photo by Douglas Zimmerman/ISIphotos.com
By FRANCO PANIZO
Robbie Findley had to wait longer than he would have liked, but he finally made his debut abroad this weekend.
Having fully recovered from a thigh injury picked up in February, Findley made his first appearance for Nottingham Forest on Saturday. The U.S. national team forward came off the bench and played 10 minutes in Nottingham's 3-2 win versus Leicester City, and he'll have another chance to see the field when Nottingham faces Bristol City on Monday.
Competition for the U.S. national team's forward spots for the Gold Cup was further raised as Herculez Gomez continued his recent scoring streak with the opener in Pachuca's 1-1 draw against Queretaro. The goal was Gomez's fourth in as many games.
Chris Rolfe also scored this weekend, coming off the bench to net Aalborg BK's second goal in a 3-3 draw with FC Nordsjaelland. Rolfe's second-half goal was his first of the season and second since joining Aalborg in 2010.
Here is how the Americans Abroad fared this weekend:
England
PREMIERSHIP
- Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes, received a yellow card and made 5 saves in Everton's 1-0 loss vs. Manchester United on Saturday.
- Clint Dempsey started and played 80 minutes in Fulham's 1-1 draw vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.
- Brad Friedel started, played 90 minutes and made 2 saves in Aston Villa's 1-1 draw vs. Stoke City on Saturday.
- Brad Guzan did not dress for Aston Villa.
- Michael Bradley did not dress for Aston Villa.
- Marcus Hahnemann dressed but did not play in Wolverhampton Wanderers' 1-1 draw vs. Fulham on Saturday.
- Jonathan Spector started and played 90 minutes in West Ham United's 3-0 loss vs. Chelsea on Saturday.
- Stuart Holden did not dress in Bolton Wanderers' 2-1 win vs. Arsenal on Sunday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- Jermaine Jones and Blackburn Rovers play Manchester City on Monday.
CHAMPIONSHIP
- Conor Doyle dressed but did not play in Derby County's 4-2 loss vs. Burnley on Saturday. Doyle and Derby County play Norwich City on Monday.
- Zak Whitbread and Norwich City play Derby County on Monday.
- Eric Lichaj started and played 90 minutes in Leeds United's 0-0 draw vs. Reading on Friday. Lichaj and Leeds United play Crystal Palace on Monday.
- Mike Grella did not dress for Leeds United. Grella and Leeds United play Crystal Palace on Monday.
- Robbie Findley came off the bench and played 10 minutes in Nottingham Forest's 3-2 win vs. Leicester City on Friday. Findley and Nottingham Forest play Bristol City on Monday.
- Eddie Johnson started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Preston North End's 4-0 loss vs. Millwall on Saturday. Johnson and Preston North End play Cardiff City on Monday.
LEAGUE ONE
- Frank Simek started and played 90 minutes in Carlisle United's 3-2 win vs. Rochdale on Saturday. Simek and Carlisle United play Leyton Orient on Monday.
- Anton Peterlin started and played 89 minutes in Plymouth Argyle's 1-0 win vs. Dagenham & Redbridge on Friday. Peterlin and Plymouth Argyle play Milton Keynes Dons on Monday.
Scotland
PREMIER LEAGUE
- Maurice Edu started and played 84 minutes in Rangers' 0-0 draw vs. Celtic on Sunday.
- Dominic Cervi did not dress in Celtic's 0-0 draw vs. Rangers on Sunday.
Germany
BUNDESLIGA
- Steve Cherundolo and Hannover 96 did not play this weekend.
- DaMarcus Beasley and Hannover 96 did not play this weekend.
- Ricardo Clark started and played 90 minutes in Eintracht Frankfurt's 1-1 draw vs. Bayern Munich on Saturday.
- Daniel Williams and SC Freiburg did not play this weekend.
- Timmy Chandler started and played 90 minutes in Nurnberg's 0-0 draw vs. Mainz on Sunday.
BUNDESLIGA 2
- David Yelldell and MSV Duisburg play Hertha Berlin on Monday.
- Luis Robles started and played 90 minutes in Karlsruhe's 2-1 loss vs. RW Oberhausen on Saturday.
- Edson Buddle came off the bench and played 18 minutes in FC Ingolstadt 04's 1-1 draw vs. FC Union Berlin on Sunday.
- Amaechi Igwe did not dress for FC Ingolstadt 04. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- Bobby Wood did not dress in TSV 1860 Munich's 3-0 win vs. SpVgg Greuther Furth on Saturday.
- Alfredo Morales and Hertha Berlin play MSV Duisburg on Monday.
France
LIGUE 1
- Carlos Bocanegra started and played 90 minutes in St Etienne's 2-0 loss vs. Bordeaux on Sunday.
LIGUE 2
- Quentin Westberg did not dress in Evian Thonon Gaillard's 0-0 draw vs. Le Havre AC on Friday.
Netherlands
- Oguchi Onyewu came off the bench and played 1 minute in Twente Enschede's 2-1 win vs. ADO Den Haag on Friday.
Turkey
SUPER LIG
- Jozy Altidore came off the bench and played 1 minute in Bursaspor's 2-1 win vs. Manisaspor on Saturday.
BANK ASYA 1. LIG
- Freddy Adu and Caykur Rizespor did not play this weekend.
Belgium
- Sacha Kljestan was suspended for RSC Anderlecht's 2-1 win vs. Lokeren in the playoffs on Sunday due to yellow card accumulation.
Denmark
SUPERLIGA
- Michael Parkhurst did not dress in FC Nordsjaelland's 3-3 draw vs. Aalborg BK on Sunday.
- Marcus Tracy did not dress in Aalborg BK's 3-3 draw vs. FC Nordsjaelland on Sunday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- Chris Rolfe came off the bench, played 29 minutes and scored a GOAL for Aalborg BK.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3gebJSaJ5c&w=400&h=400]
- Clarence Goodson and Brondby IF play Randers FC on Monday.
Sweden
- Alejandro Bedoya and Orebro SK play Helsingborg on Monday.
- Ryan Miller came off the bench and played 3 minutes in Halmstads BK's 1-1 draw vs. Trelleborg FF on Sunday.
- Gale Agbossoumonde started and played 62 minutes in Djurgardens IF's 3-1 loss vs. Norrkoping on Sunday.
Norway
- Mixx Diskerud and Stabaek IF play Fredrikstad on Monday.
- Josh Gatt and Molde FK play Brann on Monday.
- Sean Cunningham and Molde FK play Brann on Monday.
Mexico
- Jose Torres started and played 90 minutes in Pachuca's 1-1 draw vs. Queretaro on Saturday.
- Herculez Gomez started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL for Pachuca.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho2Rbjnn8tc&w=400&h=400]
- Edgar Castillo did not dress in Puebla's 1-1 draw vs. Monterrey on Saturday.
- Sammy Ochoa did not dress in Estudiantes Tecos U.A. de G.'s 4-4 draw vs. Toluca on Sunday.
- Sonny Guadarrama and Atlante play America on Sunday evening.
- Jonathan Bornstein dressed but did not play in Tigres UANL's 3-0 win vs. Morelia on Sunday.
- Gustavo Adrian Ruelas did not dress in Santos Laguna's 3-1 loss vs. San Luis on Saturday.
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What do you think of these performances? Starting to become more optimistic about the U.S. national team's depth at forward? Think Findley can make the Gold Cup roster? Expecting Gomez to continue his scoring streak? Do you see Rolfe making an impact this season with Aalborg?
Share your thoughts below.