By FRANCO PANIZO
There were not many goals or assists but as far as the injury front goes, this weekend could not have been much better for the Americans Abroad contingent.
Several Americans who were dealing with knocks in recent weeks returned to the field, including Tim Howard. The Everton goalkeeper jumped back into his side’s starting line-up for the first time in over a month on Saturday, making three saves en route to recording a cleansheet in a 1-0 win over Stoke City. The game was Howard’s first since breaking two bones in his back on Feb. 26.
Also in England, Stuart Holden made his first start since recovering from the major knee injury that cost him a year and a half. He started for Sheffield Wednesday in their 2-1 win vs. Barnsley, playing 61 minutes and drawing good reviews for his play in central midfield.
Fabian Johnson and Danny Williams also made their ways back from a hip injury and flu-like symptoms, respectively. Johnson and Williams both started for Hoffenheim on Saturday, with Johnson playing 74 minutes and Williams lasting through the 84th. Unfortunately for them, their returns came in a 3-0 loss to Schalke 04.
Fellow German-American Timmy Chandler was another player who was deemed healthy enough to see time for his club. Chandler, who missed the U.S. Men’s National Team’s recent qualifiers with a hamstring issue, started and went the distance in FC Nurnberg’s 2-2 draw with VfL Wolfsburg on Sunday while playing as a right-sided midfielder.
In Mexico, DaMarcus Beasley kept up his impressive recent form, coming off the bench and scoring a header goal for Puebla in a 2-1 loss to Mexican League leaders UANL Tigres. Fellow U.S. national teamer Jose Torres started for unbeaten Tigres.
Here’s how the Americans Abroad did this weekend:
Premiership
- Geoff Cameron started and played 79 minutes in Stoke City’s 1-0 loss vs. Everton on Saturday.
- Brek Shea did not dress for Stoke City.
- Sebastian Lletget did not dress in West Ham United’s 3-1 win vs. West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
- Brad Friedel started, played 90 minutes and made two saves in Tottenham’s 2-1 win vs. Swansea City on Saturday.
- Clint Dempsey did not dress for Tottenham. He is recovering from flu-like symptoms.
- Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made three saves in Everton’s 1-0 win vs. Stoke City on Saturday.
- Brad Guzan started, played 90 minutes and made five saves in Aston Villa’s 2-1 loss vs. Liverpool on Sunday.
- Eric Lichaj dressed but did not play for Aston Villa.
Championship
- Jonathan Spector did not dress in Birmingham City’s 4-0 win vs. Crystal Palace on Friday. He is recovering from an injury. Birmingham City play again on Monday vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers.
- Will Packwood did not dress for Birmingham City. He is recovering from a leg injury. Birmingham City play again on Monday vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers.
- Conor Doyle dressed but did not played in Derby County’s 3-0 win vs. Bristol City on Friday. Derby County play again on Monday vs. Leeds United.
- Tim Ream did not dress in Bolton Wanderers’ 3-2 loss vs. Charlton Athletic on Saturday.
- Stuart Holden started and played 61 minutes in Sheffield Wednesday’s 2-1 win vs. Barnsley on Saturday. Sheffield Wednesday play again on Monday vs. Bristol City.
- Zak Whitbread dressed but did not play in Leceister City’s 1-0 loss vs. Millwall on Friday. Leicester City play again on Monday vs. Barnsley.
League One
- Frank Simek started and played 90 minutes in Carlisle United’s 2-2 draw vs. Shrewsbury Town on Friday. Carlisle United play again on Monday vs. Sheffield United.
- Mike Grella dressed but did not play in Scunthorpe United’s 2-1 win vs. Leyton Orient on Friday. Scunthorpe United play again on Monday vs. AFC Bournemouth.
SPAIN
La Liga
- Oguchi Onyewu dressed but did not play in Malaga CF’s 3-1 win vs. Rayo Vallecano on Saturday.
Segunda Division
- Carlos Bocanega started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Racing Santander’s 0-0 draw vs. Elche on Sunday.
ITALY
- Michael Bradley dressed but did not play in AS Roma’s 2-0 loss vs. Palermo on Saturday.
GERMANY
Bundesliga
- Danny Williams started and played 83 minutes in TSG 1899 Hoffenheim’s 3-0 loss vs. Schalke 04 on Saturday.
- Fabian Johnson started and played 74 minutes for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
- Timmy Chandler started and played 90 minutes in FC Nurnberg’s 2-2 draw vs. VfL Wolfsburg on Sunday.
- Michael Parkhurst did not dress in FC Augsburg’s 2-0 loss vs. Hannover 96 on Saturday.
- Jermaine Jones did not dress in Schalke 04’s 3-0 win vs. TSG 1899 Hoffenheim on Saturday. He is recovering from an ankle injury.
- David Yelldell dressed but did not play in Bayer Leverkusen’s 4-1 win vs. Fortuna Dusseldorf on Saturday.
- Steve Cherundolo dressed but did not play in Hannover 96’s 2-0 win vs. FC Augsburg on Saturday.
2. Bundesliga
- Joe Gyau and St Pauli play SC Paderborn 07 on Monday.
- John Anthony Brooks started and played 90 minutes in Hertha Berlin’s 2-0 win vs. VfL Bochum on Saturday.
- Alfredo Morales came off the bench and played 15 minutes for Hertha Berlin.
- Andrew Wooten started and played 61 minutes in SV Sandhausen’s 1-1 draw vs. Kaiserslautern on Sunday.
- Bobby Wood and TSV 1860 Munich did not play this weekend.
NETHERLANDS
- Jozy Altidore started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in AZ Alkmaar’s 2-1 win vs. SC Heracles Almelo on Sunday.
PORTUGAL
- Tony Taylor came off the bench, played 18 minutes and scored a GOAL in G.D. Estoril Praia’s 1-1 draw vs. Moreirense on Saturday.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPThtdk-wDE?feature=player_embedded]
- Caleb Patterson-Sewell dressed but did not play in Vitoria Setubal’s 4-2 loss vs. Maritimo on Saturday.
RUSSIA
- Eugen Starikov came off the bench and played nine minutes in FK Rostov’s 1-0 loss vs. Dinamo Moscow on Saturday.
TURKEY
- Maurice Edu did not dress in Bursaspor’s 2-0 loss vs. Kasimpasa on Sunday.
BELGIUM
- Sacha Kljestan and RSC Anderlecht play Genk in the Belgian playoffs on Monday.
DENMARK
- Clarence Goodson did not dress in Brondby IF’s 1-0 win vs. Esbjerg on Friday. He is recovering from an injury. Brondby IF play again on Monday vs. AGF Aarhus.
- Charlie Davies started and played 45 minutes in Randers FC’s 2-0 win vs. SonderjyskE on Sunday.
- Conor O’Brien started and played 90 minutes in FC Nordsjaelland’s 4-2 win vs. AGF Aarhus on Friday. FC Nordsjaelland play again on Monday vs. FC Midtjylland.
AUSTRIA
- Terrence Boyd started and played 90 minutes in Rapid Vienna’s 3-2 loss vs. SV Josko Ried on Saturday.
SWEDEN
- Alejandro Bedoya started and played 82 minutes in Helsingborgs IF’s 3-0 win vs. Djurgardens IF on Sunday.
- Brian Span came off the bench and played 35 minutes in Djurgardens IF’s 3-0 loss vs. Helsingborgs IF on Sunday.
NORWAY
- Josh Gatt and Molde FK did not play this weekend.
- Mix Diskerud and Rosenborg BK play Brann on Monday.
- Steve Clark and Honefoss BK did not play this weekend.
MEXICO
- Herculez Gomez started and played 90 minutes in Santos Laguna’s 1-1 draw vs. Queretaro on Saturday.
- Benji Joya did not dress for Santos Laguna.
- DaMarcus Beasley came off the bench, played 45 minutes and scored a GOAL in Puebla’s 2-1 loss vs. Tigres UANL on Sunday.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcrlOiejbjE?feature=player_detailpage]
- Michael Orozco Fiscal started and played 90 minutes for Puebla.
- Jose Torres started and played 68 minutes in Tigres UANL’s 2-1 win vs. Puebla on Sunday.
- Jonathan Bornstein dressed but did not play for Tigres UANL.
- Edgar Castillo started and played 90 minutes in Club Tijuana’s 1-0 loss vs. Toluca on Saturday.
- Joe Corona started and played 63 minutes for Club Tijuana.
- Greg Garza did not dress for Club Tijuana.
- Ventura Alvarado did not dress in Club America’s 2-0 win Chivas de Guadalajara on Sunday.
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What do you think of these performances? Impressed with Howard being back so soon after breaking two bones in his back? Which of the German-Americans’ outings are you most pleased by?
Share your thoughts below.