Americans Abroad: Weekend Rewind

 

By FRANCO PANIZO

If getting consistent playing time is a prerequisite for making the U.S. World Cup team, Jose Francisco Torres has one less thing to worry about. 

Torres started his eighth consecutive match for Pachuca in the club's 2-1 win over Indios de Ciudad Juarez. Torres did not get on the scoresheet in Pachuca's second consecutive victory, but he did go the distance in a victory that saw the club get closer to post-season play in the Mexican League.

Far from playing for any hardware, Jonathan Spector and West Ham United took a positive step towards avoiding relegation by pulling out a 2-2 draw against Everton at Goodison Park. Despite having a penalty kick saved by Tim Howard, West Ham averted a seventh straight loss by fighting from behind twice to earn its result. Spector started and played 90 minutes at left back.

There was also a pair of goals scored this weekend. Maurice Edu netted his second goal of the season, scoring the game-winner vs. Hamilton Academical, and Herculez Gomez continued his tear over Mexican club's defenses with another goal in a 1-1 draw against Morelia.

Here is how the Americans Abroad did this weekend:

England

PREMIERSHIP

• Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made three saves, including a penalty kick stop, in Everton's 2-2 draw vs. West Ham United on Sunday.

• Jozy Altidore came off the bench and played 25 minutes in Hull City 's 2-0 loss vs. Stoke City on Saturday.

• Clint Dempsey started and played 90 minutes in Fulham's 2-1 win vs. Wigan Athletic on Sunday.

• Jonathan Spector started and played 90 minutes in West Ham's 2-2 draw vs. Everton on Sunday.

• Brad Friedel started, played 90 minutes and made five saves in Aston Villa's 1-0 win vs. Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.

• Brad Guzan dressed but did not play in Aston Villa's 1-0 win vs. Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.

• Marcus Hahnemann started, played 90 minutes and made eight saves in Wolverhampton Wanderers' 1-0 loss vs. Arsenal on Saturday.

• Stuart Holden did not dress in Bolton Wanderers' 1-0 loss vs. Aston Villa on Saturday. He is recovering from a leg injury.

COCA COLA CHAMPIONSHIP

• Jay DeMerit did not dress in Watford's 1-1 draw vs. Preston North End on Saturday.

• Frank Simek dressed but did not play in Sheffield Wednesday's 1-1 draw vs. Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.

• Kenny Cooper came off the bench and played 9 minutes in Plymouth Argyle's 2-1 win vs. Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.

LEAGUE ONE

• Eric Lichaj started and played 90 minutes in Leyton Orient's 3-1 loss vs. Hartlepool United on Saturday.

• Jemal Johnson started and played 90 minutes in Stockport County's 1-0 win vs. Walsall on Saturday.

• Jon-Paul Pittman came off the bench and played 36 minutes in Wycombe Wanderers' 2-1 loss vs. Huddersfield Town on Saturday.

• Mike Grella started and played 75 minutes in Leeds United's 3-0 loss vs. Swindon Town on Saturday.

• Zak Whitbread dressed but did not play in Norwich City's 3-1 loss vs. Tranmere Rovers on Saturday.

Scotland

• Maurice Edu started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in Rangers' 1-0 win vs. Hamilton Academical on Saturday.

• DaMarcus Beasley dressed but did not play in Rangers' 1-0 win vs. Hamilton Academical on Saturday. 

• Dominic Cervi dressed but did not play in Celtic's 1-0 win vs. Hibernian on Sunday.

Italy

• Oguchi Onyewu did not dress in AC Milan's 3-2 win vs. Cagliari on Saturday.

Germany

BUNDESLIGA

• Michael Bradley started and played 88 minutes in Borussia Moenchengladbach's 2-1 loss vs. VfB Stuttgart on Saturday.

• Steve Cherundolo started and played 90 minutes in Hannover 96's 0-0 draw vs. Hamburg SV on Sunday.

• Sal Zizzo did not dress in Hannover 96's 0-0 draw vs. Hamburg SV on Sunday. He is recovering from a knee injury.

• Jermaine Jones did not dress in Schalke 04's 2-1 loss vs. Bayern Munich on Saturday. He is recovering from a leg injury.

• Ricardo Clark dressed but did not play in Eintracht Frankfurt's 3-2 win vs. Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.

• Daniel Williams dressed but did not play in SC Freiburg's 1-1 draw vs. VfL Bochum on Saturday.

• Jared Jeffrey did not dress in Mainz 05's 2-0 loss vs. Nurnberg on Saturday.

BUNDESLIGA 2 

• Luis Robles dressed but did not play in Kaiserslautern's 2-1 loss vs. RW Oberhausen on Sunday.

• Matt Taylor did not dress in FSV Frankfurt's 2-1 loss vs. Arminia Bielefeld on Sunday.

• David Yeldell started, played 90 minutes and made three saves in TUS Koblenz's 2-1 win vs. SC Paderborn 07 on Sunday.

France

• Carlos Bocanegra started and played 90 minutes in Stade Rennes' 2-1 loss vs. Lyon on Saturday.

• Charlie Davies did not dress in Sochaux's 0-0 draw vs. Nice on Saturday.

Portugal

• Gale Agbossoumonde did not dress in Sporting Braga's 3-2 win vs. Guimaraes on Friday.

Greece

• Freddy Adu and Aris Salonika did not play this weekend.

• Eddie Johnson and Aris Salonika did not play this weekend.

Denmark

• Benny Feilhaber came off the bench and played 74 minutes in AGF Aarhus' 0-0 draw vs. Randers FC on Sunday.

• Michael Parkhurst started and played 90 minutes in FC Nordsjaelland's 1-0 loss vs. FC Midtjylland on Thursday. Parkhurst and FC Nordsjaelland play FC Copenhagen on Monday.

• Marcus Tracy did not dress in Aalborg BK's 1-1 draw vs. Sonderjsyke on Friday. He is recovering from a knee injury. Tracy and Aalborg BK play Silkeborg IF on Monday.

• Chris Rolfe came off the bench and played 20 minutes in Aalborg BK's 1-1 draw vs. Sonderjyske on Friday. Rolfe and Aalborg BK play Silkeborg IF on Monday.

Sweden

• Alejandro Bedoya and Orebro BK play AIK on Monday.

Norway

• Clarence Goodson and IK Start play Valerenga on Monday.

• Hunter Freeman and IK Start play Valerenga on Monday.

• Mikkel Diskerud and Stabaek play Tromso on Monday.

Mexico

• Jose Francisco Torres started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Pachuca's 2-1 win vs. Indios de Ciudad Juarez on Saturday.

• Edgar Castillo did not dress in Tigres UANL's 3-0 win vs. San Luis on Saturday. He is recovering from a knee injury.

• Marco Vidal started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Indios de Ciudad Juarez's 2-1 loss vs. Pachuca on Saturday.

• Herculez Gomez came off the bench, played 45 minutes and scored a GOAL in Puebla's 1-1 draw vs. Morelia on Saturday.

Argentina

• Michael Hoyos did not dress in Estudiantes La Plata's 1-1 draw vs. Banfield on Sunday.

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What do you think of these performances? Impressed by Torres' performance/season? Do you see Spector and West Ham's draw against Everton as the result they needed to gain confidence? Which goal did you like better, Edu's or Gomez's?

Share your thoughts below