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Americans Abroad: Wednesday Rewind

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Friedel (Getty)

Thanks to a singular Premier League fixture and some midweek matches in Mexico, a handful of Americans Abroad saw the pitch on Wednesday.

Two Americans went head-to-head against each other in London, as Brad Friedel's Aston Villa traveled to Upton Park out to pile misery on West Ham and Jonathan Spector. A win by Villa would have vaulted them into the Premier League's top four.

While Friedel took his customary spot between Villa's posts, Spector was consigned to the bench, but that would change just eight minutes into the match. Starting left back Herita Ilunga went down with an injury, and Spector came on for the remainder of the match. West Ham won 2-1, thanks to a 90th minute striker from Zavon Hines.

Here's a complete look at how Americans fared Wednesday:

England

  • Jonathan Spector came off the bench played 82 minutes in West Ham's 2-1 win vs. Aston Villa.
  • Brad Friedel started, played 90 minutes and made five saves in Aston Villa's 2-1 loss vs. West Ham.

  • Brad Guzan dressed but did not play in Aston Villa's 2-1 loss vs. West Ham

Champions League

  • DaMarcus Beasley dressed but did not play in Rangers' 1-1 draw vs. Unirea.
  • Maurice Edu did not dress in Rangers' 1-1 draw vs. Unirea. He is expected to resume training shortly.

Mexico

  • Jose Francisco Torres started and played 66 minutes in Pachuca's 3-1 loss vs. Cruz Azul.
  • Michael Orozco started and played 90 minutes in San Luis' 1-1 draw vs. U.A. de G.
  • Edgar Castillo did not dress in Tigres UANL's 1-0 loss vs. Queretaro.
  • Marco Vidal started and played 90 minutes in Indios de Ciudad Juarez's 2-2 draw vs. Chivas Guadalajara.

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What did you think of yesterday's Americans Abroad action? Catch any of the games? Glad to see Spector get in?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  3. I thought spector did pretty well against sunderland, and absolutely rocked it against Villa – on the left side no less (some fantastic runs and caused tons of trouble cutting inside to his right)! If you look for every small mistakes with a defender throughout the course of an EPL match you can find tons. It’s more about the overall control of the match, and I think his has been great when given the chance.
    Does anyone know the extent of Ilunga’s injury?

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  6. I heard that Spector went in at center back? Anyone see how he did? He seems to have been benched after last weekend’s performance but came in quickly due to an injury. At any rate, he is getting good field time which hopefully will continue.

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  8. Yeah, Zavon Hines is literally out of nowhere too. Prior to this year I’d bet anything that WHU felt Freddie Sears was the better prospect, I don’t anyone thinks that now. Hines has been brilliant.

    And for CONCACAF relevance, he was called up last year as a full Jamaican international, but never played. Now he’s playing with the England U-21’s. Lets hope that CONCACAF wise he plays for England!

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  9. Spector is solid, but nothing spectacular. He is a big kid, but lacks speed to defend guys like Javon Hines, who is lightning in a bottle. Speaking of Hines, he could be the next Walcott, the kid is loaded with talent and potential. Lucky England.

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  10. I agree that getting minutes matters. However he was technically benched for the game. Julien Faubert started at RB and Spector came on at LB because Herita Ilunga got hurt.

    Playing time is playing time, but Spector was not very good vs Sunderland (Which is why he was put back on the bench).

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  11. Very happy to Jonathan Spector getting good minutes in important/competitive matches. I truely believe he’ll be a starter for the US in next years WC. Wish some of our other players would get more time and/or recover from injury in order to get time (Edu/Gooch/ DeMerit). I want our best possible players for the cup next year so we can hopefully make a run like we did in 2002.

    Reply

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