By FRANCO PANIZO
In recent months, Alejandro Bedoya has been the subject of several transfer rumors. He'll likely be involved with more after his latest performance.
Bedoya was involved in all of Orebro SK's goals in the team's 3-1 win over GAIS on Sunday. He helped set up the opener with a shot that forced a save before a teammate knocked in a rebound, then followed that up with a cheeky backheel to assist on the club's second goal, and capped the scoring with a header. Bedoya's performance saw him break a personal-best in goals scored in a season (he now has four), and could force him onto the Gold Cup roster if he wasn't already on it.
Jozy Altidore did not find the back of the net, but he did earn a start as Bursaspor qualified for the Europa League with a 1-0 win against Genclerbirligi. Altidore started and played 68 minutes in Bursaspor's season finale.
Another youngster who earned a start this weekend was Joe Corona. Having played to a scoreless draw with Cuauhtemoc Blanco's Irapuato in the first leg of the promotion playoffs, the California-born midfielder helped Tijuana gain promotion to the Mexican first division with a 90-minute performance in a 2-1 win in which he scored a goal and added an assist.
Here is how the Americans Abroad fared this weekend:
England
PREMIERSHIP
- Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made 5 saves in Everton's 1-0 win vs. Chelsea on Sunday.
- Clint Dempsey started and played 90 minutes in Fulham's 2-2 draw vs. Arsenal on Sunday.
- Brad Friedel started, played 90 minutes and made 3 saves in Aston Villa's 1-0 win vs. Liverpool on Sunday.
- Brad Guzan did not dress for Aston Villa.
- Michael Bradley came off the bench and played 1 minute for Aston Villa.
- Marcus Hahnemann dressed but did not play in Wolverhampton Wanderers' 3-2 loss vs. Blackburn Rovers on Sunday.
- Jonathan Spector did not dress in West Ham United's 3-0 loss vs. Sunderland on Sunday.
- Stuart Holden did not dress in Bolton Wanderers' 2-0 loss vs. Manchester City on Sunday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- Jermaine Jones started and played 90 minutes in Blackburn Rovers' 3-2 win vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.
Scotland
- Dominic Cervi did not dress in Celtic's 3-0 win vs. Motherwell in the Scottish Cup final on Saturday.
Germany
- David Yelldell started and played 90 minutes in MSV Duisburg's 5-0 loss vs. Schalke 04 in the DFB Pokal final on Saturday.
France
LIGUE 1
- Carlos Bocanegra started and played 90 minutes in St Etienne's 2-1 loss vs. Sochaux on Saturday.
LIGUE 2
- Quentin Westberg started and played 90 minutes in Evian Thonon Gaillard's 2-1 win vs. Stade de Reims on Friday.
Turkey
SUPER LIG
- Jozy Altidore started and played 68 minutes in Bursaspor's 1-0 win vs. Genclerbirligi on Saturday.
BANK ASYA 1. LIG
- Freddy Adu and Caykur Rizespor play Orduspor in the first leg of the semifinals of the promotion playoffs on Monday.
Denmark
- Michael Parkhurst started and played 90 minutes in FC Nordsjaelland's 3-2 win vs. FC Midtjylland in the Landspokal final on Sunday.
- Marcus Tracy did not dress in Aalborg BK's 4-3 loss vs. Silkeborg on Friday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- Chris Rolfe started and played 90 minutes for Aalborg BK.
- Clarence Goodson started and played 90 minutes in Brondby IF's 2-1 win vs. Lyngby on Friday.
Sweden
- Alejandro Bedoya started, played 90 minutes, received a yellow card, scored a GOAL and got an ASSIST in Orebro SK's 3-1 win vs. GAIS on Sunday.
- Ryan Miller and Halmstads BK play Elfsborg on Monday.
- Gale Agbossoumonde and Djurgardens IF play Mjallby on Monday.
Norway
- Mixx Diskerud started and played 90 minutes in Stabaek IF's 3-2 win vs. Odd Grenland on Sunday.
- Josh Gatt did not dress in Molde FK's 2-1 win vs. Fredrikstad on Sunday. He just returned from playing with the U.S. U-20 national team.
- Sean Cunningham did not dress for Molde FK. He just returned from playing with the U.S. U-20 national team.
Mexico
- Joe Corona started, played 90 minutes, scored a GOAL and had an ASSIST in Tijuana's 2-1 win vs. Irapuato in the second leg of the promotion playoffs.
————–
What do you think of these performances? Expecting Bedoya to play and make an impact in the Gold Cup (should he make the team)? Think Corona could potentially make the U.S. team for the 2012 Olympics?
Share your thoughts below.
Hi, I’m a Bolton fan and I was just wondering what people think about Stuart Holden. Incidentally, he just won our ‘Media’s Player of the Year’ and our official ‘Player of the Year’. He also won best hairstyle. 🙂
No we don’t and yes he is.
Attacking flair (or attaching) isn’t really enough by itself.
That you are even comparing Adu and Donovan is beyond absurd.
Here’s my dilemma. I too think Bradley is a good player, and I also think Bradley is a good coach. However, if there’s even a suggestion of that attitude toward player selection, we need a new coach.
If he isn’t playing for his club, someone who has been deserves a call-up. We can’t just assume that Bradley is one of our best options. At his position fitness and sharpness are paramount, and both of those qualities diminish over a period of reduced competition. And don’t give me training, training is not the same because defenders aren’t closing down space like they would in a normal match.
ALL players should have to earn their call-ups. End of story.
Did you see Dempsey’s contribution to the build up in both Fulham’s goals yesterday?
First class.
Hopefully he brings it to the Gold Cup.
I hate to say it because I think MB is a good asset for the USMNT, but if his last name wasn’t Bradley his GC roster spot would likley be in jeopardy simply due to lack of playing time.
Wow, what an absolute disaster of a loan spell at Villa for Michael Bradley. Barely played 30mins total in the league, and started just one FA Cup match.
http://www.football-lineups.com/footballer/2524/?y=2011
Interesting timing for this comment,coming off a 5-0 loss!
Touche!
Nope, they’re figuring out Matt Taylor’s eligibility. Hahaha
Per the USSoccer Twitter, “roster release will be pushed back due to a late change. We’ll keep you up to date and will tweet when it is finalized.” I’m wondering if Corona is going to be a last minute addition.
Any way you slice it, that was funny. Kudos!
Maybe that Christian guy that was calling for the end of the world really was referring to Jones not receiving a yellow card?
Congrats to Dempsey on 12 for the season and reaching McBride for American goals. I was really hoping he would catch Chicharito, but topping Rooney, Drogba & Torres is one h311 of an accomplishment!
Great to see Fulham climbing up the ladder each year!
Also good job for Bedoya, I am still not fully sold on his style of play and consistency . But I will say good job, their is no denying him that. I just hope he has that same consistency for the nats at the gold cup.
I wish Joe Corona would get called for the gold cup, but his form has been to short to be showed to Bradley if he is consistent or not. I want Daniel Williams to be called up too, and I wish Bornstein would be left off.
oh yeah of course adu’s record is far superior to donovan’s. no one could doubt that freddy is the the better player.
Good for Joe corona. Any word on Freddy Dos Equis or Mike Tecate ?
An agenda? Jesus, dude. You suck. Like some one else already said, this Taylor dude is playing in a league with other team’s reserve sides in it. Corona is playing in a promotion PLAY OFF and scoring goals to get his side into the primera. And, as another person put, “3.BL,” LOL.