By FRANCO PANIZO
It took Clint Dempsey nine years to score the first hat-trick of his career, a feat he accomplished on January 7 in an FA Cup win over Charlton Athletic.
It did not take long for him to do it again.
Dempsey became the first American to net a hat-trick in the Premiership on Saturday. Dempsey led the Cottagers to a 5-2 upset victory over Newcastle United by scoring three second-half goals that will only add to his legacy at Craven Cottage. Dempsey's three goals raised his Premiership season total to nine (he has 15 across all competitions).
Landon Donovan did not find the back of the net, but he helped set up Everton's goal in a 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers. Donovan whipped in a cross into the area that Marouane Fellaini knocked down to Tim Cahill, who finished from close range. Unfortunately for the Toffees, they surrendered an equalizer and were unable to take the three points.
One player who was on the positive side of an equalizing goal this weekend was Maurice Edu. The U.S. international scored the tying goal in Rangers' 1-1 draw with Aberdeen when he hit a shot on frame from the top of the penalty area. The goal was Edu's third of the season.
This weekend's headlines may have been dominated by the veterans, but one youngster also made news. U.S. Under-23 men's national team winger Joe Gyau made the gameday roster for the first time in his career for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. The 19-year-old did not see the field in Hoffenheim's scoreless draw with Hannover 96, but his inclusion could be a sign of things to come during the second half of the Bundesliga season.
Here is how the Americans Abroad did this weekend:
ENGLAND
Premiership
- Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made 3 saves in Everton's 1-1 draw vs. Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.
- Landon Donovan started, played 90 minutes and helped set up a goal for Everton.
- Marcus Hahnemann did not dress for Everton.
- Clint Dempsey started, played 90 minutes before being substituted and scored THREE GOALS in Fulham's 5-2 win vs. Newcastle United on Saturday.
- Brad Friedel started, played 90 minutes and made 1 save in Tottenham Hotspur's 3-2 loss vs. Manchester City on Sunday.
- Brad Guzan dressed but did not play in Aston Villa's 3-2 win vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.
- Eric Lichaj did not dress for Aston Villa.
- Stuart Holden did not dress in Bolton Wanderers' 3-1 win vs. Liverpool on Saturday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- Zak Whitbread started and played 90 minutes in Norwich City's 0-0 draw vs. Chelsea on Saturday.
- Adam Henley dressed but did not play in Blackburn Rovers' 1-1 draw vs. Everton on Saturday.
Championship
- Jonathan Spector started and played 90 minutes in Birmingham City's 3-0 win vs. Watford on Saturday.
- Conor Doyle did not dress in Derby County's 0-0 draw vs. Burnley on Saturday.
- Robbie Findley did not dress in Nottingham Forest's 2-1 loss vs. West Ham United on Saturday.
- Daniel Potts did not dress in West Ham United's 2-1 win vs. Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
- George John did not dress for West Ham United.
League One
- Frank Simek started and played 90 minutes in Carlisle United's 1-1 draw vs. Walsall on Saturday.
- Anton Peterlin started and played 71 minutes in Walsall's 1-1 draw vs. Carlisle United on Saturday.
- Mike Grella did not dress in Brentford's 3-2 loss vs. Huddersfield Town on Saturday.
SCOTLAND
Premier League
- Maurice Edu started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in Rangers' 1-1 draw vs. Aberdeen on Saturday.
- Carlos Bocanegra started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card for Rangers.
- Alejandro Bedoya dressed but did not play for Rangers.
- Dominic Cervi did not dress in Celtic's 2-0 win vs. St Mirren on Saturday.
ITALY
- Michael Bradley started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Chievo Verona's 2-2 draw vs. Lecce on Sunday.
GERMANY
- Steve Cherundolo started and played 90 minutes in Hannover 96's 0-0 draw vs. TSG 1899 Hoffenheim on Saturday.
- Jermaine Jones did not dress in Schalke 04's 3-1 win vs. VfB Stuttgart on Saturday. He is currently serving an eight-week suspension and is with the U.S. men's national team.
- Timmy Chandler did not dress in FC NUrnberg's 2-0 win vs. Hertha Berlin on Saturday. He is serving a two-game suspension for receiving a red card.
- Fabian Johnson came off the bench and played 24 minutes in TSG 1899 Hoffenheim's 0-0 draw vs. Hannover 96 on Saturday.
- Danny Williams started and played 90 minutes for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
- Joe Gyau dressed but did not play for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
- Terrence Boyd did not dress in Borussia Dortmund's 5-1 win vs. Hamburg SV on Sunday.
- Alfredo Morales dressed but did not play in Hertha Berlin's 2-0 loss vs. FC Nurnberg on Saturday.
FRANCE
- Quentin Westberg dressed but did not play in Evian Thonon Gaillard's 2-0 win vs. Valence in the round of 32 in the Coupe de France on Saturday.
NETHERLANDS
- Jozy Altidore came off the bench and played 17 minutes in AZ Alkmaar's 1-1 draw vs. Ajax on Sunday.
PORTUGAL
- Oguchi Onyewu and Sporting CP' play Olhanense on Monday.
BELGIUM
- Sacha Kljestan started and played 90 minutes in RSC Anderlecht's 1-0 win vs. Kortrijk on Saturday.
MEXICO
- Jose Torres started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Pachuca's 1-1 draw vs. Cruz Azul on Saturday.
- Herculez Gomez came off the bench and played 17 minutes in Santos Laguna's 1-0 win vs. Jaguares de Chiapas on Saturday.
- Sonny Guadarrama did not dress in Atlante's 2-1 win vs. Puebla on Sunday.
- Jonathan Bornstein dressed but did not play in Tigres UANL's 2-1 loss vs. Toluca on Sunday.
- DaMarcus Beasley started and played 90 minutes in Puebla's 2-1 loss vs. Atlante on Sunday.
- Adrian Ruelas did not dress in Jaguares de Chiapas' 1-0 loss vs. Santos Laguna on Saturday.
- Michael Orozco started and played 90 minutes in San Luis' 2-0 loss vs. Morelia on Friday.
- Edgar Castillo started and played 54 minutes in Club Tijuana's 2-0 win vs. Chivas de Guadalajara on Saturday.
- Joe Corona did not dress for Club Tijuana. He is currently with the U.S. U-23 men's national team.
- Greg Garza did not dress for Club Tijuana.
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What do you think of these performances? Think Dempsey is ready to move to a bigger club? What are you more impressed by, Edu's equalizer or Donovan's delivery that helped set up Everton's goal? Do you see Gyau playing for Hoffenheim soon?
Share your thoughts below.
In this day and age it’s been proven that teams should buy players who score not players who have a huge name. At the end of a game it’s the goals that matter not who tried the hardest.
Goals are the barometer to justify the contract. Who would you rather have up front, a goal scorer or a guy who used to score? No doubt Drogba was once an amazing goal scorer…but not since the 09-10 season. He fell off in in the 10-11 season.
Point is Dempseys been making Drogba look shite since before last weekend. It’s pathetic that going from the 13th to the 6th top goal scorer (last season to current) in the most competitive league in the world still doesn’t gain you proper respect among your own countrymen.
Clint can start for any team in the world, would Drogba?
I guess having a realistic and rational view makes you a bad fan…goals aren’t the only way to measure success, as evidenced by your own list in which almost every player would be valued ahead of Dempsey.
I assume most ‘fans’ would agree regardless of their allegiance.
What do you mean “First time this chant actaully holds some merit.”? Last season Clint scored more goals than Drogba. Not to mention Rooney, Torres, Lampard, Nasri, Nani and Bale.
Your comments don’t hold merit. Some FFC fan…