos Bocanegra came off the bench, played 69 minutes and received a yellow card in Stade Rennes' 2-1 win vs. Le Mans on Saturday.

Portugal

• Freddy Adu dressed but did not play in Belenenses' 1-0 win vs. Valenciano in the fourth round of the Portuguese Cup on Sunday.

• Kamani Hill did not dress in Vitoria de Guimaraes' 1-0 win vs. Benfica in the fourth round of the Portuguese Cup on Sunday.

Denmark

• Benny Feilhaber and AGF Aarhus play Aalborg on Monday.

• Jeremiah White and AGF Aarhus play Aalborg on Monday.

• Danny Califf did not dress in FC Midtjylland's 3-0 win vs. Esbjerg on Saturday.

• Michael Parkhurst started and played 90 minutes in FC Nordsjaelland's 2-1 win vs. Koge on Saturday.

• Marcus Tracy and Aalborg play AGF Aarhus on Monday.

Mexico 

• Michael Orozco came off the bench and played 1 minute in San Luis' 1-0 win vs. Toluca in the Apertura quarterfinals on Saturday.

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What do you think of these performances? Did you like Altidore's performance? Think Simek should get called back up to the national team in 2010? More disappointed that Howard lost to his former club, or that Adu did not play against a fourth division team?

Share your thoughts below.