photo by ISIphotos.com
By FRANCO PANIZO
In a week that saw several young and inexperienced players make their cases for more playing time on the U.S. men's national team, it was the veterans of the United States who shined brightly.
Landon Donovan was one of those players, as he inspired Everton to victory by setting up both of its goals in a 2-1 win over Fulham in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Friday. In a Man of the Match-worthy performance, Donovan first delivered a perfect left-footed cross to Denis Stracqualursi in the first half to pull Everton level after a Fulham penalty kick. The American followed that up in the second half with a right-footed cross to Marouane Fellaini that secured the Toffees' advancement in the tournament.
Oguchi Onyewu also had a pair of contributions in his team's triumph this weekend. Onyewu scored a brace for Sporting CP on Sunday, lifting it to a 2-0 win over Biera Mar. Onyewu began the game by receiving a yellow card in the first minute, but he made up for it with two headed finishes that bring his season total across all competitions to five (four in the Primeira Liga).
Two other Americans found the back of the net this weekend. DaMarcus Beasley scored his first goal of the Clausura season, getting on the end of a pass, cutting inside his defender and smashing home the winner with his right foot in Puebla's 1-0 win versus Jaguares de Chiapas on Saturday. Fabian Johnson opened his account with TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, scoring the final goal in the club's 3-1 loss to Borussia Dortmund.
Here is how the Americans Abroad performed this weekend:
ENGLAND
Premiership
- Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made 2 saves in Everton's 2-1 win vs. Fulham in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Friday.
- Landon Donovan started, played 90 minutes and had two ASSISTS for Everton.
- Marcus Hahnemann dressed but did not play for Everton.
- Clint Dempsey started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Fulham's 2-1 loss vs. Everton in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Friday.
- Brad Friedel dressed but did not play in Tottenham Hotspur's 1-0 win vs. Watford in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Friday.
- Brad Guzan dressed but did not play in Aston Villa's 3-2 loss vs. Arsenal in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday.
- Eric Lichaj dressed but did not play for Aston Villa.
- Stuart Holden did not dress in Bolton Wanderers' 2-1 win vs. Swansea City in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- Tim Ream did not dress for Bolton Wanderers. He is waiting to receive his visa.
- Zak Whitbread started and played 90 minutes in Norwich City's 2-1 win vs. West Bromwich Albion in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday.
- Adam Henley and Blackburn Rovers did not play this weekend.
Championship
- Jonathan Spector started and played 90 minutes in Birmingham City's 4-0 win vs. Sheffield United in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday.
- Conor Doyle dressed but did not play in Derby County's 2-0 loss vs. Stoke City in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday.
- Robbie Findley and Nottingham Forest did not play this weekend.
- Daniel Potts and West Ham United did not play this weekend.
- George John and West Ham United did not play this weekend.
League One
- Frank Simek started and played 90 minutes in Carlisle United's 4-0 loss vs. Hartlepool United on Saturday.
- Anton Peterlin and Walsall did not play this weekend.
- Mike Grella did not dress in Brentford's 5-2 win vs. Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday.
SCOTLAND
Premier League
- Maurice Edu started and played 90 minutes in Rangers' 4-0 win vs. Hibernian on Saturday.
- Carlos Bocanegra started and played 90 minutes for Rangers.
- Alejandro Bedoya did not dress for Rangers.
- Dominic Cervi did not dress in Celtic's 3-1 win vs. Falkirk in the semifinals of the Scottish League Cup on Sunday.
ITALY
- Michael Bradley started and played 74 minutes in Chievo Verona's 3-0 loss vs. Lazio on Sunday.
GERMANY
- Steve Cherundolo started and played 90 minutes in Hannover 96's 1-0 win vs. FC Nurnberg on Friday.
- Jermaine Jones did not dress in Schalke 04's 4-1 win vs. FC Cologne on Saturday. He is currently serving an eight-week suspension.
- Timmy Chandler did not dress in FC Nurnberg's 1-0 loss vs. Hannover 96 on Friday. He is recovering from a hamstring injury.
- Fabian Johnson started, played 77 minutes and scored a GOAL in TSG 1899 Hoffenheim's 3-1 loss vs. Borussia Dortmund 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 3-1 win vs. TSG 1899 Hoffenheim on Saturday.
- Alfredo Morales dressed but did not play in Hertha Berlin's 2-1 loss vs. Hamburg SV on Saturday.
FRANCE
- Quentin Westberg did not dress in Evian Thonon Gaillard's 0-0 draw vs. Bordeaux on Sunday.
- Charlie Davies did not dress in Sochaux's 1-1 draw vs. Lorient on Saturday.
NETHERLANDS
- Jozy Altidore came off the bench, played 45 minutes and received a yellow card in AZ Alkmaar's 2-0 loss vs. Roda JC Kerkrade on Saturday.
PORTUGAL
- Oguchi Onyewu started, played 90 minutes, received a yellow card and scored TWO GOALS in Sporting CP's 2-0 win vs. Beira Mar on Sunday.
BELGIUM
- Sacha Kljestan started and played 76 minutes in RSC Anderlecht's 0-0 draw vs. Germinal Beerschot on Saturday.
MEXICO
- Jose Torres started and played 90 minutes in Pachuca's 1-1 draw vs. Queretaro on Saturday.
- Herculez Gomez dressed but did not play in Santos Laguna's 3-1 win vs. Club Tijuana on Sunday.
- Sonny Guadarrama dressed but did not play in Atlante's 2-2 draw vs. Cruz Azul on Saturday.
- Jonathan Bornstein dressed but did not play in Tigres UANL's 2-1 win vs. Estudiantes Tecos U.A. de G. on Saturday.
- DaMarcus Beasley started, played 79 minutes and scored a GOAL in Puebla's 1-0 win vs. Jaguares de Chiapas on Saturday.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kA6gBK9o2g?feature=player_embedded]
- Adrian Ruelas did not dress in Jaguares de Chiapas' 1-0 loss vs. Puebla on Saturday.
- Michael Orozco started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in San Luis' 3-1 loss vs. America on Saturday.
- Edgar Castillo started and played 90 minutes in Club Tijuana's 3-1 loss vs. Santos Laguna on Sunday.
- Joe Corona came off the bench, played 62 minutes and received a yellow card for Club Tijuana.
- Greg Garza did not dress for Club Tijuana.
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What do you think of these performances? Do you think Everton should make a serious effort to try and keep Donovan? Which Onyewu goal did you like better? Think Beasley should get a start with the United States soon? How many goals do you see Johnson scoring by season's end?
Share your thoughts below.